And Then Emily Was Gone #1

By John Lees, Iain Laurie & Megan Wilson

The atmosphere created by Lees and Laurie in And Emily Was Gone is downright disturbing. Greg lives his everyday life haunted by the images of terrifying monsters. The initial introduction to this setting is jarring as visually grotesque figures are littered casually throughout the early portions of the issue. This is only part of a larger story of more distributing comic fun. Readers find themselves along for a ride that traverses many paths, all as engrossing as the last.

The story established by Lees is chilling and encompasses several layers. Issue one opens three to four plot lines that are all interesting and begging to be answered. And Then Emily Was Gone hits different tones throughout the issue. Lees gives the reader a little bit of all the classic styles of the horror genre. There are monsters, disgraced detectives, murder, hit men, missing children, creepy folk tales, and unknown mysteries.

Laurie’s art captures the uneasiness and horror of And Then Emily Was Gone. It is not always beautiful but that imperfection is what creates a very unique style perfect for Lees’ tale. Laurie plays with page layouts in fun and creative ways. Panel borders melt and disintegrate away blending the world of horror and chaos with the world of the mundane. Laurie works with silhouettes to add an additional sense of horror to the story. Wilson’s rich and sharp colors provide a great contrast to the dark nature of the story in addition to highlighting Laurie’s art.

The Comix Tribe published comic comes out swinging a hammer and should easily go toe to toe with any comic from the more mainstream independent publishers. And Then Emily Was Gone taps into horror in a unique way in just its first issue . The story is unsettling and at the same time fascinating. Lees juggles different narratives giving each the perfect amount of time to have the reader wanting to know more. Laurie’s art will not be for everyone but for readers who appreciate different, creative and stylistic art styles, Laurie’s stands out in And Then Emily Was Gone. His scenes are eerie and layouts are unique. And Then Emily Was Gone is how to do first issues right.  Fans of comics owe it to themselves to give And Them Emily Was Gone a chance and everyone deserves to know what’s in the box. WHAT’S IN THE BOX??