By d. emerson eddy — This past year had a number of releases from legends returning in a big way to the industry with works personal to them, like Barry Windsor Smith's Monsters and Jim Starlin's Dreadstar Returns. One of my favourites was from a legend who never really stopped in the English translation of Sensor by Junji Ito, with Jocelyne Allen and Eric Erbes. It's another thrilling horror story that will grip you from the get go and never let you go.

Sensor tells the tale of Kyoko Byakuya, first as she travels to Mount Sengoku to witness strange strands of golden “hair” then a volcano eruption, and then through the eyes of a reporter, Wataru Tsuchiyado, as he tries to follow Byakuya, running into an aggressive cult and many strange things.

What I love about Junji Ito's work overall is how he tells his stories. Many of them are originally serialized in other books (just as is the case of Sensor having been first published in Japanese in Nemuki+), and as such he has a tendency to ensure that each chapter has its own unique focus, telling stories within a larger framework. So what we get here, in addition to the overarching tale of Kyoko's journey, are little bits of that cult, strange occurrences with traffic mirrors, suicide bugs, and more. And some of the best cosmic horror around that will have you questioning the implications of higher beings.

All of it beautifully rendered in Ito's exquisite art style. The detail that he puts into his landscapes and buildings is incredible, which enhances the weirdness and horror when things turn strange, making the body horror, odd creatures, and breaking of reality feel that much more impacting when it happens. Also, that aforementioned cosmic horror features some of the most beautiful and terrifying imagery I've seen in one of Ito's books.

Junji Ito is a master at horror, at pacing, at overall storytelling, and it shines through here in Sensor. This is the work of someone who has honed his craft to perfection and features a story that will pull you in, creep you out, and then leave you at the end wondering where hours went because you just couldn't put it down.

Sensor by Junji Ito

Sensor by Junji Ito
Writer & Artist: Junji Ito
Translation & Adaptation: Jocelyne Allen
Touch Up Art & Letterer: Eric Erbes
Publisher: Viz
A woman walks alone at the foot of Mount Sengoku. A man appears, saying he's been waiting for her, and invites her to a nearby village. Surprisingly, the village is covered in hairlike volcanic glass fibers, and all of it shines a bright gold. At night, when the villagers perform their custom of gazing up at the starry sky, countless unidentified flying objects come raining down on them -- the opening act for the terror about to occur!
Release Date: August 17 2021
Price: $10.99
Read This One: Sensor by Junji Ito

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d. emerson eddy is a student and writer of things. He fell in love with comics during Moore, Bissette, & Totleben's run on Swamp Thing and it has been a torrid affair ever since. His madness typically manifests itself on Twitter @93418.