This week, my favorite comic featuring the eternal debate of nature versus nurture releases its third issue. Hornsby and Halo, by Peter J. Tomasi and Peter Snejbjerg, tells the story of two tweens who, unknown to them, are key pieces in an armistice between the kingdoms of Heaven and Hell.
Zachary Halo was born an angel but raised by a human family that owns a funeral parlor for the sole purpose of stealing from the dead. Rose Hornsby was born in Hell but sent to Earth to be raised by a caring and kind couple who run a homeless shelter. It was the hope of both kingdoms that the experiences of the children’s Earthly upbringing would lead to a new era of peace and understanding between the warring factions. Zachary and Rose are both currently struggling with experiences of lost time and hazy memories of time spent as their true supernatural selves.
As always, the dialogue of the main characters sounds authentic and believable. A credit to Tomasi who has done the same for Damian Wayne and Jonathan Kent in DC Comics’ Supersons books. Issue #3 begins with Zachary being berated by his father for damaging their hearse in the previous issue. The father’s utter indifference to Zachary’s injuries and well-being punctuates his heartlessness. It’s heartbreaking to see Zachary grow up in such a cold place and even sadder to see him recognize the evil within his parents. Zachary overhears a conversation between his parents and a pair of grave robbers who describe losing their stolen goods to a flying devil and angel. His mother also mentions the loss of an expensive pearl necklace that reminds Zachary of a necklace he had just seen Rose wearing. The revelation of the necklace combined with a stone sword and arm Zachary had discovered in his room previously cause him to re-evaluate his vague memories of the previous nights. This sets into motion a confrontation between Zachary and Rose which boils over in this issue. At the same time, apparent agents from Heaven and Hell, tired of waiting for Zachary and Rose to mature, decide that it’s time the children learn their true parentage. Why this had to be done through zombies I don’t know, and thanks to Snejbjerg’s art, I don’t care much either.
Snejbjerg deserves a particular shout-out in this issue for how he presented Rose and Zachary’s sudden transformation into their true selves. I don’t want to give away too much here, but through the use of close-up shots and small vertical panels, Snejbjerg is able to slowly build excitement and tension. John Kalisz again does a great job on this book, and it’s always a joy to see how adeptly he handles conveying dazzling colors of magic in this book. And Rob Leigh’s distinct word balloons for the zombies just added to their creepiness. My preview copy also came with a beautiful cover by Todd Nauck whose artwork I’ve been a fan of since his work on DC Comics original Young Justice series.
In Issue #3, the overall first arc of Hornsby and Halo takes a major step forward. This has been an enjoyable origin story so far, filled with a lot of promise. Hornsby and Halo has all the hallmarks for a good supernatural or superhero book; fun characters exploring their newfound abilities and sinister foes lurking beneath the surface. I’m excited to see Tomasi and Snejbjerg take us deeper into this new world in future issues. A fun comic you won’t regret picking up.
Creative Team: Peter J. Tomasi (Writer and Storyteller), Peter Snejbjerg (Artist and Storyteller), John Kalisz (Colorist), and Rob Leigh (Letterer)
Publisher: Ghost Machine/Image Comics
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