Gideon Falls #17 Review

Writer: Jeff Lemire / Artist: Andrea Sorrentino / Image Comics When I first read the summary of Gideon Falls, I very much remember reacting strongly to it due to my own “Catholic Guilt.” Catholic Guilt is one of those things that will just continually haunt me until the end of my days, and this idea of a struggling priest and a man in a healthy mask slowly unpacking their own complicated pasts and misdeeds while trying to understand this local phenomena of the Black Barn was in itself intriguing. It’s truly a book worthy of its 2019 Eisner Award for Best New Series.

We have come such a long way from that original conception, but the build-up has felt natural and the escalation continues to shatter previous conceptions in a way that completely engrosses whenever a new issue gets passed to me. Gideon Falls #17 marks the start of “The Pentoculus” arc, and I am so excited for the objectively terrifying things that are sure to come with this arc. The signature sinister horror that has been around since the start of the occult series has evolved and presented an idea of alternate realities and other science fiction themed elements all while retaining its unique identity. Lemire and Sorrentino manage to outdo themselves every single issue in both writing and artistry. You will not find a book that causes more heart palpitations than Gideon Falls. It is a tour de force when it comes to exploring the darkness that exists within humanity and the supernatural darkness that exists just …