Paxton has left his family alone in their secluded cabin to get medicine for his sick son. Just as with a zombie story, the real danger comes from other people, not from monsters. That is definitely the case in Resonant, as Paxton has to hide from a group of mad cultists roaming the countryside. Even reaching the town of Hospitality may not bring him the peace and safety he's looking for.

Resonant has a constant tense feeling running through every page. It's this family against the world and the odds are stacked so high against them. They clearly love one another and will do anything and everything they can to keep each other safe, but in this frightening landscape, that is a tall order.

The dynamic between Paxton's three kids is fascinating to watch. Writer David Andry perfectly captures the immense feeling of love and caring coupled with your typical sibling rivalry. These children have been forced to grow up way too quickly. It shows in how they handle this newfound responsibility that's been thrust upon them. They shouldn't have to worry about this kind of life-and-death scenario, but this is the world they live in.

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Artist Alejandro Aragon strikes this balance in his artwork. There's a warmth to the kids that's met with the harsh reality they're stuck in. They can laugh and joke, but they also understand that their lives could end at any moment.

Despite the post-apocalyptic tone, there's tranquility in their home life. Among all the death and violence, they've found a little sanctuary where they can be safe. That's why the appearance of a stranger hits like a bolt of lightning. It's instantly terrifying because there's no way this is an encyclopedia salesman or a Jehovah's Witness. An unknown person showing up means danger.

Aragon has a talent for implying much in his artwork. You'll get a glimpse of something or see how a character reacts before seeing the full picture. This raises the terror considerably, as you're filling in the blanks with whatever horrifying elements come to mind. The introduction of the cultists is a great example of this. We see Paxton's wide-eyed look of total fear before we get a double-page spread of these monsters marching through the wilderness.

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Colorist Jason Wordie creates an interesting juxtaposition between the beauty of this landscape and the unsettling appearance of the cultists. The former is shown in a variety of greens, like a cool day transitioning into fall. Under other circumstances, these folks would be heading down to Starbucks to get a pumpkin spice latte. Instead, they're shown in dim browns and reds, like a death march killing everything and anything around them.

The cultists inject a new level of fear into an already unsettling Resonant. You instantly understand the threat they pose and how demented and depraved they are. They're led by a strange older man, followed by a massive masked enforcer. The leader is preaching at the top of his lungs as the followers shout out, “In Maw, we trust!” Letterer Deron Bennett differentiates these with the former appearing as huge and powerful while the latter is small and meek.

Resonant will keep you on edge from beginning to end. Even the more somber moments are full of dread and the anticipation of violence. You're constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop and every time you think it's happened, another, larger shoe is right behind it. This is a tense, scary read that doesn't let up.