It’s not every day that a serial killer story comes along and feels entirely new, but Dark Spaces: Dungeon is that and more. The second issue is out this week, further delving into the mystery of a killer who makes torture traps for people to live in for years. A man knows he’s a target, and the detective on the case is the only survivor of the serial killer. The first issue blended Clive Barker and Saw for Me, and in the second issue, the dread grows.
Starting with the art, Hayden Sherman is a freaking genius based on this issue alone. Paired with Patricio Delpeche’s colors, the visuals are detailed, realistic, and incredibly cinematic. Compelling ideas at work visually creates a sense of time and space. When a child looks through binoculars, for instance, it draws our attention, which builds towards a great jump scare in a double-page layout after you turn the page.
The sense of openness is also vital in this issue, first when we see a plane soar through the sky, then when we see the barren landscape at the end of that plane’s destination. The sense of isolation is vital, which cleverly leads to the big cliffhanger. The sky and clouds are also well rendered, creating an eerieness and calmness that works splendidly. Delpeche helps pull those elements off well. The layout design on the final few pages is superb.
The story continues to build in a delightfully ominous way. Opening 24 years earlier, we pick up on the day the detective was kidnapped. We see how ordinary his life is and how happy he is. He had a normal life, but it was stolen from him. Smash cut to the present, and the father who is being targeted is losing it. Writer Scott Snyder connects the detective and the target naturally. They bond a bit, and through this bonding, we get more details on the killer.
Wait for it…
Credit: IDW
I’ll say the issue does suffer a tad from the format. Just as we learn more about our lead, it shifts focus to move things along, and there’s not enough time to really understand these people. Likely, this will fall away in the collected format.
Captions help convey what the detective went through and what he knows about the serial killer. There’s an interesting twist relayed about how serial killers used to function, but how this one changed it up due to humanity being so overconnected with technology. It’s an interesting twist and an idea I’m sure will pop up in TV or movies soon if this isn’t adapted, of course!
The final few pages turn from onious and eerie to straight-up thrilling. There’s a rush to get to a location; through visuals and anticipation, you’ll be on the edge of your seat.
Dark Spaces: Dungeon #2 is an excellent second issue building on what we know and racing towards a thrilling final few pages. The building tension is palpable in a book that’s breathtaking, thrilling, and truly haunting.
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