By d. emerson eddy — Vault is one of the most consistent publishers in comics today. For the past few years they have been publishing some of the most unique and innovative stories, all of which feel like something wholly new. They've fostered a creative vision for their publishing platform that seems to allow their creators to take ideas that might appear old and subsequently transform them into something new, or just outright create things that we've never really seen before. From Heathen to These Savage Shores, Relics of Youth to Vagrant Queen, Friendo to Wasted Space, these books run the gamut of genres as their creators consistently manage to elevate the medium. Now they're doing it again as The Plot thickens.

The first two chapters have been an incredible ride that to me feels like a blend of '70s and '80s horror movies (the former making sense since the story is set in 1974), delving into family drama and skeletons in the closest, and The Plot #3 heightens tension. There's also a very compelling surrealist element that makes you question everything that you're seeing. The art from Joshua Hixson and Jordan Boyd is fully immersive in this area. It breathes and waits. The visuals manage to evoke that lurking thing just beyond the threshold, blurry and out of view, making your mind fill in the blanks as to some of what you're actually seeing. Overall the visual feel of the book is incredible. Hixson's shadows give a wonderful framework to the world and the atmosphere is amplified through Boyd's colors. There are some interesting choices in blues and purples, giving a feel of ominous dread, and another sequence in orange and red that evokes anger and confusion. All beneath a kind of haze that helps accentuate the '70s horror movie tone.

Pacing through this story has been different, slowly unfolding, then pivoting, staccatoed with sudden violent reveals, basically with the writing duo of Tim Daniel and Michael Moreci keeping us on our toes. There's some character development here that continues to raise more questions, especially regarding a character that would usually be deemed “safe”, that plays against conventions. While we're constantly wondering what is and isn't happening, it makes you wonder whether or not we can even trust some of the characters. The mystery of what's really going on looming larger.

Jim Campbell's letters bring everything together, echoing some of the shakiness to the art and the characters. The word balloons tend not to take the same shape repeatedly, which mirrors the fluidity of the artwork, helping achieve putting the reader somewhat off-balance. It's interesting in contrast to the headings, which evoke a newspaper/typewritten record feel. Like there's an attempt at structure in the world, but everything underneath is unfixed.

Overall, Daniel, Moreci, Hixson, Boyd, and Campbell have nailed the creepy horror feel in The Plot #3. Even ordinary, everyday life has started to feel unnatural and the story is told in such a beautiful way. Horror fans owe it to themselves to pick up this series.

The Plot #3
Writers: Tim Daniel & Michael Moreci
Artist: Joshua Hixson
Colorist: Jordan Boyd
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Publisher: Vault Comics
Price: $3.99

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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.