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More Weight: A Salem Story
“Every word is an accusation…and every whisper kills.” This staggering graphic novel explores the infamous Salem witch trials and the long shadows they cast more than 300 years later. 1692 is a year of terror. In Salem, Massachusetts, Giles and Martha Corey are forced to confront their troubled past when accusations of witchcraft plunge their community into a violent moral panic. Based upon true events, and set in three centuries, More Weight is a unique inquiry into the Salem witchcraft tragedy and the misunderstood city now synonymous with it.
532 pages, Paperback
First published September 23, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
August 27, 2025
There is a worthwhile history of the Salem witch trials buried in these 534 pages, but the effort required to dig it out is simply too great. This is obviously a passion project, but it is one in need of a draconian editor.
I got bogged down 150 pages into the story, lost in the giant cast of poorly introduced characters. And not only are we dealing with the events of 1690, but there are alternating fantasy chapters set in the 1860s that imagine a long, miserable, and convoluted conversation between Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow as they take a walking tour of Salem. Were I editor, these tedious intrusions would never have seen the light of day.
After setting the work aside for several weeks, I dived back in one lazy weekend afternoon and forced myself over the course of way too many hours to trudge through another 300 pages. I almost found myself intrigued at times as the story of Giles Corey finally took on a form I could decipher, but the author kept fighting me with a barrage of words and fantasy sequences.
And once I made it to the end of the narrative, there were still two challenges. The “Outro” — the author’s diatribe against the exploitative consumerism of modern-day Salem, a veritable “Witch City” amusement park — while interesting at times, is overburdened with purple prose and an ever-growing deluge of words that increasingly cause the captions to bulge further and further into the space meant for the illustrations. It was disheartening to turn the page and realize that my eyestrain was only going to get worse and Wickey’s tone more strident. And then there are the more than fifty pages of Author’s Notes, which of course are footnoted because how else can it be made more ridiculous?!?!?! I tried wading into this sea of text, but gave up after a page or three of sources, quotes, rationalizations, and asides.
The influence of Alan Moore’s From Hell seems to be all over this work — starting with his blurb on the front cover to the in-depth annotation. Moore’s study of Jack the Ripper has never broken into my mental top ten of his best works, often for similar reasons outlined above for this book, but he has a gift for putting together words and scenes that Wickey is still a long way from achieving but is at least moving toward — perhaps more quickly with some editorial assistance.
Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.
I got bogged down 150 pages into the story, lost in the giant cast of poorly introduced characters. And not only are we dealing with the events of 1690, but there are alternating fantasy chapters set in the 1860s that imagine a long, miserable, and convoluted conversation between Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow as they take a walking tour of Salem. Were I editor, these tedious intrusions would never have seen the light of day.
After setting the work aside for several weeks, I dived back in one lazy weekend afternoon and forced myself over the course of way too many hours to trudge through another 300 pages. I almost found myself intrigued at times as the story of Giles Corey finally took on a form I could decipher, but the author kept fighting me with a barrage of words and fantasy sequences.
And once I made it to the end of the narrative, there were still two challenges. The “Outro” — the author’s diatribe against the exploitative consumerism of modern-day Salem, a veritable “Witch City” amusement park — while interesting at times, is overburdened with purple prose and an ever-growing deluge of words that increasingly cause the captions to bulge further and further into the space meant for the illustrations. It was disheartening to turn the page and realize that my eyestrain was only going to get worse and Wickey’s tone more strident. And then there are the more than fifty pages of Author’s Notes, which of course are footnoted because how else can it be made more ridiculous?!?!?! I tried wading into this sea of text, but gave up after a page or three of sources, quotes, rationalizations, and asides.
The influence of Alan Moore’s From Hell seems to be all over this work — starting with his blurb on the front cover to the in-depth annotation. Moore’s study of Jack the Ripper has never broken into my mental top ten of his best works, often for similar reasons outlined above for this book, but he has a gift for putting together words and scenes that Wickey is still a long way from achieving but is at least moving toward — perhaps more quickly with some editorial assistance.
Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.
October 14, 2025
"There are consequences to the fictions that we tell."
This was a sometimes fascinating look at the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, a dark time in America's past when government and religious leaders chose to believe the hysterical screechings of some "distracted" teenage girls rather than the solemn vows of innocence by respected townsfolk, most of them women.
The book is exhaustively researched, and exhaustively told. It probably could have been edited down to under 300 pages (I would not have missed the Hawthorne/Longfellow ramblings), but this massive tome is one man's vision, and I respect the publisher's choice to bring it to fruition.
The artwork is superb.
More Weight seems a well-timed reminder to seek out truth, and do whatever it takes to make sure our country remains a democracy, not a theocracy.
Thanks to Top Shelf and NetGalley for the ARC, though my review is of the published paperback.
This was a sometimes fascinating look at the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, a dark time in America's past when government and religious leaders chose to believe the hysterical screechings of some "distracted" teenage girls rather than the solemn vows of innocence by respected townsfolk, most of them women.
The book is exhaustively researched, and exhaustively told. It probably could have been edited down to under 300 pages (I would not have missed the Hawthorne/Longfellow ramblings), but this massive tome is one man's vision, and I respect the publisher's choice to bring it to fruition.
The artwork is superb.
More Weight seems a well-timed reminder to seek out truth, and do whatever it takes to make sure our country remains a democracy, not a theocracy.
Thanks to Top Shelf and NetGalley for the ARC, though my review is of the published paperback.
September 18, 2025
I received a free copy of, More Weight: A Salem Story, by Ben Wickey, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is a long graphic novel on a dark part of American history, the Salem Witch trials. I thought this was a good read, but it was way too long of a read.
June 21, 2026
There are at least four interwoven stories here. Seeing Salem through the lens of Giles Corey’s tragic persecution lends new life to the familiar horrors of the witch hysteria. Corey was an unpleasant neighbor but no match for the vile, self-serving piety of his persecutors. The second story is a dialog between Longfellow and Hawthorne (or his ghost) about the meaning of the witch trials and the way art both magnifies and distorts history. The third story is Salem itself and the commercialization of atrocity. The fourth is about the ineradicable blot on the soul of the country, the symptoms of so much later misery arising from the greed and cruelty of our self-righteous fellow citizens. That’s a lot of weight for a graphic novel to bear, but Wickey manages it adeptly.
August 3, 2025
I was so excited to get to read this book, I've always been fascinated by Salem and the brutality of the Witch Trials. Unfortunately, the art was about the only thing I enjoyed about this book...
This is a chuncky book, sitting at over 500 pages. There are plenty of big books out there that make every page worth it, but this book just felt bloated and was a chore to read in some places. I was reading it on an iPad and there were still times when I had to zoom waaaaaaaay in just to be able to read a single frame of text. The layout really suffered from how much the artist tried to cram onto each page. And there were times when the text wasn't legible at all. I'm not sure if this was an artistic decision, but I did see that at the end of the book there is about 30 pages of text which I surmise to be the typed out illegible handwriting found throughout the book. That would have upset me if I had been reading a print version of this graphic novel let alone if someone were trying to read the digital version.
There are parts of the novel where it is just walls of words, which defeats the idea of a graphic novel to me. A graphic novel should rely on the pictures to do most of the exposition of the story. It seems like this should have just been a novel, not a graphic novel.
Most of the story is set in 1692, during the witch trials. But sometimes we would jump forward to 1800, and I really could have done without this storyline. It did not add anything but more pages to read.
Thank you to NetGalley, IDW Publishing, and Top Shelf Publishing for giving me the chance to read this book. I wish I had postive things to say about it.
This is a chuncky book, sitting at over 500 pages. There are plenty of big books out there that make every page worth it, but this book just felt bloated and was a chore to read in some places. I was reading it on an iPad and there were still times when I had to zoom waaaaaaaay in just to be able to read a single frame of text. The layout really suffered from how much the artist tried to cram onto each page. And there were times when the text wasn't legible at all. I'm not sure if this was an artistic decision, but I did see that at the end of the book there is about 30 pages of text which I surmise to be the typed out illegible handwriting found throughout the book. That would have upset me if I had been reading a print version of this graphic novel let alone if someone were trying to read the digital version.
There are parts of the novel where it is just walls of words, which defeats the idea of a graphic novel to me. A graphic novel should rely on the pictures to do most of the exposition of the story. It seems like this should have just been a novel, not a graphic novel.
Most of the story is set in 1692, during the witch trials. But sometimes we would jump forward to 1800, and I really could have done without this storyline. It did not add anything but more pages to read.
Thank you to NetGalley, IDW Publishing, and Top Shelf Publishing for giving me the chance to read this book. I wish I had postive things to say about it.
February 18, 2026
A friend posted this book and when I saw it, I knew I had to read it. More Weight is a big doorstopper of a graphic novel about the Salem Witch Trials. I've always been fascinated with this period in history and have read quite a few books on the subject. This book is extremely well-researched, and all the details with regard to the people and places involved are meticulously laid out in precise order. It's an absolute feat given that everything is accompanied by amazing illustrations. I am in awe. It took the author/illustrator 10 years to finish this phenomenal book. It is also the most comprehensive book I've ever read on the subject. Mindblowing. Very highly recommended for history buffs, and those who love education with their graphic novels.
January 29, 2026
Absolutely gorgeous art, but that can't save a convoluted, plodding, boring story. Suffers from way too much text and way too many characters. Besides, the (hi)story just makes me sad and angry. Not in the least because bigoted, retarded zealots are still ruling The US.
March 3, 2026
Meticulously researched. You'll need a second bookmark for the end notes. Despite its fantastic sections and rambling "outro", I've shelved this as nonfiction; even the made-up conversations and opinion section have been scrupulously documented and carefully explained. All of which rightly implies that it's way too long, bogged down in every single detail, and can be hard to follow. The art is amazing and so very detailed. I learned a lot about the trials for sure, too, but a lot of folks are going to DNF this one for sheer density.
October 30, 2025
This graphic novel is a natural pick for the Halloween season, but be prepared for a very dense read.
The illustrations are a solid 5 stars, but I agree with the others who said it could use some judicious editing. The time shifts, the ghostly interludes, and the author's thoughts on the modern-day commercialization of Salem, Mass., not to mention the sheer wordiness of the text, may become tedious and confusing for readers.
The illustrations are a solid 5 stars, but I agree with the others who said it could use some judicious editing. The time shifts, the ghostly interludes, and the author's thoughts on the modern-day commercialization of Salem, Mass., not to mention the sheer wordiness of the text, may become tedious and confusing for readers.
March 20, 2026
This is a remarkably ambitious graphic novel, weighing in at over five hundred pages. More than fifty of those pages are notes on the main text, and given that author Ben Wickey spent ten years creating it, the book almost reads like an academic work, which is both a strength and a weakness.
More Weight dives deeply into the history of Salem, Massachusetts, focusing both on the infamous witch trials of the late seventeenth century, and on the writers Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, both of whom created works based on those notorious events. Wickey's visualization of the witch trials and their victims is dark and powerful, and really conveys the feeling of a fractured community turning on itself. This part of the story eventually focuses on Giles Corey's death by peine forte et dure, wherein more and more weight was placed on his chest until he was crushed to death. The rendering of Corey's defiance of his accusers is heartbreaking and thrilling at the same time.
The chapters focused on Hawthorne and Longfellow are not quite as successful, and occasionally feel like distractions from the main narrative. While the ruminations of these two authors provide commentary on the story of the witch trials, they don't really expand much on that part of the text. Wickey was born and raised in the Salem area, and his overall goal with More Weight is to plea for that city to reconsider its relationship with a black chapter of its history. Having never been to Salem myself, much of that part of this work is simply too specific to be of interest, and I suspect a lot of other readers will have the same reaction.
More Weight dives deeply into the history of Salem, Massachusetts, focusing both on the infamous witch trials of the late seventeenth century, and on the writers Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, both of whom created works based on those notorious events. Wickey's visualization of the witch trials and their victims is dark and powerful, and really conveys the feeling of a fractured community turning on itself. This part of the story eventually focuses on Giles Corey's death by peine forte et dure, wherein more and more weight was placed on his chest until he was crushed to death. The rendering of Corey's defiance of his accusers is heartbreaking and thrilling at the same time.
The chapters focused on Hawthorne and Longfellow are not quite as successful, and occasionally feel like distractions from the main narrative. While the ruminations of these two authors provide commentary on the story of the witch trials, they don't really expand much on that part of the text. Wickey was born and raised in the Salem area, and his overall goal with More Weight is to plea for that city to reconsider its relationship with a black chapter of its history. Having never been to Salem myself, much of that part of this work is simply too specific to be of interest, and I suspect a lot of other readers will have the same reaction.
February 15, 2026
More Weight. A Salem Story by Ben Wickey.
This was a beast of a graphic novel. Over 500 pages and a very extensive look at the witch trials in Salem. And i mean thoroughly. As a kid i lived in Limburg, close to Roermond, a city were 60 witches were killed, as a kid it was very interesting to hear witch stories and such, but as a adult its really crazy to read about it. These were woman who were just different, or just normal. If someone had it in for you he could sat your a witch, panic and mobs did the rest. More Weight is such a story. A brilliant looking graphic novel, with very cool artwork but a harrowing story. A real passion project that took Ben Wickey over a decade to finish. Everyone that gas something to do with the Salem Trials gets mentioned, and its admirable, but over halfway the book it gets to be to much, and nearing the end you get so much info its hard to stay invested. This was a cool read, but in the end i got lost, it could have used some trimming. If your interested in the subject, this is a yes. But beware, this book takes some time to finish.
This was a beast of a graphic novel. Over 500 pages and a very extensive look at the witch trials in Salem. And i mean thoroughly. As a kid i lived in Limburg, close to Roermond, a city were 60 witches were killed, as a kid it was very interesting to hear witch stories and such, but as a adult its really crazy to read about it. These were woman who were just different, or just normal. If someone had it in for you he could sat your a witch, panic and mobs did the rest. More Weight is such a story. A brilliant looking graphic novel, with very cool artwork but a harrowing story. A real passion project that took Ben Wickey over a decade to finish. Everyone that gas something to do with the Salem Trials gets mentioned, and its admirable, but over halfway the book it gets to be to much, and nearing the end you get so much info its hard to stay invested. This was a cool read, but in the end i got lost, it could have used some trimming. If your interested in the subject, this is a yes. But beware, this book takes some time to finish.
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June 20, 2026Excellent, though exhausting in its piling on of details. This is not only a story of the Salem witchcraft trials, but an examination of how that story has been retold by other authors, and the effects on the city down to the present.
Reminds me of Alice in Sunderland in the way it tells a personal history of a place.
Reminds me of Alice in Sunderland in the way it tells a personal history of a place.
May 20, 2026
A thorough and nuanced commentary about the events of 1692 and our cultural narration around the witch trials. Art was beautiful, and I so appreciate the outro—excellent meditation on historiography, culture, and imagination.
June 5, 2026
This is extraordinary- the drawings are incredible, the research is meticulous and extensive and the overall arch and narrative of the book is really important and heartfelt. It is a work of art in every way.
December 29, 2025
I found this graphic novel to be a dense read. The illustrations are beautiful, and the book was visually enjoyable, but overall, it felt like the narrative was trying to accomplish too many things at once, which made the story feel blotchy and unfocused. I also found the repetition a bit excessive. While I understand that repetition can shape how a story is perceived, here it ended up dragging the pacing and gradually pulled me out of it. Sadly, by the end, I was more disinterested than anything.
That being said, if you're interested in a historically grouded tale, this graphic novel could very much be worth picking up !
That being said, if you're interested in a historically grouded tale, this graphic novel could very much be worth picking up !
December 4, 2025
Real rating: 4.5 stars. This is a heavy read (no pun intended lol). Wickey covers everything Salem- from the 1692 Witch Trials, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and how it became the “witch city” tourist spot. It’s loaded with information, including a large Author’s Notes section that backs up each detail with facts and sources. It’s a reminder that Salem is literally buried in history- it’s not just a place for a photo shoot. Many lose sight of this in the over-commercialization of Halloween and paganism- sure, it’s cool to see where Hocus Pocus was filmed, but also remember that innocent people were killed for no reason, and to be respectful. I mean, the last accused victim was only exonerated in 2022!
Yes, I am guilty of indulging in the spooky ambiance Salem gives- it’s what makes it my happy place. However, in my visits to Salem, I never lose sight of the victims of the Witch Hysteria. Taking my mom to Salem, I made sure to show her ALL of historical Salem- in between shopping down Essex Street, I scheduled a walking tour of Danvers (formerly Salem Village) and a visit to Rebecca Nurse’s homestead. After having lunch at Rockafella’s, we made a stop at Proctor’s Ledge and toured the House of the Seven Gables property. I needed to show her the cultural significance of the town, and I needed to show her what makes Salem special.
Enjoy Salem by all means, but also don’t be oblivious to what has happened there in the past. To paraphrase Wickey- “more people believe the Earth is flat today than anyone in 1692.”
Yes, I am guilty of indulging in the spooky ambiance Salem gives- it’s what makes it my happy place. However, in my visits to Salem, I never lose sight of the victims of the Witch Hysteria. Taking my mom to Salem, I made sure to show her ALL of historical Salem- in between shopping down Essex Street, I scheduled a walking tour of Danvers (formerly Salem Village) and a visit to Rebecca Nurse’s homestead. After having lunch at Rockafella’s, we made a stop at Proctor’s Ledge and toured the House of the Seven Gables property. I needed to show her the cultural significance of the town, and I needed to show her what makes Salem special.
Enjoy Salem by all means, but also don’t be oblivious to what has happened there in the past. To paraphrase Wickey- “more people believe the Earth is flat today than anyone in 1692.”
November 14, 2025
This graphic novel may have been dense at points, but incredibly worth it. Ben does a fantastic job balancing detailed artwork with just as detailed descriptions of Salem’s diverse history. Interwoven in this narrative is everything from the rich literary history to the witch trials and contemporary adaptations of what it meant to be considered “a witch” during that time period. All glaringly relevant. He sets out to prove that Salem is so much more than just the witch trials and yet we keep going back to this main event (that lasted about a year) as the core of modern Salem. If you are a true scholar or lover of history and literature or even if you are neither, it’s worth the read. It’s dense, but so is history if you’re willing to uncover the truth…
June 14, 2025
Wow what a powerful book! The attention to detail was incredible! The work he put into this, the research, the different writings, the different drawings to depict the time, weaving the lore, the truth and pop culture, phenomenal. So, the next time you walk down the streets of Salem, don't glorify it. Call it what it is.
Thank you Netgalley, Top shelf and Ben Wickey for this advance copy. What an absolute treat! My opinions are my own.
#MoreWeightASalemStory #NetGalley
Thank you Netgalley, Top shelf and Ben Wickey for this advance copy. What an absolute treat! My opinions are my own.
#MoreWeightASalemStory #NetGalley
June 14, 2025
Special thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review
It's clear there was a lot of love and research that went into making this story. The art is wonderful, and while the style was similar for each person, I had no trouble telling one character apart from another. When we think of Salem today, we often get caught up in the Hocus Pocus of it all and just think "Fall! Spooky Season! Witches!" that we often forget this was a truly dark time that had truly innocent victims. Stories like this give those victims a voice, and serve as a reminder that there were real people behind the stories that we know.
When it comes to the Salem Witch Trials, I am very familiar with names like Sarah Goode, Tituba, and Abigail Williams. And while I recognize the Coreys' name as people who were accused, I really didn't now much about Giles and and Martha (outside of what the Crucible showed me), and I don't even really know why. Retellings that I have found just don't focus on them for some reason. I found this story to be educational, riveting, and heartbreaking all at the same time.
It's clear there was a lot of love and research that went into making this story. The art is wonderful, and while the style was similar for each person, I had no trouble telling one character apart from another. When we think of Salem today, we often get caught up in the Hocus Pocus of it all and just think "Fall! Spooky Season! Witches!" that we often forget this was a truly dark time that had truly innocent victims. Stories like this give those victims a voice, and serve as a reminder that there were real people behind the stories that we know.
When it comes to the Salem Witch Trials, I am very familiar with names like Sarah Goode, Tituba, and Abigail Williams. And while I recognize the Coreys' name as people who were accused, I really didn't now much about Giles and and Martha (outside of what the Crucible showed me), and I don't even really know why. Retellings that I have found just don't focus on them for some reason. I found this story to be educational, riveting, and heartbreaking all at the same time.
March 21, 2026
This was beautifully illustrated and so well researched. It was long, I found myself picking it up and putting it down a few times before finishing because it was lengthy and the language was to the times. I loved the ending, focusing on how Salem moved into where it is today with all its tiny missteps and little victories to preserve the history. The appendix with the detailed research was phenomenal.
April 10, 2026
An almost academic level of density, including endnotes. Interesting use of stylization (and colour) to indicate the progression of time. Overall, more proof that comics have immense potential for scholarship and are possibly the superior medium for historical fiction, nonfiction etc.
February 2, 2026
A masterpiece.
May 26, 2026
This tour de force deserves all the accolades it is getting. Blending Salems witch history, literary history, history history, and modern tourism history, its a tome yes but its worth it.
March 29, 2026
This is the first graphic novel I’ve ever read! I was skeptical at whether I’d be able to do it but I very much could and enjoyed it. This story was so compelling and there were so many ties between the 1670s and present day in how humans behave.
May 6, 2026
Really interesting perspective on belief systems, spirituality, and time. Very good graphic novel with an excellent essay tacked on as epilogue.
December 30, 2025
Read the full review on urbaneturtle.com.
Like any good work, More Weight’s title bears many meanings, direct reference to the events surrounding the death of the book’s major figure, Giles Corey, the weight of suspicion and mistrust that tore Salem apart, and the weight of history as the events of the 1692 witch trials echo across American history. The weight is heavy on Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, two of the foundational titans of American literature, the former of which had direct familial ties to Salem, and the latter who bore the weight of personal tragedy and saw his own story reflected in Corey’s tragedy.
Ben Wickey makes the case, first naturally through the flow of the story and then perhaps too overtly in painstaking detail and narration in the book’s final 40 pages or so, that Salem’s witch Trials were among America’s foundational sins, the ripple of which is cast through history. In many ways we still suffer from the kind of paranoia and mass hysteria that turns neighbor against neighbor. In 2025, it is harrowing to revisit a tale that has become myth, repackaged into pop culture and commercial kitsch, in such stark and human detail. Wickey’s cross century struggle is particularly effective here, as we break from the black and white cartooning throughout the events of the Salem trials to the sepia tone haunting of Longfellow and Hawthorne revisiting the ghosts of Salem in their day. It is this second era where the book’s climax feels most evocative and personal, with a slight twist that is both shocking and deeply heartbreaking. The book suffers for going on beyond that as Wickey then spends dozens of pages outlining and criticizing centuries of obfuscation, capitalization, and commodification of Salem’s dark past.
The meat of the book, though, is the exploration of the events, pulled together and dramatized through a mix of deeply researched contemporary accounts as well as previous dramatizations (chiefly Longfellow’s New England Tragedies).
Read the rest here.
Like any good work, More Weight’s title bears many meanings, direct reference to the events surrounding the death of the book’s major figure, Giles Corey, the weight of suspicion and mistrust that tore Salem apart, and the weight of history as the events of the 1692 witch trials echo across American history. The weight is heavy on Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, two of the foundational titans of American literature, the former of which had direct familial ties to Salem, and the latter who bore the weight of personal tragedy and saw his own story reflected in Corey’s tragedy.
Ben Wickey makes the case, first naturally through the flow of the story and then perhaps too overtly in painstaking detail and narration in the book’s final 40 pages or so, that Salem’s witch Trials were among America’s foundational sins, the ripple of which is cast through history. In many ways we still suffer from the kind of paranoia and mass hysteria that turns neighbor against neighbor. In 2025, it is harrowing to revisit a tale that has become myth, repackaged into pop culture and commercial kitsch, in such stark and human detail. Wickey’s cross century struggle is particularly effective here, as we break from the black and white cartooning throughout the events of the Salem trials to the sepia tone haunting of Longfellow and Hawthorne revisiting the ghosts of Salem in their day. It is this second era where the book’s climax feels most evocative and personal, with a slight twist that is both shocking and deeply heartbreaking. The book suffers for going on beyond that as Wickey then spends dozens of pages outlining and criticizing centuries of obfuscation, capitalization, and commodification of Salem’s dark past.
The meat of the book, though, is the exploration of the events, pulled together and dramatized through a mix of deeply researched contemporary accounts as well as previous dramatizations (chiefly Longfellow’s New England Tragedies).
Read the rest here.
September 24, 2025
Too much weight. There are truly stunning moments and powerful storytelling in this expansive non-fiction book, but they are overwhelmed by the author's extreme logorrhoea. The uneven cartooning is at times gorgeous (the expressive black-white-and-grey retelling of the Salem Witch Trials at the heart of the story, with wonderful and expressive characters) and at others it is actively ugly (the photo-referenced and overly-filtered scenes that frame the tale). There might be a remarkable book at the core of this sprawling, boring, and occasionally illuminating work, but it is lost in the midst of hundreds of pages of deeply unnecessary material. There is no doubt that the author is an interesting talent, but ultimately this is a powerful example of the importance of editing and control.
June 24, 2026
As other reviewers note, this book bears strong similarities to Alan Moore’s From Hell. More Weight resembles Moore's tome in appearance (color scheme, physical dimensions), structure (lengthy endnotes, an imagined conversation between two men taking place after the main story timeline, a chapter creatively tracing the protagonist's origins), and the fact that it's a narrative of a gruesome historical event. Moore even advised Wickey on fellow Northamptoner Giles Corey; he’s also quoted in the book and supplies the front cover blurb. I love Wickey’s art and the book is well-written on a page-to-page level. The story of the Salem witch trials is extremely disturbing, and Wickey, a Salem native, brings out the terror in a number of ways. Where the book falters is its adherence to the From Hell formula. Simply put, this book is all over the place. Wickey attempts to wring out everything and the kitchen sink related to the witch trials, similar to what Moore did with Jack the Ripper murders, but in a much less cohesive manner. Parts of it are fascinating, such as the lengthy outro where Wickey confronts Salem’s legacy, and Giles Corey’s characterization. But I do think it could have been a better reading experience were a stern editor there to reign in the author’s impulses.
Maybe my mind will change after sitting with it.
Maybe my mind will change after sitting with it.
March 1, 2026
So I live literally across a bridge from Salem, MA, and it's legacy affects me and everyone in the area every September-November. I loved this for many reasons-- the varying art styles and colors to express which time period we were in, the storyline that preserved faith, grit, and panic, and the clear heroism of ordinary people in the face of literal insanity. Wickey presents the Witch Trials as a tragedy to be remembered, not an event to be commercialized. It moved me and repulsed me all at once. This was just so good.
February 23, 2026
Amazingly drawn and wonderfully researched graphic novel about the Salem witch trials. This is an interesting and respectful book that reminds us that the victims of the trials were real people suffering horrible fates. The notes at the back of the book are so good. I also enjoyed the Hawthorne and Longfellow storyline that ran throughout and the look at modern day Salem- and what it all means for us today.
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