Closer

Written by Antony Johnston
Art by Mike Norton (with Leanne Buckley)

I managed to pick up a few of these Oni Press graphic novels recently at a very good price. When this came out, I was unfamiliar with both Johnston and Norton, but now have become a fan of both gentlemen; Johnston for his work on the exquisite Wasteland, and Norton for his work on The All-New Atom.

This is a quick read about a group of scientists that had years earlier experimented with teleportation (disastrously), and have now been summoned to a mysterious house on a rocky island (never a good sign), where one of their former technicians had perfected their science. Things aren't all that simple though, as this form of teleporting involves travelling through the Thoth dimension, named after the Egyptian god that resides there. What follows is a good old-fashioned horror story, as characters get killed off one by one, and Serena, the daughter of one of the original scientists, goes on a journey of discovery about her birth.

This is not a brilliant piece of work by any means, but it is entertaining. Johnston plays with some very interesting ideas, combining physics and ancient religion in a unique way, and Norton's art looks fantastic in black and white.