The Plot Vol. 2

The Plot #5-8

by Michael Moreci, Tim Daniel, Joshua Hixson (illustrator)

The Haunting of Hill House meets Locke & Key in THE PLOT, a supernatural horror tale where the Blaine family has been tied to their history and home. The only hope? Tear it all down. But the past isn't ready to release its grip.

IN ORDER TO RECEIVE, FIRST YOU MUST GIVE.

An ancient evil has stalked the Blaine family for generations, darkening the doorstep of their ancestral home in Cape Augusta, Maine. For surviving patriarch Chase Blaine, there's only one option hold his niece and nephew, MacKenzie and Zach, close and tear it all to the ground. But the past has no interest in being left behind. A coastal storm rages, and the dark waters of their family history come crashing down.

THE PLOT Vol. 2 collects issues #5 to #8 of the eight issue series.

From writers Tim Daniel (End After End, Fissure, Denizen, and more!) and Michael Moreci (Barbaric, Wasted Space, Spree, and Revealer) and artist Joshua Hixson (Shanghai Red, The Black Woods, and Batman)

For fans of The Haunting of Hill House (Shirley Jackson), Locke & Key (Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez), The Drowning Kind (Jennifer McMahon), We Have Always Lived In the Castle (Shirley Jackson), Burnt Offerings (Robert Marasco), Wytches (Scott Snyder and Jock), Home Before Dark (Riley Sager), Mapping the Interior (Stephen Graham Jones), and A Head Full of Ghosts (Paul Tremblay).

“There is a great balance between realistic dialogue and unspeakable horror and a cliffhanger that practically demands the reading of the next issue.” – The New York Times

" THE PLOT jars, upsets, shocks, and disorients—this comic is out to get you." – Daniel Kraus ( New York Times bestselling author of The Shape of Water, Whalefall, Trollhunters, The Living Dead, and The Autumnal graphic novel from Vault Comics)

" THE PLOT is GREAT! CREEPY as hell, but great. Another winner from Vault Comics." – Brian Michael Bendis (bestselling writer of Spider-man, Miles Morales, Jessica Jones, Avengers, and more!)

Genres: Horror, Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics

Kindle Edition

First published April 28, 2021

About the author

Michael Moreci is a bestselling comics author and novelist. His original works include the space adventure novels Black Star Renegades and We Are Mayhem, as well as the comic series Wasted Space, The Plot, Hexagon, Curse, Archangel 8, and more. The Plot appeared on numerous best of 2019 lists, and Wasted Space has been hailed as one of the best comics of the past decade. Moreci's comic trilogy Roche Limit was called one of the best sci-fi comics of all-time by Paste Magazine, and Black Star Renegades was an Audie Award finalist for best sci-fi of 2018.

Moreci has also written for Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and the DC universe--including the YA graphic novel The Lost Carnival: A Dick Grayson Story. He's also adapted Eoin Colfer's bestselling Artemis Fowl series into graphic novels.

He lives outside Chicago with his family.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has all the feelings of old horror movies and ghost stories. Paying for the sins of your fathers. I do wish the explanation for the Bog was clearer. Joshua Hixson and Kurt Michael Russell's art has a very Francesco Francavilla feel to it which works really well for this type of a story.

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 2 out of 5]

An okay book, marred by a dull ending, with silly monster stuff.

[Tom LA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved Vol. 1, liked very much Vol. 2 although it didn't strike me and pull me in as much as Vol. 1 did. Maybe I was hoping for some slightly more original ideas, while some things were quite predictable.
The art is magnificent and expressive in a way that is perfect for this type of dark story - both the drawings and the colors. A visual masterwork.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ends the series for The Plot. I LOVED Volume 1, and while 2 didn't live up to 1, it still end pretty solid.

This basically deals with confronting your past. We get the full family history here, why Chase is so scared of his past, and why they as a family must move forward. The horror is pushed further here as the creatures (the past) try to finally strike out. Leading to more confrontations instead of creepiness we get almost slasher like moments.

I enjoyed the volume, and the pacing was great, along with the art. Watching everyone come to a head and show the past, present, and future all worked for me. It did feel a bit more cliche this time around with a ending I expected but was hoping would be slightly different to surprise me though.

Still, both volumes are worth reading. I have a feeling Moreci is a name should keep a lookout for, he's got some good stories to tell.

[Clint · Rating 2 out of 5]

After a promising but underwhelming vol1, this is sadly a mediocre bore. The art is by far the highlight and I wish it were depicting a better story. Russell’s coloring is consistently striking and reminds me of Francesco Francavilla’s similar style. Lots of dark greens and purples and oranges are used that evoke black light posters. Hixson draws some nice panels and the creature designs are neat, but there are also too many sloppy looking panels with indistinct character art that the coloring has to rescue.

The dialogue and plot are both uninspired. There’s vague supernatural spookiness about a bog and Faustian bargains that are teased without satisfying exploration, a tedious Sins Of The Father mystery, and a rushed pace that churns through several incomprehensible events without ever making any of them interesting. I just didn’t care about anything that happened here.

[Valéria. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In order to receive.. first you must give.
If you are looking for great storytelling, horror stuff, and stunning artwork, The Plot is a great choice. I was looking forward to this since they announced it, mostly because of Joshua Hixson's artwork which I love since the first moment I saw it in his early works. And it really looks amazing in this one! Plus, the plot of The Plot (hehe) also surprised me, very nicely! So if you like secrets in families, bog monsters, and an amazing scary atmosphere, go for it.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This volumes start off with a flashback to 1674 with the Blaine family’s ancestors. Showing how and when this curse or whatever started. Pretty jacked up. Then we are back to the current time With uncle Chase and the kids trying to escape this haunted house. The best parts were the family moments as Chase and the kids and his ex-girlfriend, Reese team up against the monster and the epilogue that the team up brings. A nice touch. Ended up being a solid October read.

[Shaun Stanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Plot Part Two collects issues 5-8 of the Vault Comics series written by Tim Daniel and Michael Moreci with art by Joshua Hixson.

As more family secrets are unearthed, the family is in fight for their lives against the familial past and creatures from the bog.

The second volume keeps up the super creepy atmosphere. While this conclusion is satisfactory, I was left wanting to know more about the bog lands, the house, the family’s past and why they are all connected. I also felt like it there was a missing connection between the present day family and the past. There should have been more of a connection as to why the events were happening now, to these specific family members. I feel with another two issues, this could have all been flesh out just a bit more to make it a truly haunting and modern horror classic.

[Liam Matthews · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

It wasn't quite as good as volume 1 for me, but it was still pretty darn good.

Hixon's art and Russell's colours are terrific again and really help to amp up the horror. Although, Vol.2 does have more confrontation as things come to a head and less of the subtle creepiness that was prevalent in Vol.1.

[Aquila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sad to say this series didn't really offer me anything new or interesting, nothing to keep me up at night, nothing to think deeply about. It wasn't horrible, and the art was decent, but it didn't... give.

[Skejven · Rating 4 out of 5]

rating both part 1&2
Great visuals, a lil bit cliche story but I still enjoyed it! It's unfortunately the case with many comics like this. It's so short you don't get to get attached to the characters, as the action just speeds through.
7.5/10

[Victor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much like book one, book two has a rushing plot line that moves at quite a rapid pace. There isn’t much time to establish new characters or motives, nor does it really give you any room to empathize or understand the characters beyond a surface level. Bearing that in mind, most of the message and the major beats within the story often feel stale. It’s so easy to brush right on through the books because while there is certainly something good there, it feels extremely rushed in it’s development resulting in a thin story.
I will say that the art is certainly unique and I still stand by my previous statement for book one - character models and differentiation feels like an issue here. But overall, the monster(s) are kind of cool, the color palette is still very interesting, and the premise is all there - I just wish there was more substance to really fill out the entire story.

[Grant Keegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of my October horror celebration!

The second half of The Plot focuses more on the past of the Blaine family and Chase’s journey to put an end to the madness in order to save his niece and nephew. I liked the flow in this part and how the tension keeps on until the end. As always, I think Hixson’s art is phenomenal, and coupled with a good story and writing, this makes for a very enjoyable comic book.

The ending was a satisfying conclusion with plenty of action and horror. It is also left ambiguous, with the reader not knowing if the curse is finally over or not. I think it is better off this way, an excellent duology that will leave a lasting impression on me, inspiring me to look for more horror-related comic books.

Final Score: 82/100

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[Heather Cain · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really excited about getting to the second part of this story series, but I will say that I was disappointed about a few things. Mainly what I was confused or disappointed about was the lack of straight-forward explanation as to how the whole story came about to the present. I figured there would be a dark and sinister past pertaining to the origins of the Blaine and their town, but parts of it was really unclear. The art was consistent, but the story's flashbacks did not have any detailed context as to what happened after Vitus Blaine sacrificed one of the villagers to the evil bog monster. I was a bit confused afterwards if maybe after the daughter found out, did the sacrifices have to consist of one regular person and a Blaine relative.

Either way, I liked the series but some parts were a bit confusing for the overall ending. Would recommend this for someone else who loves horror.

[Ανδρέας Μιχαηλίδης · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predictably, the second part and ending (with all the reveals) is quite underwhelming, except for the part showing the events of some 20o years past, when the small town first discovers the creature haunting the bog.

The artwork is better than the first volume - cleaner and more defined - but the writing is predictable. Again, not necessarily a bad thing if you are new to horror, but sadly, I am not. It brings to mind older horror movies that almost necessitated a sort of happy ending.

[Sadie Forsythe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read volumes one and two back to back, and I don't really see any reason it was split into two volumes (or eight episodes). It would read better as one, I think. So, I'm just going to treat it that way and write one review. I really liked the art and the color palette. The whole thing had a 1950s, Swamp Thing vibe going on. I liked the plotline with the disaffected, prodigal son trying to pull it together for the children he finds himself responsible. The whole importance of family theme is endearing.

Unfortunately, the whole thing lost me about halfway through volume two, when I just wasn't entirely sure what was happening and how the monster was defeated...if the monster was defeated. So, all-in-all, only an OK read.

[Tiffany Lynn Kramer · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Plot has such promise. I loved the idea of seeing a generational pact/ curse and the setting of both the house and the bog had so many possibilities. However between the two volumes the story wasn't given enough time to develop and the muddy artwork did it no favors.

[Thomas Maluck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny how some reviewers say this is a slight step down from volume 1, when I consider this an all-time glow-up of a second volume. Delivers on a lot of promises from the first volume in grand style.

[Shreks Cumdump · Rating 3 out of 5]

sometimes a bit hard to follow but otherwise it was pretty solid

[Niche · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was disappointing. This first book set the scene and this one tries to give the history and resolution but just felt unsatisfying and quickly tied off. The mechanics of the bog are rather opaque and the character drama that seemed like the story wanted to focus on felt rushed.

[Scott Waldie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Halloween 2022 Marathon, comic 4 of 13.

[Mohamed · Rating 4 out of 5]

7.5
Still a good comic but I think part 1 was better.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more but I just really struggled to follow it

[Jacek · Rating 4 out of 5]

7/10

[Mee Too · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty corny, but not bad. It’s something you might read on a long plane ride cause you got nothing else. Which is exactly what happened here 😂

2.9✨

[Piotr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kolorowanie i kompozycja kadrów przepiękne. Tyle że wątków z części 1 nie udało się sensownie zamknąć. Za dużo rzeczy dzieje się bez przemyślanej przyczyny i bez logicznych konsekwencji.

[Lenoire · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Plot #2 by Tim Daniel and Michael Moreci is about the creation of the monster that haunts the Blaine family. Chase Blaine is the last surviving patriarch. As he unearths a piece of his family history, he must decide if he is willing to sacrifice everything to keep his family’s secret. As Chase and his niece and nephew come to terms with their family’s past, a coastal storm rages outside and threatens to drown them. Will Chase be able to leave the past behind?

This was the second graphic novel in a series. I found it to be predictable and quite boring. I was expecting a lot more. The creation of the monster was very much a been-there-and-done-that type of deal. There were a few scenes that I wasn’t sure how they were connected, and they felt out of place. I wish more information was given about the past events and how they influenced or linked to the current state of the Blaine family. The ending and the book felt rushed. I felt like there could have been another volume to go into more detail. I did like the artwork. I thought it was beautiful and well done.