The past influences the future once again.
Creative Staff:
Story: Tim Daniel. Michael Moreci
Art: Joshua Hixson
Colors: Kurt Michael Russell
Letterer: Jim Campbell
What They Say:
Discovering a journal in the attic, Chase drowns in the dark waters of his family’s history.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
I had thoroughly enjoyed the first three issues of The Plot that I had seen before but had missed out on the fourth. Coming into the fifth works well as it’s almost entirely comprised of flashback material that fills in on the past so it almost stands alone in a way, making it easier to reconnect with the present at the end. Tim Daniel and Michael Moreci have some really good horror going on here and set up more of the foundations to what’s happening. Joshua Hixson definitely made me a fan with the earlier issues and his handling the 1670s as well as he does here makes me even more of a fan. It has all the right classic horror elements it needs combined with Russell’s coloring work to make it truly haunting and unnerving as we dig into more of it.
The bulk of this issue takes place in 1674 and 1675 as we see a burial going on at first in the winter, a tough time for the tiny little village that’s struggling to survive. With the ground frozen and nothing to do but burn the body, it puts Vitus into a difficult position but the only thing that can really be done as you don’t want to just leave it out for the wolves. But there’s something unnerving going on and we see during the spring that the crops aren’t growing and there’s something in the woods that’s causing Vitus concern. It’s worse as the summer goes on and things are getting problematic for the village with as little food storage as there is but he remains as hopeful as he can be. Part of what frustrates him though is watching Liva and Malthe as the two get more and more serious as he knows Malthe really is a problem.
But it’s during the summer that Vitus’ life changes as he’s drawn out into the night by a howl that leads him to the mansion we know so well from the present. The creature from within, being as horrifying and alien as it is, essentially because his new god that he works to quietly serve, which includes making an offering to it. It’s all what you’d expect and it plays out brutally as he murders one of his own in hopes of the creature below being able to help the village survive and thrive. The combination of that and shifting to the present to see Chase reading all of this in the house and understanding more and more of what’s going on adds to the right kind of panic. He’s beginning to realize what he’s gotten himself into and the first instinct (finally) is to flee, but the world has far different plans for him as he’s shown there’s no escape at the moment.
In Summary:
I’m definitely glad to get back into The Plot as it offers up the right kind of horror I’m looking for with solid pacing, some expanded foundation work that we get a lot of here, and just the general creepy tone. Hixson really delivers when it comes to the visuals, whether it’s the creature or just making this village in Maine come to life, while Daniel and Moreci put in a lot of really good things with the characters here so that we get a good feel for what they’re going through. This may be a kind of awkward jumping on point for some people but I think, with an open mind, it works well to entice you into its world and to grab the previous issues if it piques any interest at all because they’re very much worth it.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 15+
Released By: Vault Comics
Release Date: July 1st, 2020
MSRP: $3.99
