My friends, the time has finally come. It’s time for the leaves to change, the air to become crisp, and for everyone to break out their best sweaters. That’s right, it’s finally autumn! With autumn comes Halloween, and with Halloween comes classic stories and movies we watch and read to get us into the spooky spirit. And, I think, Hollow is a wonderful addition to the Halloween canon.
Story and Characters
Written by Shannon Watters (Lumberjanes, Giant Days) and Branden Boyer-White (Where You’ll Find Me, The Exhibit) and illustrated by Berenice Nelle (Wanderlicht), Hollow tells the story of Isabel “Izzy” Crane, a city girl who recently moved to Sleepy Hollow, New York with her family and is starting as a new student at the local high school. Here, she meets Vicky Van Tassel, a fellow teen and local celebrity due to her family’s connection with the old folktale that made the town famous, and Oscar “Croc” Byun, a lovable, energetic jock with a penchant for pranks. After a chance encounter with a supernatural spirit late one night, they find out that Vicky and her family are the target of a centuries-old curse that sees all Van Tassels be put in harm’s way. Through historical tours, energetic archivists, witches, and the trio’s sharp minds, they seek to uncover the mystery of the curse, break it, and get through October without their heads rolling. Oh, and there’s also the matter of Izzy and Vicky working through and understanding their crushes on each other. Because there wasn’t enough for them to worry about.
Watters and Boyer-White write characters that are extremely easy to root for. They feel fleshed out and alive, not like cardboard cut-outs with one emotion or personality trait. Izzy has the mind of a scientist, thinking in facts and figures over feelings and superstition, but she learns to accept and go along with the supernatural threats if it will keep her friends safe. Vicky is full of dry and sardonic humor, but you learn that that is how she copes with the expectations of her family and longs for more out of her life. Even Croc, someone who could have easily been written as a guy who thinks little of others except for being targets of a prank, is a loyal friend, eager to help anyone who needs it. It’s their differences that make them an engaging trio to watch, each one contributing something unique to solving the overall mystery.
I will say, though, that there are some aspects of a specific character in the trio that I won’t spoil here – we get a glimpse of it, but because it was so fleeting, it felt slightly out of nowhere. It would have been nice to see more of that sprinkled throughout the book. Additionally, it would have been nice to see some scenes of Croc with his family; we get scenes with Vicky’s parents and Izzy’s parents, but being able to see Croc’s would have been a real treat. I was especially pleased to see that there wasn’t a singular Smart One of the bunch with the other two as comic relief, particularly when two of the characters in the trio are people of color and one of them is white; it could have been very easy to make the white person the lead with the people of color window dressing, but thankfully that’s been avoided here.
The side characters are also written well. What could have just been a book about three people solving a mystery and nothing else, the trio seeks the help of some minor characters, each one more enthusiastic about their skills and knowledge than the last. My personal favorites are the incredibly eager librarians and archivists the protagonists meet, who add some more color and life to the world of Sleepy Hollow, but also reminds the reader of the importance of librarians. There is a real sense of welcoming in Sleepy Hollow; often, in stories related to old mysteries of small towns, the residents come off as creepy and the town an uncanny, unsettling utopia. While those stories are great and some of my favorites, it is refreshing to read a story about the supernatural in which people want to help others learn more instead of keeping the mystery, however harmful, a secret.
Art and Visuals
Nelle’s inviting and sweet art style go hand-in-hand with the story incredibly well. The lines are smooth and fluid and, like the personalities of the characters, their designs are distinct and special; Izzy is tall and lanky with a short undercut, Vicky is short and stocky with golden, flowing locks, and Croc is tall and sturdy and certainly looks like someone who plays lots of sports. Each one gets the gift of dynamic and varied facial expressions. My favorite is whenever a character displays exasperation or confusion – you can really see the thoughts running through their heads.
A very cool aspect of the art style is that the characters’ outfits change from day to day; Vicky’s wardrobe is especially fun, going from gothic to grunge to super casual with the turn of a page, which reinforces the world in this story as a real one with real people. One character I don’t want to give too much away about has a design just might be my favorite. He’s drawn to deliciously slimy and creepily that before he even says anything you know something is up with him, and with the lettering done by Jim Campbell (Wiper, Blood Oath), you can hear the sinister, sniveling voice instantly thanks to the touch of tremble and crack in the speech bubbles. Like with the writing, the side characters and background characters have very lively designs, too; students at the high school range in body type, hair type, hair color, and wardrobe. There are disabled characters as well, with crutches and wheelchairs; it’s good to see diversity of all forms on display here. There are also very cute touches, like Izzy’s lesbian and progress pride pins on her backpack and fun signs throughout the town.
And the colors. Oh, the colors! Kaitlyn Musto (Spector Inspectors), Kieran Quigley (Steven Universe, Ember in the Ashes), and Gonçalo Lopes (Beast Wars: Uprising, Of Masters and Mayhem) paint the world of Sleepy Hollow with warm oranges and yellows in the day and cool blues and sickly greens at night. The autumnal colors are so vibrant that I can almost smell the crisp fall morning air and hear crunchy leaves skidding along the brick streets of the town. The crowd shots of people milling around at the various outdoor markets and festivals make everything feel very cozy and safe, like this is a place you have to visit at the height of autumn when the foliage is on grand display. The scenes during nighttime are enthralling and atmospheric, evoking pulpy, campy mystery and horror pieces, and with art this good and an incredibly cinematic cover by Naomi Franquiz (Misfit City, Gravel to Tempo), Hollow fits right in.
Deep Carvings
Like I said above, there is a real sense of kindness throughout the book. You learn later on that protection and looking out for others is at the core of the story, and that ethos is present in every aspect of this book, from its art to its characters to its narrative. Part of me wondered if Izzy would somehow be ostracized or made fun of for where she comes from, but no, people are more than happy to let her into their world and show her around. Part of that, no doubt, comes from the pride the town feels of their history and place in literature, but I have to believe that the other part is a deep, earnest urge to be good people. This goes beyond showing Izzy around; each character shows growth and change and that aids them to be a better person. In the aftermath of a fight between Izzy and Vicky, both of them apologize and have a deeper understanding of each other. After some members of the Sleepy Hollow Historical Society upset Vicky, they apologize and vow to do better – and they do!
The world Hollow creates is one of affirmation and acceptance, of closeness and community. While it might seem out of place to have a story so full of goodness and heart be in the realm of some of the most iconic Halloween media, I think it fits right in, as a reminder of how we can all be better to each other, in October or otherwise. So, as you gather your list of traditional movies and TV specials and other media, add Hollow to your list. You’re in for a frighteningly good time.
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