When the Strangers begin to watch the people of Woodsburgh, Wash., the small mining town finds itself clamoring for answers. Mirka Andolfo's Mercy #1 opens on an early snow that falls on the town amid the chaos of a horrible tragedy that left several people dead. Though the people of Woodsburgh are attempting to carry on, nothing is as it seems -- and everything is only bound to get more complicated when the mysterious Lady Hellaine comes to town. Originally published in Italian through Andolfo's Arancia Studio, the translated Image Comics series features writing, art and colors by Andolfo, color assistance by Gianluca Papi and letters by Fabio Amelia.

Mercy #1 is a Victorian gothic horror masterpiece. Andolfo's writing flows so seamlessly and her art is deeply sensual, imbued with blues, browns and reds that accentuate light and shadow to emphasize facial expressions, bodily movement and even scenery. This story may take place in the buttoned-up Victorian era, but Andolfo doesn't shy away from sex, nor its implications. And she also leans into difficult subject matter. This debut issue depicts several potentially upsetting moments, including murder and child abuse -- both of which can be triggering -- but it also depicts women and girls whose strength comes from something other than their social standings or their marriages. Andolfo's characters live and breathe on the page, brought to life through evocative dialogue and near-flawless art.

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With color assistance from Papi, Andolfo injects bursts of bright color throughout each scene, which draws the eye to important details that might otherwise be easily missed. There's mystery behind Lady Hellaine and the Strangers, but Andolfo provides hints to the bigger picture throughout Mercy #1. In addition to foreshadowing in both art and script, the issue draws parallels between characters and makes it clear that just because certain tropes appear to be true, it doesn't mean they are. Just when the reader thinks they have someone's number, that assumption is swiftly corrected -- which will surely make for an interesting read throughout the miniseries' planned six-issue run.

The narrator speaks from sometime in the future, with a reverence for and fear of the events herein that the creep factor comes into play immediately, and it doesn't wane even as certain things come to light. Amelia's letters emphasize the horror in Mercy #1 through use of a tight, spidery script for the narration and careful emphasis in the dialogue to underscore just how many terrifying factors are at play.

The people of Woodsburgh are terrified and angry and whatever is attacking them -- referred to by the townspeople as the Strangers -- doesn't seem intent to stop anytime soon. Stakes are high, tensions are higher and the town's mysterious new visitor has her own terrifying agenda. It remains to be seen how these stories connect, but the only thing that seems certain is that more death is waiting in the wings. For fans of gothic horror, Mirka Andolfo's Mercy #1 is a must-read.

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