Beaver Damn #1
Creator: A. Shay Hahn
Publisher: Studio Comix Press
A Review by Josh Rose
Meet A. Shay Hahn. He is the brilliant mind who brought you series like the Homeless G-men, Rumble Watch, and Gladiasaurs. Now he’s bringing you a new horror series set in the 1800’s: Beaver Damn #1. At the height of the fur trade in Manitoba Canada, we see three trappers on a hunting trip. Sounds like the start to Ye Olde Supernatural. “Father hath gone to hunt for a beast and alas he has not yet returned”. As they get nearer to their prey they notice something isn’t quite right. They see these deer transform into monstrous beings. Birds fly out of the deer and are attached by intestines or something. They kill two of the men.
It’s pretty hard to create an issue without any words that’s not all action, but he does a pretty great job at it. There’s a lot going on here; from an attack by mutilated animals, to a man using magic to learn about what killed some Inuit men. There is something supernatural happening, but we don’t see what it is yet–only its effect on the animals. What I love about this issue is that the last of the three trappers who encountered these mutilated animals is saved by a group of indigenous men. Hahn doesn’t go for the white savior trope.
If Hahn has a specialty, it’s drawing the creepiest creatures. He’s been releasing a series of sketch covers for Beaver Damn #1, all of which see other animals inside other animals. Even the magician having visions of the Inuit men fighting for their lives is pretty neat to interpret. I enjoy Hahn’s art, but he has some room to improve. Hands are bloody hard to draw for even the greatest artists. The fingers he draws seem shorter than natural, yet somehow they completely engulf a crucifix and hide a man’s whole face.
The Verdict: Buy it!
Beaver Damn #1 is one of those horror stories that will keep you coming back for more. It’s not your typical horror story either. Being a silent issue, you need to read it at least twice in order to understand and appreciate all the nuances. I’m looking forward to seeing how this story will play out.
