Every secret comes to light as Jessa is confronted with the horrible truth of the figures behind everything! As she faces the Harrower in a final showdown, her fate seems inevitable. Can she escape becoming what she fears most? Harrower #4 wraps up the start of a solid horror franchsie.

Created by Justin Jordan and Brahm Revel, Harrower #4 both closes the book on this slasher story but like good slasher films, leaves things open for a franchise. Written by Jordan, the issue dishes the secrets of the town and Harrower. The explanation is pretty basic building off the hints in the debut issue that the town is rather conservative in its ways. There isn’t too much depth as to who the Harrower chooses and why it’s done, but the overall concept is there making these four issues more of an origin story than a slasher. And in that way, the comic gets more interesting.

It’d have been easy for Jordan to explain what’s going on with supernatural forces or it’s just the way things are done, but we get the hints at how the Harrower started and this Harrower in particular. There’s some drama there that’s explored and makes the concept of the series all the more twisted.

Some of that drama is delivered in Revel’s art and Pat Brosseau‘s lettering. Jessa’s confrontation with her parents and the town is full of heartbreak. The issue does fall a little short in Jessa’s battle with the Harrower though. There’s a grittiness and desperation that doesn’t quite feel there nor does the Harrower’s hesitancy come through enough. That aspect of the comic needed a little more to it. But, the comic hasn’t really been about the gore and action, it’s far more that secrets the town keeps.

Story: Justin Jordan Art: Brahm Revel Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Story: 8.25 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.2 Recommendation: Buy

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Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – Kindle

The Harrower proves difficult to kill, but killing comes easy for him. With the group split in two, no cell service, and the police being suspiciously useless-someone won’t make it out alive. Harrower #3 ups the body count and both answers questions and deepens the mystery as to exactly what’s going on.

Writer Justin Jordan delivers twists and turns in this third issue as the fight against the Harrower continues and some of what has been shown gets a deeper look. It all comes together to deliver a comic that begins to tease exactly what’s going on and makes the series even that much better.

From the beginning of the series, we’ve known there’s some deeper conspiracy that involves the Harrower and the town but we don’t know exactly what. There’s some long history and clearly some “cult like” activity but the details have been few. Harrower #3 starts to answer that aspect of things as the group of kids do their best to escape the Harrower’s killing spree while stumbling upon answers as to some of the killer’s tricks.

The series has been great for a whole host of reasons. It’s mixed classic slashers with a more modern aesthetic and the more modern horror releases we seen as far as characters and pacing. But, this issue also has a bit of fun with moments that remind me more of Scooby-Doo than anything else. There’s a sense of the comic that it takes itself seriously but also have a bit of fun with the genre overall in how everything rolls out.

Part of the solid aspect of the series is the art by Brahm Revel. The comic is horror and a slasher, so you expect a body count and blood, but Revel’s art never crosses the line so it distracts. The specifics of the kill and gore can be a focus on times in other stories but this one keeps it simple, focusing on the act and the who than zeroing in on the how and lingering on the blood and guts. With lettering by Pat Brosseau that combined with the body language tells so much, the visuals really help with the pace and in this case adds to the fun spookiness of it all.

Harrower #3 ends things with a nice what the hell moment. It plays into some of what has been hinted at but we’ll finally get a better sense of things. The issue leaves things in an exciting place and one hell of a final page that’ll leave readers wanting to find out where things are going and get to the truth of it all.

Story: Justin Jordan Art: Brahm Revel Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

BOOM! Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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Purchase: Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle

Something monstrous stalks Jessa and her friends, with only the light of their phones as meager torches against the darkness. Between dead signals and dead friends, Harrower #2 has fun with horror movie tropes putting our crew at a party that’s a perfect kill zone.

I feel like a need to say it when reviewing the genre, but I’m generally not a horror fans. There’s some specific franchises I enjoy but overall, it’s just not my thing. So, when I like a horror story, it’s kind of a big deal as I generally go in with a negative view. The first issue of Harrower blew me away, reminding me a bit of Scream and other more modern horror franchises. Harrower #2 continues the fun and delivers some new ways to up the body count.

Co-created by writer Justin Jordan and artist Brahm Revel, Harrower #2 plays off a lot of horror tropes. The group of kids wind up at a party. There’s drinking. And they ignore every warning sign. But, what’s different about Harrower #2 is that they at least notice the warning signs, and honestly not sure if that’s better or worse. The second issue shows there’s some brains in the group but pear pressure seems to outweigh wanting to stay alive.

Jordan and Revel deliver some quick hits as the depth of the characters and world expands through the issue until what we know is coming hits. The bodies pile up in new ways that show how well planned the Harrower is before the killing begins. It’s an interesting twist to it all that could easily have just been hack and slash murders but also adds a lot to the story and the mysterious killer. Something more is going on than just some difficult to kill being.

Revel’s art is part of the fun. With lettering by Pat Brosseau, it doesn’t go over the top with gore but instead there’s an almost comedic aspect to the chaos. When the Harrower arrives at the party is a highlight as it delivers a fantastic punch in an unexpected way, even with us expecting something. That’s part of the fun of the issue’s visuals as it slowly visually reveals what’s going on like a symphony of death. There’s a mechanical, almost check list like quality of how things go down, like everyone is playing into the Harrower’s exact plans.

Harrower #2 is another fantastic issue that’s a must for horror fans. There’s a lot it plays off of but also delivers so much that’s new and interesting showing it’s marching to its on beat. There’s still a lot of questions out there and far more raised with this issue that hints at an exciting series.

Story: Justin Jordan Art: Brahm Revel Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation; Buy

BOOM! Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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Purchase: Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle