EDITOR'S NOTE: Salem #0 will be available in stores Wednesday, January 30.

The title, Salem, really lays out the location of this story: 1673 Salem, Massachusetts, twenty years before the infamous Salem Witch Trails occurred. The story opens at a farm in the woods as a witch/demon burns it. The next day our protagonist, Elisa Hooke, arrives at the charred farm to find it crawling with spider-headed demons. As Hooke and these monsters battle, it becomes clear that they have history that will play out within the context of this tale.

Despite the timeline, the story is witness to the witch trials at their height being conducted by the inquisitor of the unnamed Puritan church. Led by Brother Hopkins, the inquisition is cutting through the townspeople like wheat in search of witches and money to support these trials.

Enter Hooke, who knows more about witches than the inquisition. His interference in the trial is the catalyst to move this saga out of the set-up phase and into a proper period-supernatural-action-adventure.

Chris Morgan--co-writer on the movie version of Wanted as well as Cellular and The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift--and Kevin Walsh craft a colonial America that is a clever combination of the spaghetti western cum horror. Elisa Hooke--looking the part of Clint Eastwood as a Puritan--comes to Salem Village and shakes up the status quo even as monsters lurk in the woods just beyond. The leader of the inquisition, Brother Hopkins, also has a past with Hooke that puts them immediately at each other’s throats. Elisa’s actions create a world in which everyone, and thing, are hunting him. As this opens, we are left with a lot of options on where to go. With a high-energy script that keeps the narrative moving, Morgan and Walsh have made a solid start with this first installment.

Wilfredo Torres’ art with Andrew Dalhouse’s colors are my favorite parts of the book. I’ve worked with Wilfredo [Fred] before and respect his art. He is a rising star in comics proven by the fact that he made it into ComicBookResources’ Comic Book Idol at the same time as BOOM! came calling.

With this assignment, Fred ramped up his work to produce the most-stunning art he has ever created. I can say that honestly because I have seen his work on my own stories as well as others and this is his A game. Working to create period-accurate costumes and individualized characters, Fred never loses sight of the need to draw an edge-of-your-seat action-adventure. Every character has his or her own look and no two can be confused despite the relatively limited wardrobe choice of the time. Fred makes every shot count, handling the cover and splash pages as well as his 12-panel pieces.

Salem’s spell, born of striking artwork and period-horror, will keep readers coming back every issue! I am looking forward to seeing the creative team maintain this level of energy through to the end.




Egg Embry has written and edited for IDW, Viper Comics, Arcana Studios and Th3rd World Studios. He splits a website with artist Jessi Nelson at http:// www.ComicsByEgg.com

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