Written by Joe Hill
Art by Leomacs
Published by DC Comics
June Branch got more than she ever bargained for when visiting her boyfriend, Liam Ellsworth, on Brody Island for the last weekend of summer.
So far, June was almost killed by an escaped convict and the town drug dealer.
If that’s not bad enough, she chopped their heads with a magical ax, and the heads are still alive.
Here, June is held captive by a wolf in sheep’s clothing and interrogated with a cattle prod.
Joe Hill structured June’s strive in a way that allowed for increased tension. June doesn’t know what the assailant wants to know, which worsened her situation. Once the antagonist realized June has no clue what’s going on, things got even worse.
It’s those kinds of moments that make Hill’s work so poignant.
June is an outsider and doesn’t know how things work. She was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, and just so happened to defend herself with an enchanted weapon.
Leomacs’ visual presentation consisting of a combination of cinematic and animated depictions conjures a unique horror vibe. Hill’s narrative is engaging; however, the artwork conveys the appropriate state of affairs. I didn’t need a word balloon of dialog to describe June’s agony on a dark and stormy night. Reiko Murakami’s sharp coloring is a constant reminder of the story’s old-fangled setting with a dash of pulp.
Basketful of Heads took a dramatic turn in the final few pages.
Not only is June’s situation even worse than it was before, but she also learned some startling information about her boyfriend, Liam. Everything has turned upside down on poor June. Hill has shown no signs of taking the foot off the accelerator when it comes to June.
Hopefully, Liam doesn’t turn out to be like everyone else in this crazy town of Brody Island.
Rating: B+
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