Through the Woods

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Emily Carroll (born 1983) is a comics author from Ontario, Canada. Carroll started making comics in 2010, and her horror webcomic His Face All Red went viral around Halloween of 2010. Since then, Carroll has published two books of her own work, created comics for various comics anthologies, and provided illustrations for other works. Carroll has won several awards, including an Ignatz and two Eisners. One last word of caution: make sure you read this with the lights on, preferably during the daytime. I speak from experience – waking up in a cold sweat because you read this book too late at night is terrifying.) Body Snatcher: The monster has taken over Rebecca's body... and is looking for new hosts for its children as well. Bell is nearly taken, but she scares the monster into leaving her alone by telling her stories about what the city will do to its children once their presence is discovered. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said of Clarence, who was revealed to be a host by the story's end. in a way, it kind of reminded me of fear(s) of the dark, a film in which several different illustrators bring their own brand of creepy to life through unique animation stylings:

In "A Lady's Hands Are Cold", one of the first wife's dismembered body parts is her desiccated hands/fingers, which later reach out to the second wife with intention to kill her after she's fully reassembled. A bloody handprint later appears on a window, which is left there by the husband as he is brutally murdered by his dead first wife, whom he murdered to inherit her wealth and mansion. I reread this book because I reviewed and shared some of Emily Carroll's free short stories here for Halloween, and because I read Speak: The Graphic Novel, which she illustrated for Laurie Halse Anderson. Now, more than two years after I initially read it, I am feeling Carroll's groove. I wasn't as appreciative as I am now. I think she is one of the truly talented and smart and entertaining horror illustrators out there. Bittersweet Ending: The second wife survives, and her husband dies a Karmic Death by being violently murdered by his first wife, whom he killed to inherit her mansion and wealth. However, the second wife is understandably traumatized by the entire ordeal, and she proceeds to vomit out of fear-fueled stress.

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The whole book is magnificently executed… is all dextrous and varied and absolutely masterful… Carroll…lures us in only to do terrible, wonderful things to our heads and hearts.” Signature Headgear: The strange man who haunts the three girls is frequently described as having a wide-brimmed hat, but little else, adding to the overall mystery of his presence. It's used to imply that the man is something else, as once it's described by others or shows up on-screen, someone is going to die. At the end, Beth accepts the strange man planting his hat on her head, symbolizing her acceptance that she is dead and is able to reunite with her dead family.

Monster Is a Mommy: "Rebecca" is actually a mass of worms inside Rebecca's stolen skin and wants Bell's skin for her children, so they can leave their spawning pool. Bell seizes on this and saves herself by horrifying the monster with stories of the dangers its children would face in the city. A Chocolate Lover's Recipe Collection: Indulge in a Variety of Mouthwatering Chocolate Treats with These Delicious Recipes Only Sane Man: The middle sister, Beth. The older sister, Mary, is in denial about their father when he fails to return and refuses to leave their house, only to subsequently fall under the spell of the man with the wide hat and the big smile. The little sister, Hannah, is just a poor kid who doesn't know what's going on.this one feels very familiar. there's an olde timey new england vibe to it, and while i don't think it's actually based on anything, it feels like a mashup of a bunch of different stories, like something that would be read aloud in a spoooooky voice during a haunted hayride right before costumed people come running out of the woods all clawing and moaning to the delighted shrieks of girl scouts. makes me want to drink warm cider. My my, Big Bad, what beautifully, healthy teeth you have! Mind having a word with Ms Flapper of the Dubious Dental Hygiene up there? Pretty sure she’d love to have your dentist’s number and stuff. Talking the Monster to Death: Bell saves herself from the monster by convincing it that its plan to use Bell as a host and move to the city, where there would be many more hosts available, would end terribly for its children. Phony Psychic: Yvonne and Janna have played at being able to talk to the dead for years. (Janna is the person who acts like a psychic, Yvonne makes sound effects and voices from an unseen location.) It started as a joke when they were kids and was a fun game, but they found they couldn't stop people from coming to them even if they tried. Yvonne, however, can actually see what might be a ghost (or might be... something else) apparently haunting Janna that nobody else can.

My Friend Janna": Yvonne and Janna are two close friends who have spent years pretending that they can talk to the spirits of the dead. But Yvonne actually can see what might be a ghost, and it appears to be haunting Janna.

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Red Is Heroic: Beth is the middle-born daughter who wears dark red clothes, and the story is narrated from her perspective. this has the bones of a very traditional ghost story, but there's just too much story around what could have been a genuinely spooky read if it didn't meander so much. i think horror works best when it is streamlined, when there's ambiguity left over for the reader to fill in with their own worst imaginings and also when the journey is straight and fast and decisive like a gunshot or a thunderclap. this one is so frontloaded with unfocused exposition at the beginning that you get lulled into what is ultimately a very gentle horror. i think the illustrations work particularly well in conjunction with this story, but i also think it would have been much more effective if it were whittled down a bit. Emily Carroll won two Joe Shuster Awards in the category "Outstanding Web Comics Creator", in 2011 and 2012 respectively. [20] [21]

It's not gory, or graphic. It's... unsettling. It's creepy. It's like the darkest of the old-school faerie tales. Teeth figure prominently in many of the stories, and the artwork (especially when people are eating), often associates them with blood and violence. Our neighbor's house -- A lady's hands are cold -- His face all red -- My friend Janna -- The nesting place No surprise here, of course the art deserves all the stars! If Emily Carroll uses different techniques in each short story, I can safely say that I loved every one of them. Berman, Judy (25 October 2022). "Guillermo del Toro Is Rolling Out a Netflix Horror Anthology. Here Are the 2 Must-Watch Episodes". Time . Retrieved 27 October 2022.

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Hidden Eyes: As she flees the wrath of the first wife's corpse, the second wife is now drawn with her eyes being replaced with creepy eyeshadows. This, combining with her previously immaculate hair coming undone, represents her trauma over her near-death experience and learning of the gruesome history between her husband and his first wife. a b Alverson, Brigid (26 October 2015). "Comics A.M. | Emily Carroll's 'Through the Woods' wins British Fantasy Award". Comic Book Resources. My Friend Janna" has a mysterious ghost (if it isn't something else entirely), but is primarily about Yvonne's best friend having a mental breakdown while Yvonne is unable to help in any way. Janna's behaviors and eventual death or disappearance has many of the hallmarks of someone becoming suicidal.