The Cloven: Book One [Hardcover]

The author of the #1 An oddball mash-up of science fiction, horror, action, and coming-of-age story, this unusual collaboration stands out from the crowd of similar superpowered mutants bucking the system. The evocative, unsettling world building is nicely matched by the shadowy artwork. The inky black silhouettes of the towering conifers and looming mountains of the Pacific Northwest, set against warm, saturated, watercolor-wash backgrounds of peachy sunsets, violet dusk, and bright-yellow artificial light are particularly striking. A tense and disorienting (by intent) page-turner of a story, one that expertly spans lanes between more literary comics and the action-heavy monthly fair. Filled with action and intrigue and Southworth's cinematically-inspired artwork, one can feel the joy and excitement fairly leaping off the page. From the first stark, cut-you-to-the-bone scene, Wildly, dizzyingly imaginative, and grimly allegorical. It fairly 'bleats' with wry humor, and the art is spectacular. I cant wait for the next two installments!