Chud Says…

From http://chud.com/thor/2743

Eerie and Atmospheric “Elk’s Run” is Tailor Made For Stephen King Fans

By Sean Fahey

What is it about small towns that make them inherently creepy? Is it the isolation and the loneliness? The quiet, sleepy streets that seem all but abandoned after the sun goes down. Maybe it’s the people. Overly protective and weary of outsiders but in that polite kind of way that suggests “stop for a slice of pie, come out for our annual Autumn Fair, but don’t even think about staying for more than a weekend.” What ever “it” is, the new series Elk’s Run certainly taps into it.

As I was reading Elk’s Run # 1, I couldn’t help but think how much a fan of Stephen King’s older works would love this series. In many ways, Elk’s Run could just as easily be called Castle Rock or Jerusalem’s Lot. There’s a chilling atmosphere to the small town that suggests depression, loss and secrecy. Once a booming mining town in the West Virginia mountains, Elk’s Run is now a shadow of its former self. All is not what it seems though. Work is scarce, and yet everyone seems to be provided for. There’s nothing to do in Elk’s Run, nothing to pursue, and yet no one has left the town. But then again, no one can leave the town. Exactly why remains to be seen.

Writer Joshua Fialkov and the visual team of Noel Tuazon and Scott Keating – whose depressed color palette adds a lot to this book – combine to create an intriguing and incredibly moody reading experience. It’s very real, the characters are very convincing, and the decision to begin the series (each issue will be told from the perspective of a different character) from the perspective of a disgruntled local teen goes a long way toward demonstrating how claustrophobic, constricting and downright inexplicable life in Elk’s Run is. The young always challenge the old, and always challenge the status quo. But when things in Elk’s Run have been unchanged for so long, is the “status quo” too horrifying to challenge? I cannot wait to find out what the mystery of this town is.

Most comic book stores should carry Elk’s Run, but if you are having trouble finding it, or would like to learn more about the book, check out http://www.hoarseandbuggy.com. Rating: 5/5