Flesh Tones #1

After catching up with Dark Pond Creations co-founder Patrick Scattergood a few weeks back and enjoying The Meek #2……I thought I’d take a look at their other title Flesh Tones.

It’s a two story affair with this one as Patrick brings us more of his horror themed shorts and first up is The Mansion where he teams up with Lee Taylor on art duties.  It’s a softer approach to the typical all out gore we see from some zombie stories as an anniversary escape for a couple at the mansion of one of their grandfather’s turns out to be their last trip away.  There’s a gloriously bittersweet edge to this from Patrick as he tells the story in flashback through the contents of a letter from husband to wife and the pairing of Lee’s artwork on this particular story brings with it a sadness that’s present from the beginning but still manages to bring with it an upsetting end.

Second story on offer is Real Horror with Dan Charnley taking over art duties and giving us a significantly darker style…….but that matches the equally darker theme to Patrick’s story.  It’s all about the essence of horror and focusing on the public’s ability to class the latest movies as too difficult to watch while newsreels bombard us with the human suffering we seem to have become immune too.  There’s a watchful eye being cast over this though as a lone figure bides his time to make his move.  The dark art makes this a gloomy read as you almost have to lean in closer to make out what’s on the page……but that’s the whole point as it becomes an unsettling read and another slick pairing of creators.

Patrick’s two contrasting stories are well matched as they trade off different types of scares with each other and the pitch perfect matching of artist to each of the stories takes this 2 for 1 to another level.  While the second story edges it as my favourite there’s merit in both offerings here and I’d be keen to see where another issue would go.

You can get hold of the Dark Pond Creations through Sellfy and keep tabs on their latest news and Comic Con appearances over on their Facebook page.

7/10

G-Man