ADVANCE REVIEW: 'Swallower of Shades' #1 by J.M. Brandt and Tom Napolitano

 

Swallower of Shades #1 (of 4)

Written by J.M. Brandt

Art by Tom Napolitano

Lettered by Apparatus Revolution

Published by Dead Sky Publishing

In Shops: Oct 18, 2023

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Price: $3.99

A chance encounter between a sideshow owner and a man with his fair share of secrets unleashes an unholy terror on the folk of Randall’s Oasis and Professor Morris’ Pageant of Curiosities. A grisly murder brings the attention of fastidious Sheriff Jacob Dillon. What will he discover in the desert, and how will he stop it? Read the darkly comedic Splatter Western Swallower of Shades to find out those shocking answers!

Score:

★★★★☆ (4/5)

In the grand tradition of scary stories that take a gruesome turn, think 'Creepshow,' Tales from the Darkside,' 'Tales from the Crypt,' 'The Twilight Zone,' 'Black Mirror,' and others comes a Splatter Western one-shot, 'Swallower of Shades' by J.M. Brandt and Tom Napolitano. This Dead Sky Publishing horror anthology kicks off with circus freaks and a deadly curse. 

Our guide in this spooky Western is a cowboy, much like a Rod Serling or Creepshow Creep, who introduces the players who are about to unleash a deadly curse among the good people of Randall’s Oasis and Professor Morris’ Pageant of Curiosities. A losing hand and a curiosity unlike any they've seen before start a string of mysterious and bloody deaths. It's straightforward and genuinely hair-raising. Brandt creates a number of characters that come across with just enough personality to make an impact in a short time for a one-shot issue. The defiant strongman, the diligent Sheriff, the worried "freaks" of the roaming sideshow, and of course, the monster at the heart of the story all coalesce into an appealing and terror-filled story. 

Tom Napolitano's black and white pencils are impressive both in characterization, design, and pacing. There's a ramp-up to the issue as Napolitano introduces the characters and the attention to detail reveals a Western landscape that's both familiar and creative, especially with the depictions of sideshow performers. The detail of the monster is remarkably intricate while being completely frightening. However, there are moments when the action appears muddled and hard to decipher. It can be hard to make out what's going and with a title like this, you want to see every gory detail when the monster attacks. 

'Swallower of Shades' offers a good scare and launches an anthology series with a familiar comfort level to it that horror fans should immediately embrace.