The girls try to find out who the Landlady is in Proctor Valley Road #3, by writers Alex Child and Grant Morrison, artist Naomi Franquiz, colorist Tamra Bonvillain, and letterer Jim Campbell. This issue sort of feels exactly like the last one, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad.

Once again, the issue starts with the girls getting chewed out about the missing boys. They go to the library to try and find out who the Landlady is and aren’t able to find anything until the old librarian tells them the story of her- she was once a settler who was disliked by the townsfolk, accused of a crime, and burnt on a wagon wheel. August talks to her mom about her disappeared dad at home, but her mom leaves on a date with a sheriff’s deputy. The rest of the girls are hanging out with Jenny’s brother, but August shows up in the deputy’s squad car, and they go out to Proctor Valley Road again. After another hair-raising attack, the girls escape, sans cop car. Later, the school principal, desperate to find the boys, goes out to the Road and is met by the Landlady, who has plans for him and the girls.

On the one hand, this book is starting to feel a bit formulaic. Much like the last issue, the comic starts with the principal yelling at the girls then moves on to some character building, then shows the girls together, then ends up out on Proctor Valley Road, where the girls make a narrow escape from some monsters. However, it does work, as this is an entertaining issue nonetheless. Formulaic can be okay, and Child and Morrison deliver. Part of it is the charm of the characters- the girls are great. Part of it is the tension of the scenes out on the Road and the mini cliffhanger in the scene. Part of it is the way the book ends.

This isn’t a typical Morrison book, but it still works. In fact, it’s shockingly run-of-the-mill compared to some of their other recent creator-owned work, like Nameless or Annihilator. However, it’s still really good period horror. August is such a charming heroine, a tough, lucky young girl, and that does wonders for the book. If there’s any drawback, it’s that she’s the most interesting character and pretty much overshadows everyone else. However, the other characters are still great, and it’s actually kind of sad that this book is only five issues long- it would be great to learn more about them. Maybe like Wynd, which started out as a five-issue mini, this book will get to keep going.

Franquiz’s art is still pretty great, especially towards the end. The giant monster the girls have to fight is excellent-looking, and Franquiz pulls off a pretty credible chase scene with it. Her style can be a little cartoony, which cuts the horror of some moments in the book, including the last panel reveal, but it’s worth it for her excellent character work and monster design.

Proctor Valley Road #3 feels like it cops the formula from the last issue, but Child and Morrison make the whole thing work with excellent character work and little moments that shine through. The story keeps getting more interesting, and it will be fun to see where this one ends up. Franquiz’s art doesn’t always work with horror, but it’s still excellent. Proctor Valley Road might not be what fans expected, especially if they’re looking for super weird Morrison, but it’s still a lot of fun.

Grade: B