Gideon Falls #19 Review

Writer: Jeff Lemire / Artist: Andrea Sorrentino / Image Comics One of the most fascinating things about Gideon Falls is that even in its slower moments, it still manages to interject a different set of urgency and terror into the story where even if it’s less of a system shock to the heart, it still manages to gnaw at your insides. The mid-point of the “Pentoculus” story arc slows down the rapid fire tempo that Lemire has had for the previous two issues of this event, but even with the subdued pacing, it still manages to deliver the quintessential horror moments that have defined the series and by the back half of the issue, manages to set up the stage for the last two issues of the arc. Gideon Falls #19 starts with a traditional cold open, and Sorrentino, Stewart, and Wands do some absolutely incredible work with the art, colors, and lettering/design respectively. The opening pages make fantastic use of panels, the classic “Gideon Falls” font, and messing with all of the visual sensory information. When we turn back to the main storyline with Danny/Norton Sinclair and his father, their investigation into the forces involved in the Black Barn has a bit of a wind up given that the Doc was originally working with Father Fred.

Lemire’s layered and interwoven narrative creates such a strong story, and even with the slower than average start, Gideon Falls #19 manages to tantalize the reader with the promise of more horror and the determination of a handful of humans to stop somet…