Is’nana the Were-Spider: The Hornet’s Web #1 Review

Is’nana the Were-Spider: The Hornet’s Web #1

Writer: Greg Anderson-Elysée
Artist: Daryl Toh
Colourists: Lee Milewski, Kat Aldrich
Letterer: Joshua Cozine
Publisher: Webway Comics

Review by Josh Rose

This is the first chapter of a new trade about the trickster god of stories, Anansi, and his son Is’nana the Were-Spider. Is’nana the Were-Spider: The Hornet’s Web #1 sees Is’nana on his own searching for the “Horrors” that invaded our world from the Mother Kingdom, where Anansi and Is’nana are from. Is’nana has captured a couple humans who have been infected by Queen Mmboro’s bees, turning them into Were-bees.

Greg Anderson-Elysée does a great job introducing new readers to this world, and revealing the antagonist, Queen Mmboro. He prefaces the story by having a mother reading a story about Anansi to her daughter before showing Anansi talking to a human named Roger about who Is’nana is and what he’s been up to lately. While Greg is introducing the menace of the bees, he also introduces us to Leland and his family. There were a few things in the dialogue that stood out to me or at least just bugged me. (Get it? Bugged!) But that might just be due to the fact that I’m a West Coast Canadian, whereas Greg is from Brooklyn, New York.

This is a horror series in case you didn’t know. And while Greg mentions how people are afraid of things they don’t understand, like spiders and bees, Daryl Toh is the one that pushes this into the horror realm. One page reminds me of the Vertigo Hellbazer story “Hunger,” where Gary Lester is possessed by a hunger demon that looks like thousands of insects. In addition to that horror comic reference, Toh’s Were-Bees look absolutely terrifying!

Lee Milewski’s and Kat Aldrich’s colours are great to look at as well. They set the mood for each panel and leave the book on an ominous note, due to plenty of shadows.

The Verdict: Buy it.

Based on African folklore, Is’nana the Were-Spider: The Hornet’s Web #1 is a story that focuses on character. It makes you sympathize with the victims of the horrors and want to read more about Anansi mythology. I look forward to reading the rest of this story.

You can buy a digital copy of Is’nana the Were-Spider: The Hornet’s Web #1 now at http://bit.ly/2BOwTdI. For a hardcopy email Greg at Isnanamail@gmail.com.