In Review: Long Lost #1

Review: Long Lost is a new comic that has been released through Scout Comics. Written by Matthew Erman with artwork from Lisa Sterle. The book tells the story of sisters Piper and Frances who are being tormented by a mysterious creature.

This first issue focuses mostly on the older sister who is at home avoiding text messages and playing with her little dog pockets. The conversation she has with the dog, which is one way, of course, is amusing and it seems to be a somewhat boring day for her. At least until a brick comes through her window, which is wrapped up in mangled hair.

The scene then shifts to a bus or train interior in which we see the younger sister going on and on and really being annoying toward an old lady. You know that really chatty type of woman that you meet on a tram or bus journey that you really need to get away from. Lisa Sterle’s facial expression for the older lady in this series of panels is so much fun.

Overall for an opening issue, this is fun and does a great job or setting things up. Lisa Sterle’s artwork is spot on, but it is black and white unless something really grim happens, which in and of itself gives the comic a bit of atmosphere given that most things are color. The drawings of the woods at the start and the end of the book are really eery and do set up a certain amount of expectation. It’s that effect from most horror films where you see a Cabin in the woods. You just know that something bad is going to happen.

Matthew Erman’s dialogue for his characters is lots of fun. I loved the interaction between the older sister and her dog, but most amusing was the interaction between the younger sister and the old lady on the bus. I’ve actually met people like this on buses and usually went home thinking, ‘What?’