By Amanda
Coffin Hill issue 8 from Vertigo Comics, written by Caitlin Kittredge and art by Inaki Miranda, kicks off the Dark Endeavors storyline. This storyline picks up after Eve has been arrested for the murder of Detective Doyle Donovan (Kittredge must be a fan of alliteration).
The first series of the comic was suspiciously quiet about Eve’s time in the police force. So far, we have learned very little about career in Boston other than she was shot in the head. What did Eve leave behind that was so bad it made her to return to the even worse Coffin Hill? Dark Endeavors opens in December 2012 with a fresh-faced Eve, no scar, no black eye. She’s in the wrong place at the wrong time, and is the first police officer to arrive after a body is found under the ice.
The comic primarily follows a younger Eve as she works with the detectives on a serial killer case. She’s quiet, barely showing any of the spunk and sailor’s mouth that I loved about her. Eve is all grown up—or trying to be anyway, avoiding a past that doesn’t want to let go of her. Interspersed with the past action is present day Coffin Hill. Bianca and a friend break into the Coffin Hill mansion. What are they doing there and what will their stories have to do with Eve’s past? I’m much less interested in this plotline, primarily because at this point we haven’t seen Bianca for some time, much less understand why she is on the Coffin turf.
Even so, I’ve taken the bait with this issue. The plot is mostly solid except a snag here and there. If the detectives are saying leads won’t pan out, then why is precious space wasted instead of moving on to real facts about the Ice Fisher case? If the characters don’t care about what they’re doing, then the reader won’t. On the other hand, I’m glad that Kittredge is rounding out what we know about the characters while keeping the present-day action moving forward. This issue flows seamlessly from the previous ones, while Kittredge does an amazing job balancing the elements of witchcraft with character. Coffin Hill never feels hokey—the magic feels real, just a part of this world that exists, and which other characters discredit too.
Miranda’s artwork sets the tone well for the series. Eve is often hiding in her hair and removed from the other characters. The panels involving the detective work tend to be more symmetric without overlap that I feel visually tells a past narrative from a future point as well as physically mirroring Eve’s reserved nature. Those scenes brim with repressed energy, constrained to their proper order.
Overall, the series is shaping up and looks to only improve with each issue.
Image via Comic Vine.
The first series of the comic was suspiciously quiet about Eve’s time in the police force. So far, we have learned very little about career in Boston other than she was shot in the head. What did Eve leave behind that was so bad it made her to return to the even worse Coffin Hill? Dark Endeavors opens in December 2012 with a fresh-faced Eve, no scar, no black eye. She’s in the wrong place at the wrong time, and is the first police officer to arrive after a body is found under the ice.
The comic primarily follows a younger Eve as she works with the detectives on a serial killer case. She’s quiet, barely showing any of the spunk and sailor’s mouth that I loved about her. Eve is all grown up—or trying to be anyway, avoiding a past that doesn’t want to let go of her. Interspersed with the past action is present day Coffin Hill. Bianca and a friend break into the Coffin Hill mansion. What are they doing there and what will their stories have to do with Eve’s past? I’m much less interested in this plotline, primarily because at this point we haven’t seen Bianca for some time, much less understand why she is on the Coffin turf.
Even so, I’ve taken the bait with this issue. The plot is mostly solid except a snag here and there. If the detectives are saying leads won’t pan out, then why is precious space wasted instead of moving on to real facts about the Ice Fisher case? If the characters don’t care about what they’re doing, then the reader won’t. On the other hand, I’m glad that Kittredge is rounding out what we know about the characters while keeping the present-day action moving forward. This issue flows seamlessly from the previous ones, while Kittredge does an amazing job balancing the elements of witchcraft with character. Coffin Hill never feels hokey—the magic feels real, just a part of this world that exists, and which other characters discredit too.
Miranda’s artwork sets the tone well for the series. Eve is often hiding in her hair and removed from the other characters. The panels involving the detective work tend to be more symmetric without overlap that I feel visually tells a past narrative from a future point as well as physically mirroring Eve’s reserved nature. Those scenes brim with repressed energy, constrained to their proper order.
Overall, the series is shaping up and looks to only improve with each issue.
Image via Comic Vine.