Writer: John Richard Farman
Artist: Will Pickering
Publisher: Vital Publishing

A new series is being launched by Vital Publishing – and it looks to be quite intriguing. John Farman is expanding on the “Damned Universe” that he has created and is turning the horror trope on its head.

In this issue, The Hounds Of Love, we meet the Vulpe and find that like their foxy counterparts in reality they are a hunted species, cursed as monsters for being different to the humans that they live in the shadow of.

Monster hunter extraordinaire Nathaniel Wrightson and his protege Julia Bronte, a descendant of the Bronte sisters, hunt monsters such as the legendary basilisk, but the parallels between the behaviour of humanity and the banality of evil shows that the monster hunters are not adverse to fighting the monsters that walk on two legs.

“LORE” is a three part arc that continues to delve deeper into the horror mythos that forms the bedrock of the Damned Universe. John is allowing himself to continue to explore his characters and develop them.

To me, this story feels like a reaction to the hatred and fear that seems so prevalent in today’s media. While this story is not going to be all sweetness and light, it does seem to imply that people can change the mood of today if they are willing to stand up and take part in society.

Will Pickering’s art is always a joy and in this case, he seems to have be influenced by medieval European woodcuts. This page is my favourite of the entire issue.

• Vital Publishing are launching the comic at City Centre Comics, Glasgow on 31st March 2016. Over the weekend of 2nd – 3rd April 2016 they will be vending their wares at Edinburgh Comic Con