IRIS, from Wildstar Press on September 2022, takes the concept of violating personal space to a creepy new level when Iris’s relationship with her boyfriend proves too much attention is a bad thing.
The Details
- Written by: Wake Darrah Cook
- Art by: Wake Darrah Cook
- Colors by: Wake Darrah Cook
- Letters by: Wake Darrah Cook
- Cover art by: Wake Darrah Cook
- Cover price: $10.00
- Release date: September 2022
Is It Good?
IRIS is a creepy, atmospheric, and at times, gross exploration of what happens when a woman’s boyfriend takes the phrase “I only have eyes for you” too far. Filled with disturbing imagery and a concept that will set your empathy nerves on edge like nails on a chalkboard, IRIS is a creepy thriller that might just be worth your time.
Wake Darrah Cook’s story centers around Iris and her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Daniel. During their latest on-again phase, Daniel commits to only having eyes for Iris, which manifests in a neverending bout of staring. For anyone who felt the discomfort of having someone stare at them, this comic will raise immediate red flags. Now imagine that discomfort cranked up exponentially when the staring turns into gleefully gross forms of body horror.
Cook’s story works because of the compounding sense of tension that escalates with each page turn. The situation goes from bad to worse in both Daniel’s physical side effects from staring and Iris’s growing unease and sense of claustrophobia as her feeling of personal space is completely obliterated. The key to this comic’s success is an effectively executed feeling of discomfort.
That said, the comic is entirely perfect. The pacing, dialog, and concept are on-point. However, Iris hangs on to the relationship for too long to be wholly believable, and the ending doesn’t conclude the story so much as it simply stops. You get the impression Cook forces Iris to hold on as long as she does to make a point about co-dependent, toxic relationships, but there’s not enough information about Iris’s history to justify her willingness to let things keep going well past reason.
To be clear, this is a unique, and creepy horror comic. While the down points are obvious, their effect on the reading experience is small compared to the positives.
Cook’s art style, likewise, helps sell the creep factor with surreal imagery, gross body horror, and impressive use of light and shadow to make the hideous things in the corner hit with greater impact.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with Iris meeting two girlfriends for coffee at a local diner to fill them in on her current relationship with her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Daniel. Iris and Daniel made up after their last spat, and Daniel appears to have changed by committing himself to give Iris his undivided attention. Iris’s girlfriends see Daniel’s change as a positive, but Daniel’s increasing penchant for staring strikes Iris as weird.
Soon, Iris has all the attention she wants from Daniel and more. He constantly sits near her, looks over her shoulder, and maintains eye contact during every waking moment. When another fight ensues due to Daniel showing up to Iris’s job and staring, the two resolve the issue by moving in together and working from home. Daniel’s arguments all appear rational, but Iris dreads the quickly dwindling circle of personal space.
We conclude the issue with sleepless nights, craning necks, and unblinking eyes.
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Final Thoughts
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IRIS takes the violation of personal space to creepy and gross heights with an atmospheric horror comic about a boyfriend’s obsession over giving his girlfriend undivided attention. The pacing, plotting, and dialog are all excellent, and the body horror art is memorable.
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