Welcome to Strangehaven

[DavidXBrunt]

And I apologise if I've started a Strangehaven thread before but I love this comic, I really do.

I bought the first book about this time last year more out of whim than anything else. I started reading it on the bus and before I'd got home I'd rang my favourite comic shop (Millenium Comics, Warrington Market) and asked them to reserve me the second volume. It's that good.

Describing it is harder than most comics because it's not like most comics. It's not a superhero tale, it's not sci-fi, it's not outright horror. It's...British but that's not a description.

Alex is a teacher in denial of the problems in his marriage, refusing to accept his wifes request of a divorce. He decides to get away for a while, drive down to Devon and walk and camp and just hide from the world. However, late on the first night of his holiday he sees a beautiful woman in the middle of the road, swerves, but still hits her, crashed into a tree.

Alex awakes in the village of Strangehaven and finds no record of a woman at the scene of the accident. Unable to leave immediatley Alex finds himself intrigued by Strangehaven and it's population...

What follows are 18 issues (so far) of secret organisations, rituals, murder, mystery, and finely observed details of everyday life. The first volume introduces the cast, the second volume keeps plates spinning before a tragic twist, and then the third volume explores the consequences of what's happened. I'm half way through book 3, Conspiracies, and quite frankly dreading the end coming because I know at the rate Gary Spencer Millidge produces this comic it could be a while before volume 4 comes out.

Moving away from the story the art is closest to Bryan Talbot of any of the 2k artists but perhaps with a mix of Frank Hamposn photo realism blended in. In terms of realistic atmosphere Millidge gives Chris Weston a run for his money and if anything is better at expression. It's characters are people you could meet in the street, the lccations are places you could visit. The faces are truly expressive, the body language revealing. Great comic, well worth a look.

So, anyone else read this? Tell me what you think.

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[Byron Virgo]

Great stuff - shades of The Prisoner, but seen through the eyes of a British David Lynch. Very finely observed, and highly reccomended to everyone who likes stories that are actually more than just an escalating series of pitched battles and fist-fights on moving walkways.

As DXB says, great comic.

Gary Spencer Millidge is a great bloke as well - helped me out with some comics stuff a while back, and was even good enough to pretend to remember me when I finally met him in person.

I think PVS was having a good chat with him at the LF&CC.

[Lord Running Clam]

I agree that Strangehaven is a great comic.And anybody who hasn't read it yet,should give it a go.

Good news that the third trade is out.Looking forward to getting it.

[WoD]

I've got the first GN and it is nice.  It's on my list for stuff to look out for at Brighton on November.

[Oddboy]

I had the first book - didn't think that highly of it, 'fraid to say.
It's okay and all, but I didn't think I'd ever read book 2 or read book 1 again, so gave it away.

[ukdane]

Has anyone read "Finder"?