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Harrow County #7
Released by: Dark Horse Comics
Released on: November 11th, 2015.
Written by: Cullen Bunn
Illustrated by: Tyler Crook
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Not caught up? Get caught up! Last issue, we learned about the differences between Emmy and Kammi - they may look the same, but they certainly don't act the same. When this issue begins, Kammi and her butler stroll through the woods. She remarks that it's 'a beautiful day for a picnic' as they stroll ever closer to the shack in the woods where a certain creature lives. The creature warns Kammi to leave it be but she has her butler lay down a spread and prepare for the picnic she seems determined to have. Kammi invites the thing to join them, telling it that despite what it may think, they've never met before.
She pulls out the food, rotten meat with maggots crawling all over it. The creature is intrigued as Kammi eats the spoiled fare; she knows this thing is hungry. It comes out of the shack and eats with her, and they talk about the past, about how Kammi was taken away from Harrow County as an infant.
Meanwhile, Emmy knows something is up, something is not right. There's a feeling of dread about - the townsfolk aren't coming to her for help anymore as they have been constantly these last few weeks. Her Pa notices this, they talk as they work together in the barn, the work is piling up. Emmy offers to create ten men out of thin air to help - she could do it - but he doesn't want it done that way. As Emmy and her pa get to work, Kammi continues her stroll through the woods, getting acquainted with all of the supernatural creatures that live out there, doing what she can to earn their trust and friendship. All Emmy wanted was a sister, she let things slide for this reason, for a shot at a kinship she never knew but that any girl her age would want.
Bad move.
There's a panel in this issue that's particularly chilling - Kammi tells the beast that, while she may have had the power to stop her from being removed from Harrow County even as a baby, the beast did to. She smiles as she says this, rotten meat glistening from her mouth, juice running down her chin. It's eerie because it's a spot on depiction of a very evil wolf in sheep's clothing. We knew as soon as she arrived that Kammi was trouble, Emmy knew in a sense too, but she let her good nature and want for a sister override her judgment call. Fair enough. Most would do the same in her shoes. It won't last, there will be a showdown. While there is room enough in the county for the two of them, Emmy won't stand for what Kammi is scheming to do, and it's probably a pretty safe guess to assume that this won't end well for at least one of them.
Bunn's script has some great foreshadowing in the early pages and then ends on a strong note, the kind that ensures we're coming back to see how this ends. The dialogue is as earnest and believable as always and that tone of foreboding that has been a big part of this series since the first issue is back in a big way in this seventh issue. Crook's art continues to complement the writing beautifully, offering up nice detail and gorgeous colors that keep you off guard and make you feel safe when you know from simply reading the book that bad, bad things are afoot.
Tyler Crook and Cat Farris contribute a keen 'Tales Of Harrow County' back page strip to this issue as well. Equal parts wholesomely charming and entirely sinister, Harrow County is probably the best horror book on the market these days.
