NOOK #1 – Review

NOOK #1, from Source Point Press on June 22nd, 2022, spins a yarn of a family escaping the horrors of war by moving to a secluded house in France. The house, however, may contain horrors of its own.

The Details

• Written By: Caleb Thusat
• Art By: Marcelo Biott
• Colors By: Marcelo Biott
• Letters By: Marcelo Biott
• Cover Art By: Martha Webby
• Cover Price: $4.99
• Release Date: June 22, 2022

Was It Good?

Wow. Wowee wow wow. Don’t sleep on this story because it’s the stuff cinematic ghost stories are made of. NOOK #1 isn’t perfect, but what this issue lacks in technical polish, it more than makes up for with creepiness and dread.

The highlight of this issue is the unceasing, building sense of gloomy horror. Set during WWII, a German family who wants no part of Hitler’s endeavors relocates to an old secluded house in the French countryside. The daughter soon discovers there’s something odd about a small cat living in the house and a small nook with a locked door located near the base of the steps. Everything about this first issue screams “creepy,” and when the horrors of war intrude on the quiet house, a dark presence makes itself known to the daughter.

Thusat uses the backdrop of the Third Reich during WWII to tell the story but wisely avoids distracting readers away from the main plot. This story is set during the war, and the war impacts the characters in the story, but the story isn’t ABOUT the war. That’s a key difference that makes this story much more compelling.

The down point of this first issue lies in the technical execution of the art. The panel layouts and composition are very good, but the linework is rough in spots. Character designs and set designs are very good in panels where they’re needed most, but you will notice the issue has an unpolished quality. You could make the argument that the unpolished look works to emphasize a child’s perspective in the story, but that argument relies too heavily on the good graces of the reader.

Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

We begin with a German family, Avery and her parents, driving out to the countryside of France in 1939. Avery’s father fears Hitler’s warmongering has become a dangerous threat, and he’s decided to relocate his family for safety. The house is very old, but Avery is excited to explore, especially when she spies a cat sitting in the window of their new house.

The cat is difficult to catch, but Avery enjoys chasing it around in her naive attempt to make friends. With each day and hour, the cat allows Avery to approach a little closer while it frequently appears drawn to a small door covering a nook at the base of the steps.

During the quiet moments of the night, Avery hears the cat scratching at the nook door while strange thumping noises are heard from within the house walls. Avery briefly sees a dark figure standing in the corner or in her doorway, terrifying the girl. The worst experience occurs when Avery goes downstairs and finds the nook door open.

We conclude the issue with unwelcome visitors, ultimatums, and horror.

Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.

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