The Woods: Issues #1-4

The Woods

Issues #1-4

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Writer: James Tynion IV

Artist: Michael Dialynas

Genre: Horror, Sci-fi

Price: $3.99/issue

To start us off I have to say this first. This is the first Boom! Studios comic I have read. One of the first things I noticed is that there are no advertisements during the body of the story. Without those pages getting in the way of the story's progress I found this to be a great way to assemble a comic. Instead of hastily bypassing the ads while trying to get to the next story page I actually took the time to look through them at the end of each book. I hope this becomes a trend, as an uninterrupted body of the story is much easier to read, and the space spent on ads seems better utilized when placed that way.

The Woods is a new story that drops a prep school in Milwaukee onto a forest enshrouded moon some unknown distance from Earth. Using the isolated setting James Tynion IV introduces common themes from various sci-fi and horror stories such as; strange beasts lurking around every corner, power struggles, a loner that seems to know what is going on, different factions and an unknown intelligence that is pulling the strings from the shadows. Think The Mist mixed with Predators, with a dash of Lord of the Flies thrown into the mix, just to spice it up.

None of that is to say that it is a bad read due to the familiarity, quite to the contrary. The characters are varied and interesting, which is a good thing, as the reader is introduced to many in very short order. I found myself having little trouble keeping track of who was who. This is due in equal parts to Tynion's ability to give them differing personalities, and Michael Dialynas' artwork. Each character has his or her own distinct look. The story itself, while not necessarily new, moves forward with the confidence of an author that knows the characters' motivations and goals well.

There are two stories running parallel in The Woods. One of them focuses on a group of students that have ventured into the forest searching for answers and an explanation for what has been done to them. The other part of the story focuses on what is happening with those that remain inside the school building, the ways in which they're coping, interacting with each other under stress, and preparing for whatever the situation throws at them next.

Conclusion: The Woods #1-4 are collected in The Woods Volume One: The Arrow. While it doesn't seem to bring anything earth-shatteringly new to the genre this is a well told and drawn story. The diverse characters and my curiosity are enough for me to overlook some of the more formulaic elements present.

Rating: 7.25/10