As Cullen Bunn lets the roots of his mythology in Harrow County grow ever deeper, he hasn’t forgotten about the human element. Emmy may not be who we or even she thought she was, her real family may be made of monsters and people with god-like powers, but she’s still Emmy. She still has a father that raised her as a daughter, she still has neighbors, and there still is a world full of humans outside Harrow County.

With the history of Malachi and Emmy sorted out and with the truth revealed, Emmy shows wisdom beyond her years. It isn’t the truth that matters so much as what one decides to do with it. At this point, even Emmy doesn’t know; she doesn’t even know how to tell her father, but this continues to show that Bunn isn’t interested in easy answers to difficult situations. There aren’t going to be any pretty bowties in the end. The story of Emmy continues to unfurl this way and that way while never losing sight of the emotional center.

Emmy gets little time to consider what her next move is going to be when she discovers that a group of hunters from outside Harrow County have shown up looking to hunt something much more dangerous than deer. With the information we’ve been given these past few issues, we know things aren’t going to go well. Bunn dips into that feeling of a classic horror tale in the woods with this current issue while still tickling our brain with the question: what will Emmy do? Now that she knows everything she does, what will she allow herself to become?

Harrow County is continuously praised as one of the best horror titles around, but in my growing opinion, I’ve decided it’s one of the best stories currently around. Period. It’s no small feat what Bunn and artist Tyler Crook have accomplished in bringing this dark fable to life. It’s a beautiful and chilling exploration of family and how they affect who we are. If you’re not reading this book, do yourself a favor and let it be one of the first things you do this new year.