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

Purchase: Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle

I was intrigued to jump into Harrower #1, a new horror series from writer Justin Jordan and artist Brahm Revel. I’ve enjoyed other comics from the two and the idea of a new horror mythos from them was something I couldn’t pass up reading. And, I’m happy to say, Harrower #1 kicks off a new horror story I hope will turn into a franchise.

Story: Justin Jordan
Art: Brahm Revel
Letterer: Pat Brosseau

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Zeus Comics
comiXology/Kindle

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

I’m generally not a horror fan. It’s a genre I tried to enjoy when younger but it usually just kept me up at night lacking actual fun. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate it slightly more and some franchises I’ve come to love. Scream and Blair Witch are two franchises I can sit back and enjoy and I’ve expanded my horror reading as well with works by Junji Ito and more. So, I was intrigued to jump into Harrower #1, a new horror series from writer Justin Jordan and artist Brahm Revel. I’ve enjoyed other comics from the two and the idea of a new horror mythos from them was something I couldn’t pass up reading. And, I’m happy to say, Harrower #1 kicks off a new horror story I hope will turn into a franchise like what I’ve previously mentioned.

Taking place in a small New York town, Harrower #1 feels like what I like about recent horror franchises. It delivers mystery, some sin of the past coming back to haunt, a myth that spans generations, and scares and kills that aren’t over the top lingering on a gross out factor. It also slashes the quaint idyllic world so many long for but doesn’t exist waking us to a greyer and dirtier reality.

It’s Halloween, as so many horror stories are, and the myth of the Harrower lingers not just with the kids of the town but also its parents. Is this some story to unite everyone and scare them straight? It’s clear from the start, there’s more to the story hinting at a much deeper cult-like undercurrent that the adults know about and kids are blissfully unaware.

Jordan’s story and Revel’s art delivers a quaint town, much like that of Scream, where everyone is generally well to do and things are peaceful and in order. What’s to come will rock all of that causing everyone to be on their toes and readers to guess who won’t survive and what secrets will be revealed. It takes what I think works so well and packages it into a story that has aspects that are familiar but still very new.

Level’s art with lettering by Pat Brosseau hammers home that feeling that something isn’t right. While everything “looks normal,” there’s still an ominous feel to it all. The visuals deliver a haunting shadow of everything and like great horror franchises in the past your paranoia kicks in analyzing panels and characters to figure out who might be the killer.

Even with all of that, Harrower #1 delivers a killer ending that’ll leave fans of the genre, and readers as a whole, wanting to read the next issue immediately. It’s a fantastic wtf moment that opens so much as to where the series will go and what scares and kills are coming. The makings of a bloody good story.

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

Purchase: Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle