The Low, Low Woods #1

The Low, Low Woods

by Carmen Maria Machado, Joe Hill, JAW Cooper (Cover Art)

Shudder-To-Think, PA, has been on fire for years. The coal mines beneath it are long since abandoned. The woods are full of rabbits with human eyes, a deer woman who stalks hungry girls, and swaths of skinless men. And the people in Shudder-to-Think? Well, they’re not doing so well either. When El and Octavia wake up in a movie theater with no memory of the last few hours of their lives, the two teenage dirtbags begin a surreal and terrifying journey to discover the truth about the strange town that they call home. 
DC and Hill House Comics present the comics debut of award-winning, bestselling horror writer Carmen Maria Machado (Her Body and Other Parties, In the Dream House). THE LOW, LOW WOODS explores body horror down paths yet unexplored in comics. It will leave readers searching for their way back home and terrified of what they find changed upon their return.

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

28 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 18, 2019

About the author

Carmen Maria Machado's debut short story collection, Her Body and Other Parties, was a finalist for the National Book Award, the Kirkus Prize, LA Times Book Prize Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction, the Dylan Thomas Prize, and the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Fiction, and the winner of the Bard Fiction Prize, the National Book Critics Circle's John Leonard Prize, and the Crawford Award. In 2018, the New York Times listed Her Body and Other Parties as a member of "The New Vanguard," one of "15 remarkable books by women that are shaping the way we read and write fiction in the 21st century."

Her essays, fiction, and criticism have appeared in the New Yorker, the New York Times, Granta, Tin House, McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, The Believer, Guernica, Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy, and elsewhere. She holds an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and has been awarded fellowships and residencies from the Michener-Copernicus Foundation, the Elizabeth George Foundation, the CINTAS Foundation, Yaddo, Hedgebrook, and the Millay Colony for the Arts. She is the Writer in Residence at the University of Pennsylvania and lives in Philadelphia with her wife.

Reviews

[Mindi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still trying to slowly make my way through the new Hill House comics. I took a bit of a break, but now I think it will be easier to catch up. This is a rare instance where I didn't much care for the art, but the story totally pulled me in. I definitely want to read the next one.

[Eric Novello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quadrinho com roteiro da Carmen Maria Machado, pelo selo de terror do Joe Hill na DC.
Ela escreve muito bem prosa e pelo visto manda bem em quadrinhos também. Tudo muito sutil (até vc dar de cara com o primeiro WTF? da história) e ao mesmo tempo angustiante. Segue a linha do Unheimlich freudiano que o Lynch também usa, mas com a manha do quadrinho de ter que jogar iscas logo de cara pra te prender, já que o espaço é curto. Quadrinho em volumes mensais é quase como um folhetim, afinal. Tem um objetivo de longo prazo, mas precisa te convencer a voltar no mês seguinte.

Curti demais e fiquei curioso pra saber o q está contecendo.

Um porém... não entendi a escolha da arte. E são artistas com trabalhos mais marcantes em outros quadrinhos. Não sei se foi um artifício para não desviar o foco do roteiro, se foi pra ajudar a reforçar o clima de "tem algo fora do lugar"... A conferir na próxima.

[Hayden Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few years ago I thought I might give Joe Hill (and comics) another try, so when I saw he had started the Hill House brand, I grabbed a few random ones. I’ve been in a bit of a reading rut for the last few months and thought I could shake things up with the immediate gratification of reading a few of these.

This one has potential, and unfortunately it’s the only series that only had 1 issue out by the time I bought it. Teen angst, what I assume is unrequited love, creepy little small town vibes. I love all these tropes and they’re here. Someday I may just have to see where this led.

[Kay ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t know where this story is going and I don’t care. I’m going to continue reading this for sure. I am indifferent about the art, it works well with the genre but I could see how others don’t like it.

[Corrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oooh, I really like this. It's off to a great start. Many questions and no answers. A city on fire, weird things lurking in the woods, missing time. I personally love the art work, it really suits the story. So hell yes, I'm going to read on!

4 stars

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm definitely intrigued! But also, a bit confused and looking forward to getting more information. I'm not sure how I feel about the art yet, but I definitely feel like the art style fits the story.

Upon re-read, I actually like this so much more. I'm picking up nuances in the art and story that I didn't get on the first read-through. I would highly recommend it.

[Aiden Merchant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how the story is going, but I absolutely hate the artist doing this series.

[Wesley Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

El and Vee live in Shudder-to-Think, a town that used to be known for its coal mining but since the mines started catching fire weird things have been going on. El and Vee wake up in a movie theatre, not remembering what happened, but they kind of brush it off. We learn of the mutant animals and strange things that were happening in town since the coal mining fires. One important thing is that women seem to end up in unusual places with no knowledge of how they got there. We end this issue with Vee and Jessica in bed together, except Jessica has some strange glowing hole in her abdomen (I don’t know how best to explain it).

This issue seemed a little slow to me. I often find the first issue needs the right hook to keep the reader coming back. While this wasn’t a bad first issue, I think it will need to step up for issue #2. I like the art style. I am intrigued by the mystery at play here, let’s see what this strange glowing abdomen hole means…

[Miguel Lupián · Rating 5 out of 5]

No me gusta comprar número sueltos (por la publicidad y la ansiedad de tener que esperar hasta que salga el siguiente), pero vi que pertenecía a la colección Hill House Comics de Joe Hill y, sobre todo, que estaba escrito por Carmen María Machado, autora que ha ganado reconocimiento por su colección de cuentos Her Body and Other Parties (que está en mi lista de pendientes) y no me pude contener. Se trata de la historia de un pueblo minero abandonado, donde le suceden cosas extrañas a las mujeres. Misterioso y perturbador. No sé si pueda aguantar hasta que salga el TP (el siguiente número saldrá el 15 de enero).

[RG · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first into the Hill House comics. It was ok but I guess this run isnt from any of the bigger authors

[Areadingsunflower · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can already feel the dread. I'm intrigued so far! the art style is nice too!

[MamaMiaReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow-burning read, which I think is setting the story up nicely. It was confusing for me to read because I do not know what is going on but I think that was the intention. I cannot wait for the next issue.

[Roman Colombo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a little of Machado's work (will rectify soon and read more), and liked the premise of Low Low Woods, so I checked it out and HOLY SHIT WHAT GLORIOUS THING DID I JUST READ????? I can't wait to do a proper review on Comic Years.

[Mat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to like this series. Intelligent, brooding, LGBTQ+ female protagonists set in the 1990s in a dead-end, no future town known for magic, monsters and an underground fire to the point that the characters treat it as nonchalantly as walking to the store. The writing reminds me of 1990s movie writing, snarky and bitterly insightful with a twist of edgy sarcasm and attitude. But the plot has too many "wtf" moments with no answers and the art is lacking and often boring. Maybe that's to convey the feeling of boredom in the town but with such a creative plot, I expected more. I do have to give props for the Sea Dogs (the name of the bonus comic that is printed throughout the Hill House line) easter egg as the movie El and Vee see.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable first issue. The beginning was a bit chaotic, but what do you expect from a horror/thriller genre comic? It doesn't reveal too much too fast, the pacing is very good for a first issue. Although not a lot of major information is given at all, a lot of atmospheric information is given quickly so make sure to hold onto that bit. The main characters already have distinguished characteristics which is A+ on its own right there. All in all, it's very enjoyable. I give it a 4.5/5 rating.

[Ramona Cantaragiu · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art style is atmospheric and appropriate for the story, but the actual writing fails to establish a set of endearing characters (we are literally told how a character is instead of being allowed to see for ourselves) and the desire to set up a cliffhanger is seen as mote important than plot continuity and the actual story making sense. A bit on the verbose side overall and not particularly capable at generating interest.

[Alexa Moon · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the rare cases where I absolutely hated the art style but I like the characters and am intrigued y the story enough that i will buy the next issue. I need to know what happens in this strange place and why women forget themselves this way. I wish the artist was more precise and used color differently, but that s just my personal peeves. The story is GOOD.

[Magdalena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have trouble reading comics sometimes. I skim without meaning to, I forget to slow it down a notch... I say this so that you'll know that when I say something's engrossing, that means something to me.

This is.

[Elizabeth Ruiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the compilation, volumes #1-6. This was terrifying in a visceral way. Content warning for sexual assault.

The art and pacing was wonderful, and the whole story filled me with dread. Creepy, well-balanced, and tidy storytelling.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

ughhhhh it's finally here!! Carmen Maria Machado's comic!! is!! here!! And uh it's strange and it's promising and I Am READY!!!

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bottomless

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Elizabeth (Miss Eliza) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stephen King meets Japanese horror... with a possibly early 90s setting... so far the only thing I really liked was the Sea Dogs joke. Yes, it's that bad. Sea Dogs that is...

[Jennifer Bernardini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure where the storyline is going. The illustrations leave a lot to be desired. Seems like the narrative is purposely obtuse in order to create suspense but not actually hitting the mark.

[Josefine]

stanning the Kate Chopin references

[Amy Mason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good start to this series. I’m curious where this is going.

[Youmna · Rating 4 out of 5]

غموض وأسئلة عايزة إجابة اكيد أول قصة شوقتني اتابع الأحداث

[Ondřej Halíř · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry, ale ženský by neměli psát LGBT teen mystery, tohle se fakt nedá 😀😀😀 A ne, není to jediný případ, vole uf 😀

[Emily✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a fan of the art, but the story is intriguing and well-written. This first issue has successfully intrigued me enough to continue the series.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 3 out of 5]

The trend with Hill House Comics seems to be that the first issue is a slow burn, and this is no exception. However, the ending with the vortex has me curious about what the hell is going on.