I’d first heard about Strangehaven many years ago and never got round to to picking it up so I was delighted to see all three trades available. I was also lucky to get each trade signed by the author. This is a series which covers a broad range of themes from relationships, conspiracies, secret orders, magic, mystery and a whole lot more. The artwork in itself is very different to what I normally find in comics. Reading the first trade, I couldnt quite pin down what it was that I found jarring about it, but it wasnt until I read the foreword in the second trade that I twigged it was to do with the characters and their expressions. The artist (who is also the author) seems to use real people for his characters and I can only surmise draws them based on their actual appearance. Whatever method used, it is extremely effective. Once I really looked at the figures, I realised the character’s expressions were real, not fixed and each speech bubble related to each panel. Wonderfully portrayed and made the characters come alive. However, as unique as the artwork is, it’s the storytelling that pushed this series forward. The gelling of stories, some just minor character vignettes, others pushing a more obscure or real theme, is carefully woven together. The ongoing arc picks up threads and some get completed whilst the main thread shifts and wanders into interesting new directions. Masterful piece of writing. ( )