"Gideon Falls #2" Comic Review

Norton seems to be making some progress with his therapist, but he still can't control the urges to search through garbage for pieces of the mysterious Black Barn.  His paranoia has not waned,  and what if it is justified?  This uneasy feeling is only half of Gideon Falls.  The other side follows Fred, a washed-up priest sent to the small town where the comic gets its name, as he deals with police after finding a corpse in a field.  He sounds insane because he's been telling everyone that the previous priest led him there.  The problem with that is that guy is dead.  

Although we're no closer to finding out the mystery of Gideon Falls with this issue, the unmistakable feeling of dread that permeates through every single panel of this comic makes up for it.  It's easy to get pulled into the lives of these two men, wondering when their paths will intersect.  Since all is not what it seems, it adds some extra meaning to each image.  Is that man walking down the street a chance encounter?  Or is he somehow tied to the Black Barn?  I have a feeling this will be a series that will benefit from multiple re-reads.  

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Much of the enjoyment of Gideon Falls comes from Andrea Sorrentino's artwork.  It's a perfect match for the tone of the story, adding a gritty layer of realness to it.  Additionally, the art direction is incredible, with some absolutely gorgeous layouts that amplify the overall experience.  For example, there's a page where Norton returns home.  It's broken up into a number of panels, each showing him getting a little closer to his door.  While he remains in the same spot in all the panels, the area around him has changed, moving from the elevator to the hallway to his apartment door.  

This is just one example, but Sorrentino fills this book with some brilliant artistic decisions.  There are times where a specific element is highlighted, calling attention to this smaller detail that you might have missed.  It's shown in its own panel or encircled to make sure you see it.  This adds to the mystery too, like it's a clue I need to keep in my head as I continue reading the story.  

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Dave Stewart's colors complete the experience, particularly with his use of red.  That shade means danger and when it appears on the page, the scare factor goes up.  Since most of the issue looks grim and dark, red stands out in a vibrant, violent nature.  It's a shock to the system.  

Gideon Falls has pulled me in completely.  I still have a lot of questions, but the tone of the story and the mystery surrounding the Black Barn is more than enough to keep me interested.  We're still learning about the main characters, however we know enough about them to get wrapped up in their lives and want to see this through.