Tomb of the White Horse was a book I backed when it hit Kickstarter at the tailend of 2019 and having read & reread it already, it was due another visit.
The story centres around a remote warehouse as it eases into a night-shift where the building snow outside keeps the three man crew hemmed in as they get through their work as best the can. There’s a fractured vibe around the three-man team as a returning member is a less than favourable addition but they initially seem to just get on with things until the discovery of a sizeable package that’s arrived but isn’t on their list. Cue the mystery surrounding this drawing their attention and the sparring between the three leads to the most gung-ho member taking a peek inside.
That’s where the night of work goes off the rails and with them each experiencing a flash of their own inner demons, the influence of the mystery arrival is becoming more and more apparent. Rather than it just being a strange force that’s trying to take control it becomes evident that their worst nightmares are being freshened in their minds and there’s more trouble to come. Opening the box is the key to telling which way it will go and the messed up realities they then face has this story weaving in a completely different direction than I was expecting.
Writer Ian Mondrick has pieced together a great beginning in this issue and while it’s billed as being both a one-shot and the beginning of a four-part horror series it’s clear that there’s definitely more to see from this world. The disjointed crew are actually a solid fit for what unravels before them and with evil coming at them head-on it’s no surprise that they rally together to get through it. That’s made a bit more of a reality with Benjamin AE Filby’s art and there’s a definite sense of horror in the faces of the cast before the shocks hit the reader at the next reveal.
Lesley Atlansky’s colouring keeps things suitably gloomy and with the snowy world outside contrasting against the gloom of the warehouse the bleak world keeps you on the edge as you read. Zakk Saam joins that creative purpose with some measured lettering that let the visuals keep their stark impact allowing everything to flow as the world gets crazy. Shout out to Kim Myatt on that cover too as it really sets the tone well for what’s to come with it’s eerie ethereal vibe that you KNOW hides a darker side.
The obscure nature of the story is accepted easily as things unfold which is really down to the creative team throwing their all into the story that’s playing out. The shocks hit exactly when the need to and the grim flashes of horrific scenes are exactly the kind of face slap that’s needed with the growing unease that’s building from page to page. That all comes to a head in true “didn’t see that coming” fashion and this feels like the beginning of something more than it does a one-shot. Hopefully we’ll get the next chapter of the story and with the same creative team because there’s undoubted potential for them to mess with our heads some more after this.
Check out the creators websites for more info and check out what else they are working on over on their social media links too:
Ian Mondrick – website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
Benjamin AE Filby – website, Twitter, Instagram
Lesley Atlansky – website, Twitter
Zakk Saam – website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
Kim Myatt – website, Twitter, Instagram
7/10
G-Man
COMICS ANONYMOUS 