DOWNLANDS
Author/Illustrator: Norm Konyu
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
murder, death, dying, death of children, domestic violence
Publisher’s Summary:
A wonderfully evocative ghost story in the great tradition of M. R. James and Daphne Du Maurier with a contemporary edge.
Perfect for Halloween and illustrated in Norm’s own gorgeous style.
“Every village has its stories – those of the living – and those of the dead.”
After the sudden death of his twin sister, 14 year old James Reynolds becomes obsessed with her tale of a black hound, a folkloric creature that is regarded as a portent of death. Enlisting the aid of his elderly neighbour, who the local children call ‘The Witch’, he delves into the centuries of village history, folklore, and ghosts, until he uncovers a deeper secret beyond his darkest nightmares, beyond the sight of most, and beyond the mortal veil.
Set in the South Downs of England, a place that has been home to Celts, Romans, and Vikings, James’s story is interwoven with tales from his village that also blur the line between the living and the dead.
Downlands went on sale May 13, 2025 at bookstores, comic shops and digital.
Order now from Amazon (affiliate link), Barnes & Noble, Books A Million and Forbidden Planet for UK.
Preview Pages:
Review:
James and his twin sister Jen have a healthy relationship to each other and people around them. As the publisher’s summary explains, Jen dies at a young age. Before she does, she experiences a paranormal event and tells James what happened while he momentarily stepped away. A big black dog appeared to her. Then the beast went through her, leaving her icy cold. This inciting action sets James on a personal journey during which readers witness the boy at various stages of his life. He goes from happy and social to depressed to obsessed to the point where he puts his own life at risk.
James secludes himself from his peer group and befriends the old witch, Mrs. Walker, who lives a few doors down. She’s quite aware of her reputation with the people in town. She doesn’t deny any of it. James begins to examine the photos hanging in her parlor and asks about the people in them. Reluctantly, she begins to share the sordid stories of the people who used to live there. By trying to hold back some of the details, Mrs. Walker makes the mysteries all the more intriguing to the curious teenager.
Norm Konyu’s art is not what one typically finds in North American or British mainstream comic books. As an animator, Konyu brings each panel to life through its own nearly monochromatic color palette. When the colors vary, they tend to be analogous and overlaid. The visual experience allows every panel and page to tell their own story. There are layers of colorful shapes and textures with varying degrees of transparency. Then white or black silhouettes bring attention to items, for examples: the big black hound, a tree, and standing stones.
In an interview at Titan Comics, Norm Konyu stated:
I’m not sure if I have a ‘key’ for my own work. All I try to do is create it in a way that is wholly mine, though it probably takes a lot of influence from my animation work over the years. I don’t want it to look like anybody else’s. I want people to be able to look at it and say – ‘oh, that’s by that mooseboy guy’.
Although Konyu works digitally, the art of Downlands feels like the texture of thick and thin papers collaged together. Imagine vellums over construction paper dolls. Clues appear in the scenes that one might miss the first time reading through which means this story makes for excellent multiple readings. There could be a photo, a book, or a jar. All these things make up the string that ties people from different eras together.
Don’t stop reading at the end of the comic’s story. At the back, readers will find Konyu’s personal exploration of where all the folklore could have started and ultimately influenced him. Beyond the Doorway: The inspirations behind “Downlands” is also a history lesson about which empire invaded a country taking what they wanted and created an amalgamation of myths and legends. The concept of a large, frightening black dog or hell hound is one of the common supernatural legends around the world. It’s the same situation as a “woman in white” (like La Llorona) which Konyu interprets as the pale woman even though she’s not dressed in white; rather, her complexion and her ghost turned pale and cold as ghosts do in Konyu’s universe.
Summary:
For a uniquely immersive ghost story that proves the horror genre needn’t be spattered in blood with jump-scares, Downlands will more than satisfy a variety of readers. Whether it’s an interest in ghosts, a hero’s journey, the afterlife, or how events create new legends, Downlands gives a story about how life, dying, and death can be magical.
Rating: 5 stars
DOWNLANDS
Author/Illustrator: Norm Konyu
Publisher: Titan Comics
HC, 292 pages, FC, $29.99
ISBN: 9781787743328
Published: May 13, 2025
Notes:
Interview between Titan Comics and Norm Konyu, published 24-January-2025, accessed 02-July-2025
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AmberUnmasked.com and Vodka O'Clock Podcast. Author of The Farrah Wethers Mysteries, comic book short stories, prose, and non-fiction. Cosplayer and figure model.