Fearscape Advance Review

Writer: O’Sullivan / Artist: Mutti / Vault Comics Have you ever gone into something blind, and by its end you were pleasantly, genuinely surprised by it? That’s what happened to me with Fearscape. I keep an ear to the ground on anything Vault Comics related, but I hadn’t done too much creeping on this new title. When I got the chance to do this review, I knew nothing about it. I think that’s why I enjoyed it so much. The one regret I have is that if you’re reading this, you won’t have the chance to have the same reaction I did. In short, Fearscape is a blend of Sandman, highbrow literary satire, and an unreliable narrator. But it’s so much more than that. Let’s unpack the goodies. So Much More

The protagonist—if you can call him that—is named Henry Henry. Dude not only has two first names, he has the same two first names. Henryx2 claims he’s a writer, but he’s actually an unapologetic plagiarist. When a mystical being dubbed The Muse appears and mistakes Henry for the greatest storyteller on Earth, he doesn’t bat an eyelash and accepts the role. The two enter the Fearscape, a realm where humanity’s worst fears are manifested. What makes this first issue so strong are the rules that it sets up. O’Sullivan lets us know from the very first page that this story reads differently than most. The narrator acknowledges us, and gives us a role in the story. This is a hook to end all hooks.

On top of the narrator talking to us directly, we quickly learn that he’s a bit of a dick. And…