Treves: A Restless Night, Reviewed.

How about a prequel to Merrick The Sensational Elephantman, that concentrates on the Doctor Treves showing his fearless occult ass-kicking origins? Yes please! Tom Ward, Luke Parker and the Merrick team serve it with a spoonful of Lovecraftian energy.

Merrick The Sensational Elephantman is a brilliant and bonkers charge through Victorian-era London fending off a rogues gallery of monsters, men and puppets. You can see how much I enjoyed it here. Treves: A Restless Night features Sir Fredrick Treves, Merricks "well-meaning" companion and friend (sort of), and takes this same glorious energy and world to give us an occult adventure in India with a heavier leaning on the horror with a touch of Lovecraftian monster. This is a one-shot to show the character of Treves as more than enabling sidekick and more of a kickass fearless adventurer, adding fleshed out appreciation for the London Doctor and his willingness even motives in his partnership with Merrick. Treves: A Restless Night provides a chronological starting point for those looking for it that adds an interesting context to the events of the series. It works in just as much as an entertaining way as a stand-alone but I did really appreciate Merrick all the more for it.

So, let’s start with the art. Luke Parker is at it again with perfect continuity of style that is unmistakably the world of Merrick. It’s a style I covered in the review for Merrick but, what I failed to mention, to my own fault, is Luke's incredible colour work. Treves: A Restless Night for me is a brilliant showcase of this talented aspect of the art of the series. With minimal colours, Luke delivers expertly, art that clearly defines and emphasises while satisfying and capturing attention. The use of bold red really cuts through and is a great example of this eye blistering art. This story's stonemasons character designs are something special, every panel featuring the "returned mason" is eye-watering in its attention-grabbing dynamic style, certainly one of my favourite characters with the “red version” being particularly interesting. Page 30 is monstrously brilliant in depiction and in showing Lukes talent especially on that scale. Highly enjoyable and definitely my favourite adversary of the series maybe even the year so far. I’d also like to call out another particular panel showing Tisdale in front of the fireplace which really hit. I could hear the crackle of the fire and the sip of his drink, so ominous. Luke Parker has covered the looks to great accomplishment but how’s Tom Ward's story?

Well, it’s a very entertaining, action-packed horror story that truly defines the title character. Treves A Restless Night is set before the events of Merrick The Sensational Elephantman, we follow Sir Fredrick on a trip to India as he accompanies the pompous Doctor Tisdale on a humanitarian mission. Before they can get to this work they will camp overnight in a scrubland bungalow. That night, settled before the fire, Tisdale recalls his previous trip here and the stonemason he encountered. After that ominous panel, we are regaled by a story of the worst splinter anybody could have the misfortune of receiving mixed with the tale of Indian mythology and curses. It’s quite the story and leaves Treves a little unnerved, especially due to the location of the events and so begins a restless night. It’s a night of dreams drowning in rats, unsettling bread, something making a big bump in the night and the power of the frog. At least that's the most spoiler-free way I can think of sharing it.

This story is one of the power of negative thoughts, misguided association, Treves ability in the face of fear, maybe showing how reserved and placid he carries himself in comparison to the Treves of the later series, and also shows how really good he is at impaling things. Splinters and getting stuff stuck in your eye are given more horrible imaginings in this really enjoyable, entertaining, action-packed prequel.

For fans of Merrick The Sensational Elephantman, those wanting to become fans of Merrick, fans of scary cabin occult horror stories, monster madness, splinters and spooky bread, this is your comic. Available at www.merrickcomic.co.uk this is a great addition to the series.

Review: 5/5