Coming off the heels of an impressive debut with 2023's "The Devil's Cut", DSTLRY looks to keep the momentum going with a monstrous new series. Combining the talents of James Tynion IV and Christian Ward, the upstart imprint has let the pair (along with Aditya Bidikar) loose with a ghost story for the ages. Mixing in elements of horror and social perception, SPECTREGRAPH is poised to stand out from the pack at the local comic shops.
. *** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
The concept is a very engaging one. The beginning is set in 1967. A Man of wealth and class defies a cult with his belief about Ghosts. Jumping forward to 2024 and the slow burn build begins. This is a trademark of Tynion that few come close to. Janie is a complex and flawed character. She is a character that feels way over her head with what's going on. Vesper is a complete opposite. The writing portrays her as cold and business-minded.
The plot from here goes in a few twists and turns. Vesper's commitment to the house buyers. Janie's ill attempts to return to her son. Both play huge roles as the story heads in the final act. From here, things get a bit hectic as the truth comes to light. The issue leaves fans with many questions as this story has only just begun to scratch surfaces.
If you have ever read Batman: City Of Madness, you KNOW Ward can pull off some intense imagery in a horror setting. The opening pages build up the mystery as Ambrose Hall begins his tale. This is followed up with a unique use of panels per page. Ward leans into a 10-12 ranger for some pages. It explains the emotional pull of Janie and her actions. Readers can easily connect with what she's done and its' fallout.
The mysterious mansion gets a grand entrance with a gorgeous two page spread. The image screams wealth and prestige. It reflects Vesper's groups interest in acquiring the house. From here, Ward and Bidikar bring out a mind-blowing third act. The visions witness dive into the horror aspect of the story. The closing pages amp things up a few notches before closing out the impressive debut. The final small panel will reflect most readers as they stare at their watches waiting for the next issue to drop.
FINAL SCORE: 9
Mixing in true horror elements with human emotion, Spectregraph #1 leaves readers with a tremendous starting point for a bigger story. Tynion weaves in flawed characters in between a growing plot with superb writing. Ward and Bidikar add in impressive visuals that bend reality into a haunting experience for the reader. It's a debut that will have many fans talking at the comic shops when they pick this up.
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