Sometimes, when you’re in search for something new and different, it can be a hard task, especially when you travel to your local comic shop and see pretty much clones of the same thing over and over. Trying to find that needle in a haystack can be almost impossible. Sometimes you get lucky and that needle falls right into your lap. I gotta say, one of the best perks of being a reviewer at this site is that we’re sent things off the beaten path. I just got a new graphic novel called, Identity Thief, which was published by Fanboy Comics and written by Bryant Dillon with art by Meaghan O’Keefe.
So what exactly is this book about, and why is it so different than any other comic on the stands? I’ll give you a run down. The entire story plays out like a low budget stage play or an old Twilight Zone episode. Most of the story is set in the same location for the entire plot. We’re never given much explanation on what is what. The art style is pretty stylized and impressionistic in certain parts. The book is dark, grim, and Gothic in tone. It certainly doesn’t end with a happy ending, but again, it’s because of all these things I found the book such a great read.
Here’s the basic plot of Identity Thief. A new couple named Daphne and Craig has recently moved into a new apartment. We learn later on that they both moved because of various things they did in the past that they want to leave behind in their old town. This is their way of starting over, except sometimes you find new horrors hidden right in plain sight. The couple finds a mysterious and strange hatch in the ceiling of their apartment. What they never realize is that there’s a disturbingly inhuman creature living in the dark recesses of the hatch. We never find out what this faceless creepy thing is or why it’s trying to take over the couples lives, but the twist at the end of the story is too good to spoil.
Bryant Dillon crafts a chilling modern day horror story. It’s hard for a comic to make you scared or actually horrify you, but Dillon raises the tension in the story to a fever pitch. Like I said before, the story is very restrained and doesn’t go out of its way to reveal all the answers to you, but by doing this, it makes you think all the more after you finish it. O’Keefe’s twisted artwork may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but fits perfectly with the tone of the book. Her artwork is moody and downright creepy. In fact, it might even give you nightmares. This is a perfect graphic novel for Halloween. If you’re a fan of old school shows like Twilight Zone, Tales from the Crypt or even obscure 80’s horror anthologies like Tales from the Darkside and Monsters, then this is the graphic novel for you. This story would fit right at home in a standard episode of any of those shows, and it’s definitely different from anything you’ll read on the comic stands.
You can find out more about this comic at www.identitythiefcomic.com and at www.fanboycomics.net
GRADE- A
