Phantom on the Scan #2

Phantom on the Scan #2

Aftershock Comics 2021

Written by Cullen Bunn

Illustrated by Mark Torres

Lettered by Dave L Sharpe

A group of frightened psychics gather to learn how and why their gifts are killing them. What is the mystery that binds them together? What is the source of their powers? And how is the clandestine Trellux Institute involved? As they pursue the answers to these questions, they discover that they’re also being stalked by human killers – killers with powers of their own.

I love that this picks up at the exact moment the previous issue left off. This way it is being told in real time and doesn’t jump around which gives it a more linear feel to the book and is something that the reader can feel like they are more a part of. Granted that thing just popped out of the dude’s head so there is no relating to that but it is certainly a moment that widens the eyes and grosses you out and yet you dare not look away from. Part of that is you don’t want it coming your way which is silly but then again the way this is being told is strong and powerful enough you feel like you are there.

I love the way that this is being told. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well. Also the marriage between words and visuals here is one made in heaven because you don’t need a lot of words to understand the direction the story is going or understand what is happening and that’s a special kind of synchronicity. The character development is marvellous to see unfold. The way that we see the dialogue, character interaction and how they act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter really flesh them out further as real folks. The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing more of the story it pulls us deeper and deeper in what’s happening.

I am a huge fan of the way that we see this being structured and how the layers within the story keep growing stronger and merging with one another. How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well how it moves the story forward is amazingly well achieved. The entire flow of this book is phenomenal and how they get from point A to point B is so well rendered.

The interiors here are absolutely mindbogglingly gorgeous! The linework is exquisite and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create the detail work is mind numbing. The expressiveness and how the work sets the mood, tone and feel of the story in nearly incomprehensible. The creativity and imagination on display here is creepy as all get out and it can be bone chillingly horrific to suggesting sheer terror or just apprehension. The way we see backgrounds and how they are incorporated within the panels being utilised to showcase the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope of the story is so magnificent to see. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show such a masters eye for storytelling. The colour work is stupendous! How we see the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows and phenomenal eye for how colour should, can and does work in some truly original and unique ways.

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Cullen has proven here is the new master of horror and just the way that this is so intelligently written with a stellar diverse cast of characters that are being expertly fleshed out this book is why we get excited to read. This is modern masterpiece of true horror and it’s going to be a sweeping epic in a tale of man versus death.