Looking at Texarcanum #1, you’d probably guess that it was a supernatural thriller set deep in the heart of Texas. You’d be half right; while protagonist Avery Belle dresses like a modern cowboy and possesses enough supernatural artifacts and knowledge to rival John Constantine or Hellboy, this is a comic about the story of America and the horrors lurking in its history.
The creative team of Christopher Monfette and Miguel Martos even starts Texarcanum #1 with a prologue that takes place in the early days of America, showing what happens when a group of unsuspecting settlers runs afoul of a group of vampires. It’s a chilling prelude that shows just what Belle will be dealing with throughout the series, but it also lets Monfette touch on the myths that built this country, and how they often hide bloodshed and atrocity.
As for Belle himself, Monfette writes him as somewhat of a cipher: he’s gruff, but well-meaning and learned. Belle’s nonchalant approach to the supernatural events that he encounters makes Texarcanum a highly entertaining, and sometimes amusing, read as well. If your protagonist is lassoing a possessed trailer park or carries around a bunch of supernatural trinkets in place of a revolver, that’s when you know know you’re in for a weird, wild ride.
Dark Horse
That’s nothing compared to the disturbing imagery that Martos cooks up. Throughout Texarcanum #1, he displays the aftermath of the supernatural: a corpse is slumped on its knees at the highway, its flesh picked clean by ravenous hornets and a bony thumb stuck up in the hitchhiker’s gesture (needless to say, readers will probably think twice about hitchhiking – I certainly did). Bodies in a hospital room are floating, their backs arched and inhuman tongues spilling from their lips. But the most horrifying moment involves what Belle refers to as a “revenant” – a creature that’s a horrifying fusion of two dead bodies, sporting long antlers and looking…well, wrong. Arms are protruding out of its stomach, it’s got a second mouth, and its eyes are white and blank with rage.
The color art from Patricio Delpeche goes a long way in selling the horror elements of Texarcanum. It’s all about the contrasts: flat, golden plains and vibrant green trees clash with the rivers of blood and the glowing eldritch energy of the supernatural. So does Michael Heisler’s lettering, which combines with Delpeche’s colors to create a vibrant, red and yellow hue for Belle’s inner captions. Everyone involved in this comic is working to make it the creepiest thing it can be, and it works.
Texarcanum #1 mixes horror elements and Southern noir for a unique premise, which results in a unique read. If you’re a fan of shows like Supernatural or Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it’s definitely worth checking out. Ditto if you’re into supernatural/horror comics like Hellboy or Something is Killing the Children. It’s a story that reminds you that there’s things that go bump in the night…but people like Avery Belle are out there, and they’re willing to bump back.
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