Returning to Paul Tobin and Juan Ferreyra’s Colder and Choosing to Toss the Bones
Matt Molgaard
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The graphic novel world has become a complex and diverse universe cluttered by so many beautiful and engaging stories it’s harder to keep track of the next big thing than it is to seek it out. There was a time (travel back to the late 1980s-early 1990s and you won’t find a fraction of the cultured genre works on comic racks) when very few horror stories made their way to shelves.
The days of Lady Death reigning supreme as the go-to genre pick are dead. Today, while Lady Death is still around doing her thing in the hellish regions of the universe, she is but one small blip on the radar.
The game has changed. New talents have emerged, and they’ve emerged aplenty. Among those talents a handful of visionaries stand atop the mountain of madness, and Paul Tobin takes up residence in these ranks.
The more I read from Tobin, the more I realize the man is a modern day genius. Equipped with a wicked sense of humor and some genuinely creative ideas, the man delivers time and again (a few other superb works to look into are Witcher, Plants vs. Zombies and Prometheus: Fire and Stone).
Colder, his beastly book about insanity, “hunger” and a darker world invaded by hideous monstrosities, ranks amongst the very best on the market in 2015.
The story pits the insane but strangely grounded (is that an oxymoron?) Declan Thomas against Nimble Jack, a maniacal creature that feeds on insanity and rules the world of the “hungry.” As Declan’s romantic interest, Reese, is targeted by this world-jumping creature, Declan must act fast, before the sanity of his former caregiver and blossoming love is lost to him. What ensues is a jarring battle of the mind and body, a study of manipulation and terror.
Colder is one of the more creative books you’ll find on the market. Tobin’s writing is savvy and crisp and his understanding of characters – and what makes them feel truly human – is nearly unparalleled in today’s market. Given the enormous amount of talent in the graphic novel and comic field, that’s a very powerful statement. But Tobin has earned such praise. He’s more than earned it – I’ve yet to read a single piece of the man’s work that comes even remotely near close to underwhelming. He’s almost too witty for his own good, and that’s why he’s become one of the marquee names in the business today.
But Colder wouldn’t be as chilling as it is if it weren’t for the equally talented artist Juan Ferreyra, whose style feels like a pitch-perfect fit for a story like this. The imagery that Ferreyra creates is terrifying and engrossing and empowers Tobin’s narrative exponentially. It’s a bad case of night terrors on page, and it’s nearly impossible to look away.
This is a match made in heaven, and Colder is a horror fanatic’s welcomed nightmare come true.
Colder initially launched in 2012, and in the three years since introduction, Tobin’s characters have grown exponentially and taken up residence in the hearts of genre followers. Declan has become the reluctant hero that keeps us guessing but always cheering. The conflicts he faces are riveting, and the relatable quality of the character (we’re all a little insane, and we all like to believe we’ve got that insanity under control) has endeared him to the masses.
As for Nimble Jack, well, he’s as paralyzing as they come, and if we’re lucky, we’ll one day see a guy like Jared Leto bringing a live-action rendition of the character to terrifying life.
Toss the Bones, the latest installment in the Colder universe, tosses horror fans right back into the “Hungry World,” where things have only become darker, and insanity has reached a fever-pitch state. Only two issues in, and the story is every bit as engaging as Tobin’s inaugural Colder book (and those to follow.) And for those looking for some originality in their comics, Colder is out there, calling, hungry and ready to devour your attention.
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