Plague doctor Jack Teller continues his battle against the mysterious illness, transforming the dead into a ravenous army. But his latest assignment drags him into a maze of danger and brings up dark memories from the past. Cover the Dead With Lime #2 and #3 are written by Jonathan Chance, illustrated by Hernan Gonzalez, colored by Damian Felitte, and lettered by Drew Lenheart. Both issues are published by Blood Moon Comics, LLC.
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Chance employs a simple yet effective storytelling structure for both of these issues, as Jack’s travels are interspersed with memories of his son. Not only is this a great way to build up tension, but it also reveals more about what drives Jack to battle the plague. As you’d expect, it’s connected to a personal loss, and that loss hits like a punch to the gut. But more importantly, it makes things personal. The best stories often give their hero a personal stake in the battle, and Chance understands that better than anyone. Whether his characters are facing dragons or hordes of the undead, they put everything on the line.
Gonzalez’s artwork continues to be hauntingly gripping, especially in the back half of Cover The Dead With Lime #2. That sequence features a woman locked in a basement, adrift atop a sea of corpses. You might think, “It can’t get worse than that.” But you’d be wrong, as Cover The Dead With Lime #3 has Jack toppling into the middle of those corpses. Everywhere he looks, there’s decaying flesh and milky white eyes in a tableau of horrors that will sear itself into your brain long after you close the comic. That’s how good his art is!
A large part of what makes the art so horrifying is Felitte’s colors. Felitte chooses to use mostly dark colors and plenty of shadows to fill in Gonzalez’s work. The result is a dark, moody atmosphere that would feel right at home in any horror movie. You never know what’s around the corner, which gives the horrifying parts of the comic even more impact. The only sources of light that come from the comic are the soft orange glow of lit lanterns and the golden glint of Jack’s plague doctor mask. I have to applaud Felitte for making Jack the sole source of light in a dark world.
Finally, Lenheart’s lettering has the kind of oomph you’d expect from a zombie-focused comic, especially regarding the action. The sound of Jack’s boots makes a loud “thump” as he races through a swamp. The undead let out a horrifying “reeetch” sound as they corner their prey. And when Jack uses a bear trap as an impromptu mace, there’s a loud, wet “crunch” before one of the zombies meets its end. The fact that Lenheart gives most of these sound effects a bold outline makes them stand out even more.
Cover the Dead With Lime #2 and #3 continue to be a beautiful nightmare of a read, revealing more about the tragedy in its protagonist’s past while serving up some pure nightmare fuel. Horror and history buffs alike should be adding this to their reading list.
Cover the Dead With Lime #2 and #3 are available now wherever comics are sold.
Cover the Dead With Lime #2 and #3
TL;DR
Cover the Dead With Lime #2 and #3 continue to be a beautiful nightmare of a read, revealing more about the tragedy in its protagonist’s past while serving up some pure nightmare fuel. Horror and history buffs alike should be adding this to their reading list.
