Masters of Horror Comics: Harrow County

Cullen Bunn has made a name for himself writing monstrously good horror series, including the recent Monsters Unleashed event for Marvel, which brought back the Jack Kirby monsters of old. However, before he wrote events for Marvel, he had his own creator-owned series at Dark Horse: Harrow County, one of Halloween ComicFest 2016's titles.

This southern gothic tale is about the vengeance enacted by Hester--a witch--who was beaten, stabbed, burned, hanged... then burned by a town she helped. With her dying breath, Hester cursed the town and vowed to return in 18 years. Fast forward to nearly that point, and Emmy, a young girl living in the town, starts to discover the supernatural horror of Harrow County.

The first issue, which can be read in full on i09 here, set the tone for the series, with its gruesomly terrifying imagery by artist Tyler Crook. As you can see from the above, Crook is a master at creating supernatural horror imagery with uncanny realism, as Emmy watches a boy's flayed skin laying over a bed of thrones. From instances like these, to the designs of fire that almost leap off the page, Crook puts forth a lot of effort to sell the world Bunn has built visually.

As we get raring for Halloween ComicFest 2017, now's the perfect time to discover the beginnings of Outcast!

HARROW COUNT VOL 1: COUNTLESS HAINTS
AUG150030

DARK HORSE COMICS
(W) Cullen Bunn
(A/CA) Tyler Crook

Emmy always knew that the woods surrounding her home crawled with ghosts and monsters. But on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, she learns that she is connected to these creatures - and to the land itself - in a way she never imagined. Collecting the first four issues of the southern gothic fairy tale from the creator of smash hit The Sixth Gun, beautifully and hauntingly realized by B.P.R.D.'s Tyler Crook!

You can pick up these titles at your local comic shop! If you're unsure where your local comic shop is, use the Comic Shop Locator Service.

Before Halloween ComicFest, make sure you check out the other events planned at your local comic shop for the rest of the year. Keep up to date with the best times to return to local comic shops with the What's @ Comic Shops 2017 Event Card--ask your local retailer ahead of time if they're participating in these events!