After what could generously be described as a subpar issue, Harrow County returns this month with its regular creative team. Is it good?
Harrow County #13 (Dark Horse Comics)
Observations
- If you’re a kid wandering alone in Harrow County, the absolutely worst place to get lost is inside a cornfield.
- Good to see Bernice and Emmy together again (and Emmy’s skinless guardian).
- +1 to Emmy for a truly fantastic pun.
- Okay. Fine. We get it. There are a lot of scarecrows and they’re going to do something scary.
- I don’t like it when Bernice and Emmy are at odds with each other :(
- GET ‘EM, NOSKIN!
- Whoa. Bernice comes through in the clutch. Well done.
- (There really should have been more bird poop, though).
- Not sure who that is, but I already don’t like him.
…but at least it wasn’t another scarecrow.
Is It Good?
Now that’s more like it.
It’s great having Tyler Crook back on art duties, but Harrow County #13 is also a return to form for Cullen Bunn’s storytelling. The tension between Bernice and Emmy was uncomfortable, but necessary, especially with Bernice now having a supernatural secret of her own. And the issue’s big action scene is one of the most exciting ones we’ve had in a while.
There were a few painfully obvious story beats–after the fifth time we saw a scarecrow, it became pretty clear what was going to happen. But thanks to the great dialogue and Crook’s trademark unsettling/beautiful imagery, it still works.
I’m not sure what to think of the issue’s cliffhanger. On one hand, I have absolutely no idea who the new villain is or how he relates to Emmy and Bernice. On the other hand, that last page was creepy as hell…and when Harrow County goes full on creepy, it almost always turns out great.
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