Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees had one of my favorite first issues of 2023, as it blended a cute animal world with dread and murder. The series continues to delight with new twists and turns, with its second issue becoming more of a mystery. At its core, it’s about a bear named Samantha, a serial killer who is not pleased another killer has taken up residence in her hometown. It’s a race for the main character to find the killer lest his way of life is upended. The edge-of-your-seat storytelling style meant I jumped at the chance to read the third issue early — out February 7th with FOC January 22nd — and detail my findings.
There is something truly special about fiction set in suburbia. The American way of life feels so warm and safe, but a story comes along that turns everything upside down, reminding us there are horrors in our perfectly cut backyards. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees #3 delivers that and more. This issue delves into a town wracked with fear, knowing a killer is among them, and while most trust one another, our main character knows better. They kill and will kill again while knowing full well what they are capable of.
As the cover implies, Patrick Horvath sets his sites on Melody, a cat person who works at and owns the town’s butchery. As we saw in the previous issue, Samantha has a good lead for Melody being the culprit and sets her sights on figuring out what she’s hiding. Like any good exploration of small-town America, Horvath explores the ins and outs of Melody’s life and uncovers something less than tasteful.
Is there anything scarier than a seemingly safe world containing a monster?
Credit: IDW
Viewers will find a few themes centered around small-town living intriguing. One is the fact that everyone talks. There’s a nice mix of different personalities on display in this issue, and they all have different takes on what is going on. Another is the fact that keeping your dirty laundry hidden is something most of us do. There’s also an element of how we all seem to hide our true selves, be it relating to fear of something or keeping a secret. It’s through these elements the book continues to fascinate as it probes its cast of characters.
The art is great as well. Horvath gives Samantha a bit of a bump on her neck, conveying a sense of motherly love and kindness. She’s never mean or cruel, but at opportune times, you can see how she really feels when nobody is watching. The color palette continues to convey a sense of calm that juxtaposes well against the fear the characters are feeling, as well as the darkness inside Samantha.
Lettering by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou continues to be inventive, from the tails on word balloons to the word balloons themselves taking on different shapes to convey the type of speech. Sound effects are particularly great in this issue, with inventive crashing noises, subtle sounds of devices, and creepy creeks from doors opening. There’s an entirely different story going on via text that makes the issue worth a second read to explore them better.
The darkness of Samantha shines through most evidently in this issue via captions. They add a layer to the narrative as she ruminates on monsters and the townsfolk. As a sociopathic killer, there are some unnerving bits of captions here and there that’ll send a shiver down your spine.
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees has an unwavering sense of dread at every turn. The third issue continues to show a keen sense of small-town living conveyed through cute animal characters, all deeply human and frighteningly dangerous.
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