Warning: Contains spoilers for Brynmore #1!Horror maestro Steve Niles’ new title Brynmore from IDW Publishing takes a dark look at family trauma. Niles is one of comics’ preeminent horror writers, known for classics such as 30 Days of Night, and now he has teamed with artist Damien Worm to bring fans Brynmore. The first issue of Brynmore seeds intriguing mysteries while exploring the dark recesses of family trauma–and sets the series to be another winner for Niles.
After a decade of working for small publishers such as Eclipse Comics, as well as playing in various punk bands, Steve Niles burst onto the comics mainstream in 2002 with 30 Days of Night, which was drawn by Ben Templesmith. It began life as a screenplay, but after it was rejected by every major studio, Niles decided to turn it into a comic book. One of the first offerings from the fledgling IDW, 30 Days of Night became a word of mouth hit, ultimately inspiring an entire franchise as well as finally becoming a hit feature film in 2007. The release of 30 Days of Night made a star out of Niles, and launched Templesmith’s career as well. Since 30 Days of Night, Niles has carved out a reputation as one of the best horror writers in comics, with titles such as Criminal Macabre and Simon Dark. Now, he has once again teamed with IDW to bring readers a new vision of horror: Brynmore.
Brynmore Gets Off to an Eerie Start
Niles and Worm are joined by art assistant Alyzia Zherno and letterer Taylor Esposito for Brynmore’s first issue. Mark Turner, a recently divorced, recovering alcoholic, returns to his family’s ancestral island off the coast of North Carolina. His ancestors helped settle the island years ago, but Mark has been gone for many years. Mark struggles to start anew in this strange-yet-familiar place, and he encounters hatred and opposition from the island’s inhabitants. He decides to fix up an old chapel, turning it into his home. One night, while working, he discovers a secret stairwell leading into the basement of the chapel, where he discovers a mysterious object carved with occult-looking symbols.
Brynmore Is Loaded With Cool Mysteries
The issue ends there, leaving readers wondering what it is that Mark has discovered. This is but the first of the many mysteries at Brynmore’s center. Some of the inhabitants of Turner Island are not pleased to see Mark–but why? Clearly something bad has happened on the island in the past, something that has made the people there wary of Mark and the Turner clan. The sole friend Mark makes in the first issue mentions the “Turner Curse,” but Mark brushes it off, saying he does not believe in them. However, after the discovery Mark makes at the end of the issue, he may be rethinking his beliefs.
Family Trauma Is at the Core of Brynmore
While these mysteries propel the story forward, the true heart of Brynmore is its deft exploration of family trauma. Mark has not been home in years, for as yet unspecified reasons. Clearly something happened to Mark that made him indifferent to his family’s home. Mark’s own immediate family is shattered as well: he is recently divorced, and his daughter wants nothing to do with him. The aforementioned “Turner Curse” becomes allegorical for familial trauma, and how this will play out over the book’s run will make for compelling reading. Steve Niles knows horror comics well, and IDW Publishing's Brynmore, with its emphasis on generational trauma, looks to be another winner for comics’ horror maestro.
Brynmore #1 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!