"Sonitus #1" Comic Review

Written by James Ferguson

Published by Alterna Comics

sonitus 1 00

Written by Cody Sousa and Dan Sheppard
Illustrated by Cecillia Lo Valvo
Colored by Dee Cunniffe
2018, 32 Pages, $1.50
Comic released on March 7th, 2018

Review:

A man returns to his hometown to visit an abandoned house in the woods he used to play at as a child. He suffers from an ongoing and undiagnosed sound that’s constantly running in his head. According to the description of Sonitus #1, the sound is linked to this place, although that’s not made clear in the comic. What he finds in this place is something dark, mysterious, and most definitely supernatural.

What you will notice immediately with Sonitus is the atmosphere. Artist Cecillia Lo Valvo and colorist Dee Cunniffe set a moody tone from page one. You can tell this house is bad news, yet you really want to see what’s inside and find out why this guy is compelled to go in.

Click images to enlarge

Lo Valvo has a rough, angular style that makes the unnamed man’s features stand out amid the darkness of the house. This aids in the intensity of the story as it continues and the madness starts to surround the main character, like there’s an energy to it.

Speaking of the madness, it’s tough to describe without spoiling it. Suffice it to say, there’s a Lovecraftian flare that will definitely get under your skin. What I like best is how we’re not entirely sure if this is real or not. This could all be in the man’s head or he could really be encountering some sort of monster in the woods.

Click image to enlarge

Although the artwork is top notch, the story doesn’t quite keep up. I got to the end of the issue and didn’t fully understand what I had just read. It’s a nice introduction, but I don’t really get what’s going on here, nor do I see the connection between the sound(s) in the guy’s head and this place. That line is not clearly drawn. I know that some things should be left to the reader, but this feels a bit too vague.

Sonitus pulls you in with its dark tone and unsettling imagery. It falls short on the story side, but I’m hoping that becomes clearer in subsequent issues. For now, writers Cody Sousa and Dan Sheppard have given me yet another reason to stay out of the woods.

Grades:

Story: twostars Cover
Art: fourandahalfstars
Overall: 3 Star Rating

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James Ferguson
Lord of the Funny Books
James has a 2nd grade reading level and, as a result, only reads books with pictures. Horror is his 5th favorite genre right after romantic comedy and just before silent films. No one knows why he's here, but he won't leave.
Other articles by this writer

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