REVIEW: ‘I Walk With Monsters,’ Issue #1

I Walk With Monsters #1 is published by Vault Comics. It comes from the creative team of writer Paul Cornell, artist Sally Cantirino, colorist Dearbhla Kelly, and letters from Andworld Design. The issue begins with a woman tied to a chair in a room with a bedraggled man. The man produces a scalpel and begins to threaten her with it, but she cuts him off. She mocks him even as he threatens to kill her. She remains unmoved by his threats as he grows more wild and frustrated. But before he can do anything a strange growling fills the air.

In an instant, a monster is upon the man and it quickly kills him as the woman looks on. She speaks to the monster thanking it for not getting blood on her clothes. Meanwhile, the monster has transformed into a bearded man who cleans himself up and frees the woman. These characters are then introduced as Jacey and David, though their relationship is never explained. The two sit together as Jacey’s emotional stoicism fades and she struggles with what she just witnessed. But the journey that these two are on is only just beginning, and more horrors await.

I Walk With Monsters #1 is a breath of fresh air and a thoroughly enjoyable horror comic. Cornell’s story manages to contain a lot of exposition without dragging or feeling overstuffed. While the “people killing serial killers” story is by no means new, this story provides an interesting twist. Despite David being the titular “monster,” he seems to be very emotionally available and thoughtful of Jacey’s feelings. This is contrasted with the aloof and quiet nature of Jacey who’s backstory gives her plenty of good reason to display those traits. These two are characters who have believable chemistry and clear history despite very little overt explanations of who they are or what their relationship is.

The art from Cantirino helps to bolster this connection. There are so many small moments in this comic that convey a great deal of emotion, often subtly. When Jacey puts her hand on David’s arm as they leave the scene of the killer’s death there is a visible tenderness there. This emotive artwork contrasts well with the intense gore and horror that came only shortly before it. The colors from Kelly keep everything grounded and feeling realistic. There are splashes of bright blood and horrific yellow eyes, but primarily the palettes are reserved browns and greens. This is no criticism, these colors make everything feel normal and relatable in a story that is anything but. The letters from Andworld are clean, easy to read, and do everything you would hope that they would.

I enjoyed I Walk With Monsters #1 quite a bit. It has a quiet intensity and dread that permeates everything that happens in the story. You can really feel like the characters in the panels have a deep history and the art speaks as much as the words do. I can’t wait to see more of this story, and if you like horror then you should definitely check it out.

I Walk With Monsters #1 will be available on November 25th, wherever comics are sold.