Ritual: Real Life #1
Wow. I think that any fans of horror or surreal comics should just buy this sight unseen (when it comes out in a few weeks), and that almost anything that I have to say about it will just spoil bits for you. So with that said, fans of Malachi’s past work or fans in the general of the comics that Revival Press have released so far, please go on your way and wait patiently until the book is released. Or you could pick it up at the Stumptown convention on April 28th. For the rest of you, I will now try to convey what I liked about this book without giving anything away. It’s a delicate dance and it’s almost impossible to be entirely successful, but you have been warned. That cover should be your first hint that this isn’t just another typical comic, and the first page will confirm that. We see a clear night sky, then a disembodied hand floating down, then a flash of light from the hand, then the hand is gone. From there we go to a couple in bed, with the woman awake and watching bugs crawl into the skin of her lover. It’s a sign of things to come, and pay close attention to her “nonsensical” words at the beginning, as they all come together by the end. Both members of the couple wake up, they go about their day as usual, and the reader is lulled into a false sense of security rather nicely. Then the power goes out (but only in their house), and we get to the page sampled below, and I’m going to stop talking about it right now. I looked through Malachi’s website before writing this (mostly to make sure I had the right order of the title) and it looks like “Real Life” is projected to be a series of stand-alone stories, although I’m not sure if they’re all going to be horror stories. All I can say to that is: yes, please. There are far too few genuinely scary or unnerving comics out there and more are always welcome. If this ends up being a series of stand-alone tales that eventually come together or make a larger sort of sense, I’m all for that too. Just keep drawing, that’s all I ask. Malachi has clearly grabbed onto something here and it’s far better to keep that roll going than it is to stop it for “real life” and then try to start it back up again. No price (as it’s not out yet), but I’d guess at least $6 for something this hefty.
