The story of the sentient artifact, a mob boss, his doppelganger and their daughter continues here.  But is there enough remaining to fill yet another arc?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Image:

“ALONE IN THE WOODS”
Darkness bearer Jackie Estacado’s daughter Hope has wandered beyond the perimeter of her father’s vigilantly guarded estate, Erewon. When night falls in the woods and the supernatural begins to stir, Hope is more at home that ever before. Don’t miss this twisted fairytale that illustrates firsthand that Hope is truly her father’s daughter!

When we last left Hope Estacado she went tumbling down a rabbit hole, into what can only be described as a really nightmarish version of Wonderland.  The obvious parallels to the fable aside, there are so many layers to be discovered here.  I was particularly astounded by the devotion felt between the members of this disjointed but nonetheless connected family.

David Hine once again continues his sterling run with this title as he proves how far he’s willing to push this fractured reality.  Month in and month out I try to think about how this writer could make this situation anymore awkward than it already is.  We have a wife who’s literally broken in her mind, a daughter that is slowly losing her humanity, a husband trapped in the basement while his evil twin runs around driving his life forward… now we can add that there’s a ticking time bomb among them. In conclusion: things are getting worse not better, and it’s a beautiful thing.

The art by Jeremy Haun is something that every person who picks up a pencil should strive for.  He creates a unique vision by implementing style along with a decent sense of design that simply works within the confines of the narrative to deliver something that’s extraordinary.  Whether he’s illustrating an evil queen, ancient beings or the truth of a mirror this talent is more than up to the task at hand.

The Darkness #113 is a beautiful but downright disturbing piece of fiction that continues to propel this universe forward.  Highly recommended.

4.5/5