4 out of 5

A blue and white duotoned minicomic.

Matt Emmons has an inimitable style. It’s chunky but fluid; he belongs in the school of more detailed draftsmen, but he spends those details where it counts, streamlining most of his panels. Figurework is realistic; sound effects are often handdrawn – an interesting balance that gives his work a sense of heightened reality. As such, he can rattle off shorthand, vaguely supernatural / paranormal tales and they absolutely kill, even if covering territory you’ve seen before.

Case in point: Down Below, which, in a few pages, tells the tale of a deep sea diver who’s briefly stranded at depths, and discovers something mind expanding. Cosmic secrets are not revealed; there’s not some great twist. It’s just perfect storytelling.

…Save one stupid criticism I have: our diver is faceless behind their gear, and eyes play an important role in the visuals. We see their eyes at the end, but also get a glimpse of them early on. I don’t think the early on glimpse was necessary, and it kind of undermines the impact of seeming them in the conclusion.

Deal breaker, trash comic, obviously.