Ophelia Baines is an eighty-plus-year-old woman who lives alone on a farm. Every year, she gets a visit from Jacob who wants to talk to her about her life and her soul. No, he’s not a door-to-door evangelist. He works for someone who can make a person rich, in exchange for their soul. Ophelia could have the world at her fingertips if she takes the deal Jacob offers. But every time, she declines, choosing instead to spend one more year tending the farm.

This particular year, when Jacob visits, she gives him a glimpse of the simple life she leads: feeding the chickens, gathering their eggs, giving the horse some love and attention… And along the way, we slowly learn a bit more about who Ophelia is and how she found herself in this particular, annual arrangement.

The story unfolds very slowly, but it never drags. It starts out as a simple, quiet story about a simple, quiet woman, and before you know it, it’s become about much more. As you read, more and more puzzle pieces drop into place, giving you a clearer picture of Ophelia’s life, which is so important, yet so ordinary.

This is a single-issue, standalone comic, and the whole story is just 44 pages. It’s similar in many ways to another standalone comic that I reviewed a few months ago—also from Blue Fox Comics and writer Simon Birks—Hexes: Four Breaths. That comic also focused on an older woman and her seemingly ordinary life that turns out to be much more. This one unfolds in a very different way, though.

Since the whole story is so short, it’s difficult to talk too much about it without giving away spoilers. You’re better off going in knowing as little as possible, and just letting the story unfold on its own. Then, once you’re done, you might want to go back and read it again. Those early puzzle pieces will make a lot more sense once you can see the whole picture.

All in all, this is a really compelling comic that’s strange, unique, and definitely worth a read.

Creative Team: Simon Birks (writer), Pietro (illustrator), and Rob Jones (letterer)
Publisher: Blue Fox Comics
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