BENEATH THE TREES WHERE NOBODY SEES HALLOWEEN SPECIAL

Creative Team: Patrick Horvath, James Tynion IV, Tony Fleecs, Tyler Boss, Dave Wachter, Jared Cullum, Che Grayson, Matt Emmons, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

The Story:

There is a delightful mix of incredible storytellers at work in this one-shot special, and each one brings a unique flavor to Samantha’s chilling story. This issue takes me back to when I was a teenager, and we would gather in a cemetery to hang out and tell ghost stories. Each kid on Halloween night trying to one-up the other, each with their own tale of Samantha and her gruesome murders. The stories weave in and out of each other extremely well, and when one kid ends their tale, they all take turns making fun of one another, as kids would typically do. This is the perfect collection to get you or anybody you know into the Halloween spirit!

The Art:

I will never get over playing in a world where the animals all look cute and cut straight out of something such as Zootopia and then utter chaos the next minute. Every story has a unique style of art that immerses the reader into that specific tale. The softer-toned color palettes make for the perfect background and canvas for when the bright red of bloodshed is smeared across the panels. Each artist does a perfect job crafting the world through the eyes of these children, making the murders stand out in a more grisly manner or making Samantha’s face come across as more menacing than she may have been.

Final Thoughts:

Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees Halloween Special is a one-shot collection of horror tales that will transport you back to the days of your youth, when telling ghost stories and trying to scare one another was what we did. The collection of artists and writers brings the legend of Samantha to life, holding nothing back in terms of a violent slasher read we would expect from this universe. Gather around that campfire and crack this issue open!

Overall Grade: 10/10

These wonderful creators will both be at NYCC as well as The Nerd Initiative crew! So if you see us say hello! Let us know how you feel about this issue and check out more reviews by Matt!