Plunge #2 – Joe Hill, Writer; Stuart Immonen, Dan McDaid, Artists; Dave Stewart, John Kalisz, Colorists
Ratings:
Ray – 9/10
Ray: Joe Hill takes us deep into the unknown with Plunge #2, a compelling deep-sea horror story that bends the laws of time and space.
Last issue saw our main character, Moirah, confronted by a white-skinned revenant that resembled one of the men lost on the Derleth long ago. He “lives” just long enough to give out a disturbing message and then expires again, leaving the crew with an unnatural corpse and even more questions. Joe Hill’s style as a comic writer definitely seems to be slow-burn, but it works much better here than in its sister book. That’s because the setting of this title is so fascinating in itself. A desolate wasteland at the far side of the world, it’s filled with creatures that look a little like ours but don’t quite match up – having creepy deformities that could be a result of pollution, or could be something much darker.
The characters have a good rapport, with each of them being given a distinct personality and an intriguing backstory. You get to know them well enough that you’re going to miss the ones that don’t make it out of the coming horror – and you can bet that horror arrives in Plunge #2.
First the unmanned drone exploring the Derleth comes across something horrible that drives home just how big the threat they’re facing is. Then the mysterious visitor from last issue’s cliffhanger turns out to be anything but alone, penetrating the safe haven of the crew. And finally, the issue ends with a disturbing page that indicates that the threat may be supernatural and not following any laws of man.
Joe Hill is following the classic haunted house model with this title, and adding a unique new setting that lends itself to some heavy-duty horror. The last book in the Hill House line is turning into one of the best.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
