SINK review part One of Two

SINK: Blood & Rain

By
John Lees writer.
Alex Cormack artist, colors.
Ashlee Cormack colors.
and Shawn Lee letters.
Published by Comixtribe

Buy it HERE.

To avoid confusion, this volume is a 'part two' in itself, meaning there's another volume floating around somewhere. The subject line of this thing I'm writing refers to my writing of 'Part Two' having a One and Two. (I feel I didn't avoid much confusion at all, oh well).

I had the pleasure of participating in a group chat online with a few comic book producers including John Lees. His Scottish accent is quite pronounced and as I'm from the Midwest USA (Minnesota) originally I was understanding what he was saying, but hanging back maybe a half-sentence delayed while I allowed my mind to catch up. His enthusiasm and straight forward confidence in his material impressed me greatly, and I'll try to do his work justice with this review.

First, the format. They're 5 inter-connected stories closely related to a depressed area of Glasgow, Scotland called Sink Hill. It's an actual place. Mr. Lees touches upon different paths that peoples' lives take while moving through his tales with a real sense of trust and depth. I'm sure that it's all made up but his writing style doesn't make it seem so. It seems he's just the reporter of these bizarre and unsettling events. I didn't get that (metaphorical) sore rib from getting jabbed there by a lesser writer who would be worried I don't 'get it'. So kudos for that.

Also, Alex Cormack, who I cited earlier for their Kickstarter last year for SINK is on top of his game with the line work being extremely informative and solid. Far away characters have finely drawn fingers and correct body poses. There's an astonishing amount of even-ness to his work that shows his artistic energies spent in filling out a scene just as much as rendering characters. He's equal parts set designer as director, in other words, which is rare.

... and it can get extremely bloody.

The shock value of the pacing in SINK and its more unsettling sections speaks to the mastery this artistic team has over their material. Horror as a genre works best when it's treated the same as other genres, putting story and characterization ahead of chills and screams. It's the readers' innocent investment in the characters' day to day (or hour to hour) actions that makes us vulnerable. It's when you're put off guard that the grisly elements really attack your psyche. SINK has that in spades.

NEXT WEEK: a more in depth elaboration of the 5 chapters therein.

SINK: Blood & Rain

Published by Comixtribe

Buy it HERE.

Read 'The Rat Hole Bastards'

The Rat Hole Bastards is a 4-panel weekly comic strip set in a few years before Mayfield Eight. See the origins of Slade and his notorious Banshees biker gang! NOW LIVE on Patreon!:

Buy Mayfield Eight

Mayfield Eight is a 28-page comic book set in 1974 New Mexico where a 17-year-old fry cook gets in deep trouble with a local biker gang as he helps a sleazy friend conduct a back-room drug deal.

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