By: John C. Mayberry
Even when approaching the holidays, I still maintain horror is a great genre to enjoy all year long (whose respect must also be mandatory in my humble opinion). So, after hearing about the premise of Oni Press’ Let Me Out, the debut graphic novel by Emmett Nahil and George Williams, I had no choice but to check this out. Described as an adult queer horror graphic novel, that told me right away that this was a story that would affect many at a deep level, and if there’s one thing I know about horror, it’s at its best when it personally unsettles you.
Set in a New Jersey town in the late 70s, amongst the so-called “satanic panic” and the ignorance with which the LBGTQ community was regarded, you follow four friends (Terri, Lupe, Jackson, and Mitch), who are made out to be scapegoats by the local sheriff and an FBI agent who are trying to cover up deadly experimentation of a satanic nature, on those considered as queers, punks, or just all-around societal outcasts of the time. The story does have somewhat of an ominous beginning as does any good horror story, with the use of color complimenting the artwork to set the perfect tone of what to anticipate from the rest of the story.
The style in which the characters are drawn along with their facial expressions and body language greatly emphasizes the horrific drama of the story as it unfolds, making the experience of reading this graphic novel more immersive and enjoyable. Artwork is only part of it, as the writing does a fantastic job also of realistically depicting how horribly those of the LBGTQ community were treated and regarded. Seeing how the characters interacted with each other felt completely natural, and if there’s any part of this story I loved most, it was reading their dialogue and seeing how close-knit, and protective they are of one another against the bigotry of a small town and a horror of biblical proportions.
Another part of the writing that deserve some praise is the horror aspect of this tale, specifically because it begins to touch on the disturbing part of things, even warranting a disclaimer before reading about the sensitive nature of the story’s content. And believe me, speaking as a fan of horror we love it when there’s disclaimers warning of material! Reading further some may find a little imbalance, however. It may seem to some that the horror part doesn’t really kick in until further along into the story, instead of getting it gradually as the story progresses.
Other parts of the story and character motivations sometimes feel vague, risking confusion and taking readers out of the story a bit. But this does bring to mind something I would seriously look forward to, because where some may say details are vague, I say maybe the story isn’t finished yet. Maybe…the horror isn’t finished with Terri, Lupe, Jackson, or Mitch, and we’ll get to see them facing even more foreboding and terrifying odds with nobody but the only people in the world they trust and care for: each other. Minor issues aside, Let Me Out truly is a fantastic piece of art in both writing and illustration that will leave readers waiting and wanting to see more of Nahil’s and Williams’ work. Great work you two, I can’t wait to see what comes next!
