The Woods just got more interesting. The series began when Bay Point Preparatory High School suddenly found itself in an alien wilderness, somewhere in space. The students and staff have no idea where they are or why. They only know that since they have been there, they’ve been under attack by monsters. None of them really knows what to do. Coach Clay leads his team in establishing ruthless “discipline” at the school. Other students go to explore the woods around the school, Adrian sure he knows where to find the answers. By last issue, Tynion had split up the core group of students with two groups out in the woods and two at the school. Here, each group gets something to do, makes a new discovery, or encounters a new riddle. And, of course, some people die.
It’s something of a drawback that the students still remain fairly unmemorable. Although Dialynas has given each student a distinctive look, it is still hard to remember who they are from one issue to another, and I found myself wishing they would call one another by name more often. So far, the only truly memorable ones are Maria and Adrian, Maria because she’s the primary speaker for the students at the school and Adrian because he is the one drawn to the alien technology.
Then again, the real focus is on the mystery, and that is developing quite nicely. Splitting people up allows Tynion to cover more ground, and he makes the most of it. The two groups out in the woods each make surprising discoveries, and events at the school are taking an unexpected turn. This split also means multiple cliffhangers: No sooner does Maria get herself into trouble than the scene switches to Karen, Adrian, and Calder or Sanami, Ben, and Isaac each of whom in turn find themselves facing a dilemma. The suspense builds, and Tynion provides just enough information to keep readers wanting more.
Recommended for readers who like mysterious woods, groups split up in the dark, and suspense.
Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Michael Dialynas
Colors: Josan Gonzalez
Letters: Ed Dukeshire
