The Hidden (Fantagraphics Books, 2011)Story and Art: Richard Sala
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars
Strange creatures, most consisting of stitched-together body parts, have overrun the world, destroyed all civlizations and societies, and are driving humanity toward extinction. A group of survivors, keeping just ahead of the monstrous wave of horrors, are on their way to a location in the desert where they will either find salvation or doom.
There are some books and movies and comic books/graphic novels where too much talk about what's in it will spoil the enjoyment that can be gained from it. The main element of those works is the mystery at their core, and the excitement and chills readers and/or viewers derive from those come in large part from watching that mystery unfold as it's revealed piece by horrific piece.
"The Hidden" is one such work. It's a mixture of elements taken from the very foundation of the horror genre (such as divine, end-of-the-world prophecy and 19th century Gothic literature) and modern horror (such as post-Dawn of the Dead zombie tales and demonic secret societies that are manipulating the course of history and driving the world toward destruction as they gain more wealth and power), and as the plot comes together and the mystery is revealed, Sala's main sources of inspiration likewise come into focus. In the final analysis, this is a tale that mixes end-of-the-world zombie survival horror with themes from Mary Shelley's novel "Frankenstein, A Modern Prometeus". Along the way, Sala puts his always unique spin on the story and the material, with his artwork being simultaneously cartoony and creepy... and very, very gory at times. It is, however, always dynamic and clear and the story keeps moving swiftly towards its dark conclusion.
If you're looking for some light Halloween reading that is still spooky and dark, "The Hidden" is well worth your time. I don't think it's the best thing that Sala did--that honor is the tied books "The Chuckling Whatsit" and "Mad Night"--but if you've liked any of
the works that have been reviewed at Shades of Gray, or any of the art that has been featured here at Terror Titans, this is a book you need to read.
The bad news is that the physical book is out-of-print, and those who have copies for sale are asking ridiculous prices. Fortunately, "The Hidden" can be had at ComiXology or for the Kindle as a digital download, for about 2/3rds the price of what I paid for my hard copy a few years ago -- or even free if you're a subscriber.
