There’s something exciting about following a serial killer, maybe because we hope (or know) they’ll get caught. That’s certainly the case with Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring. The first issue revealed that the sibling of one of Sam’s killers in the first series won’t stop until she finds out what happened. There’s something unsettlingly magnetic about watching monsters hide in plain sight. Patrick Horvath’s sequel series taps into that obsession with even more chilling precision, especially after you put down the second issue.
My biggest gripe with the first issue – the lack of the main character, Sam – is remedied with the second issue. Instead of focusing exclusively on the distraught sister, the second issue focuses on Sam, her town, and a slew of new characters.
Not only does Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring #2 further explore the developments from the first issue, it even ends in a way that comes full circle from where the first issue left off. It makes some sense given the first issue was a kind of opening salvo, but if you haven’t yet, read them both back to back to see what I mean.
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring #2 opens on a spring day as the plants are growing and possibilities seem endless. So endless, the introduction of dial-up internet appears to be coming to the town. This is a key element that is naturally woven in as we meet a pigeon mailman who acts as a vehicle to meet a few new characters. All the new characters feel nuanced and well-written, making you dread their potential murder, or at least hope Sam keeps away from them.
Just a calm day. Nothing suspicious is going on, right?
Credit: IDW
Woven into the first few pages are pretty obvious clues as to where things are going, or things that will be called back to. Once or twice, I found them a little on the nose, but mostly they’re in the story naturally. One clue in particular makes me ponder if a third series is already in the works, given where things might go for Sam.
After the setup, things open up as Sam goes on one of her kills. The captions narrating Sam’s thoughts help us understand the difficulty of killing as big box stores take over, and later, the internet helps people connect around the ongoing murders in Sam’s hometown. Murders she commits, naturally.
The gore in this issue is a bit tame compared to the last series, though it’s still gruesome. It’s made all the more disturbing by how Sam is so unfeeling. Adding to her mayhem is a bear on the loose in town. Seemingly harmless, the town is getting more wildlife due to new developments driving them off their land.
I wonder how that button will fit in later on.
Credit: IDW
Similar to the last series, I pondered how the wild animals and their relationship to the humanoid animals who talk have any relation. I’m going to guess none, since Sam is a bear, and yet they all know the wild bear is a bear too. It’s a wrinkle that perplexes me, though it’s likely tied to the lack of care in killing a wild animal, and how Sam seems to see her fellow citizens similarly.
Character design by Horvath continues to be great, from a strange bird lady to the nervous agoraphobic turtle who ends up being a bit of a star of the issue. Character acting is exceptional, especially when some have beady dots for eyes, and of course, the whole being animals thing.
Then you have lettering, which only improves on scenes. Eisner winning letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou continues to show creativity and a deft hand at understanding voice throughout this issue. Creative choices abound.
Rite of Spring #2 finds Patrick Horvath at his sharpest, balancing small-town detail, unnerving character work, and Sam’s terrifying calm with a narrative that ties back perfectly to issue #1. It’s a reminder that beneath the sleepy veneer of small-town America, horror thrives, and Sam is still its queen.
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