Proctor Valley Road #1
There's something in the dark in Proctor Valley Road #1, by writers Grant Morrison and Alex Child, artist Naomi Franquiz, colorist Tamra Bonvillain, and letterer Jim Campbell. This first issue is an intriguing little introduction, a nice little slow burn that will have readers breathless for what comes next.
On Proctor Valley Road, a monster stalks a man in the night, killing him and throwing his car. The next day, cousins August and Rylee try to shoplift glasses but are caught. At August's house, their parents yell at each other about who is to blame, the two girls leave. They talk about why they did it- to sell the glasses for money for Janice Joplin tickets. They hope their friend Jennie is doing better in her money-making venture- working for a rich old lady. Jennie, an aspiring astronaut, can't take the old lady's hectoring and quits. The three meet up with their friend, Cora, who tried to sell kisses, and the four go to the fair in town. Jennie's brother is confronted by two men who think he should be in Vietnam when the four girls come to back him up, while three guys also come to help, mostly to get the girls' attention. Later, the boys tell the girl about what happened out on Proctor Wally Road, which gives August an idea. They take the boys out to the Road on a haunted tour, but the boys get mad because they aren't going to get laid. The boys walk off and are eventually attacked by the same monsters Cora told them about. The girls start to freak out, especially when Cora's flashlight goes out and something takes their hands. They leave, and the next day, at school, they are asked about the boys' whereabouts, two of whom had just been drafted.
Proctor Valley Road has all the makings of great horror. The whole issue feels like part of a horror movie's first act- the beginning has a contemporary to the setting pop song as someone is killed by a shadowy monster. The four main characters are quickly and efficiently introduced. Each one with a certain personality that is apparent- August is the crazy one, Rylee is the skeptical mouthy one, Jennie is the one with big dreams, and Cora is the weird one. Jennie's brother is set up as a great shot, which will probably play into the whole thing later. The girls' plotline and involvement with the monster plotline are about them trying to make money for a Janis Joplin concert.
Morrison and Child lay all of this out expertly. It's a simple enough story and beginning, based on the real Proctor Valley Road in California, which has many ghost stories attached to it. One gets the feeling that much like last week's BRZRKR, this book is either a film pitch or will be, and that's okay. Like BRZRKR, it does a great job of telling its story and getting readers invested. Morrison's name is the big draw, and so far, this isn't their typical fare. Morrison hasn't done straight horror in a long time, and so far, that's what it's looking to be. It'll be interesting to see how it develops because it doesn't really feel like a Morrison book at all so far, except for what could be an Animal Man reference.
Franquiz's art is highly reminiscent of Nick Derington (which makes Bonvillain being the colorist quite apropos)- a detailed yet cartoony style that does a great job with character acting. The few glimpses of the monsters later in the book are quite effective and fit the book's horror movie aesthetic perfectly.
All in all, Proctor Valley World #1 is an effective first issue. Morrison and Child set out who the characters are effectively, do a great job of setting the scene and let it all play out. The art by Franquiz and Bonvillain is great, cartoony, and colorful and works well for the story even if it seems like it shouldn't. This isn't a typical Morrison experience, but that's okay- it has a nice flavor and wonderful set-up.
