Odin #2 // Review
And then, somewhere in the middle of it, all, they all became cannibals. There were some sort of a religious for going on. A bit of ovulation. A bit of transcendental realization. And then they came crashing down for them. They all realize that they've eaten one of their own party. And it wasn't an easy thing to accept. Of course, it wasn't going to be something that they would really have a whole lot of time to dwell on. Concerns of survival become very important in Odin #2. The writing team of Marguerite Bennett and James Tynion IV continue their horror adventure with artist Letizia Cadonici and colorist Jorrdie Bellaire.
Robert. The one with the mohawk. The one who had a swastika branded into his chest in order to assimilate. He’s the one who knows that they’re not going to make it. They're marching along through the snow. He's following right along with them. And then the fall down. In the middle of the blizzard. In the middle of the snow. In the middle of the wilderness. His boot leather is frozen. That would explain why he can't feel his feet. And as they take the boots off, some skin comes with it. Frostbite. Gangrene. He’s been walking on broken bones and decomposing flesh without even realizing it.
Bennett and Tynion continue their twisted Jack London impression as the cultists move futher and further into a cold and blinding wilderness. People do strange things in the cold. People do strange things in the cold if they know they can't get out of it. If there's no apparent opportunity to escape. The writing team is doing a good job of showing the gradual panic and the unraveling of the human psyche in extreme conditions. It's horrifyingly compelling stuff.
The darkness extends well out from the script. Much of what's playing out on the page for the second issue is occurring at night in the middle of a snowstorm.Cadonici keeps the detail detailed to a minimum, allowing Bellaire plenty of room to move around and create a starkly compelling residence to the visuals. The bleakness. The blueness. The blur of falling snow. It's all there. Color feel washed out. There's the effort present darkness of night. It's deeply disturbing stuff that doesn't appear to be letting up anytime soon. Cadpmici’s art provides a soldd framework for Bellaire to work with as the chilling mood of the horror continues.
What are the beautiful things about this sort of horror is that it could lead in either direction. Either there really is the supernatural going on or it's just a bunch of cults who are dragging themselves into more of an inner hell. Either way it's a very compelling. But it's refreshing to have that kind of mystery. All too often horror clearly relays the presence of the supernatural far too early on in the narrative. As these characters enter further and further into the darkness, the question is clear: is this madness or wisdom?
