SILENT HILL DOWNPOUR: ANNE’S STORY #1 Review

Is this worth the time of hardcore followers? Read on to find out.

The official description from IDW:

MATURE READERS ONLY

IDW returns to Konami’s horror masterpiece! In the 2012 hit video game Silent Hill Downpour, players were introduced to Anne Marie Cunningham, the enigmatic prison officer bent on bloody revenge against the game’s main protagonist, Murphy Pendleton. Now, at last, fans can learn what horrors Anne faced during her fateful journey through Silent Hill’s fog-shrouded streets… and what led her to the terrifyingly cursed town in the first place.

I’ve had good and bad moments with this franchise over the years, but I have to admit this particular iteration has my interest. Whether it’s because of the narrative journey on display or the character it follows this creative team has found something compelling that absolutely deserves a spot on your pull-list.

Tom Waltz pens the horrifying yarn from the perspective of Anne Cunnigham. Through the eyes of our determined corrections officer we witness the pursuit of escaped inmate Murphy Pendleton and the results therein are interesting. With quick moving dialogue and trips down memory lane the vibe of this book pulsates with a dark devilish spirit. And that right there is what makes it so compelling, as the author never downright justifies or over explains occurrences but simply lets them unfold before our eyes. To sum up: genre fans will be pleased and even a few new followers might just stumble into this well crafted trap.

With hard hitting illustrations by Tristan “T-Rex” Jones, this book finds its footing with ease. Each pencil stroke feels well suited for horror to the point that even the peaceful moments carry an undercurrent of dread. I was impressed with the body of work on display and when you add in the dynamic colors by Michael Spicer it’s clear that the visual component bleeds authenticity on each passing page.

Silent Hill Downpour: Anne’s Story #1 is a sturdy start to a mini-series that feels engaging. It can be said that it dances a line between confusion and revelation but this journey comes highly recommended nonetheless.