It’s always exciting as a comic fan when you can discover a new book that – from the first page – pulls you right into its world and refuses to let go. This month Dark Horse Comics releases a collection of all six issues of Helen of Wyndhorn which is a re-teaming of Tom King and Bilquis Evely, the amazing duo who gave readers Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

As a huge fan of their work on Supergirl, I was excited to dive into the world of Helen of Wyndhorn which tells the story of the titular character as she attempts to re-connect with her family legacy. King often seems to approach his stories idea-first, and then crafts the narrative around the further exploration of that idea. This can be seen with his run on Batman in which he asked, “Can Batman be happy?” With Heroes in Crisis, also for DC Comics, King explored the subjects of PTSD and depression through the lens of superheroes. With Helen of Wyndhorn, King and Evely tell a story centered on a grieving family trying to move beyond a singular tragedy and who eventually learn to heal by relying on each other. This is also a book about familial expectations and the pressures we place on ourselves and our children to maintain tradition.

This family drama is wrapped in an expansive fantasy / gothic horror narrative, where King and Evely present readers with a deep magical world that feels steeped in history and full of colorful characters. There is a touch of Narnia and DC’s Warlord comic books within these pages with a dash of “Adam Strange,” a character King has written previously, and a strong nod to Edgar Rice Burrough’s John Carter of Mars. As I mentioned before, what really grounds this tale is the relationship between Helen and her grandfather Barnabas Cole as the two try to build a relationship together while mourning the suicide of Helen’s father, a fantasy author who died before his work gained notoriety and fame. The different means of grieving for this loss often cause tension between Barnabas and Helen. It is this tragedy that frames the story, as a biographer in the present aims to tell the “true” story of C.J. Cole. Thus, the story is told through the biographer’s interview of Helen’s governess, Lilith. In the present portion of the story, we see how Lilith’s story of her time at Wyndhorn manor is often dismissed and yet still continues to persist, with the recordings of her interview passed from one fan of C.J. Cole to the next.

Evely’s artwork is at its usual excellence here. And I love how she has a separate aesthetic for the portions of the story that take place in the real world and the fantastical. Wyndhorn manor in our world is this giant gothic structure, the action within echoing that Victorian horror/mystery genre with its dark walls and shadowy spaces. Once readers enter the fantasy world of Helen’s grandfather, the colors brighten and each panel feels more and more full of life. Thanks to Evely, the reader can clearly see why the Coles continue to venture into this dangerous paradise and leave home behind for months at a time. In fact, I was often left wondering why Barnabas and Helen ever returned at all. Evely’s art is given extra power from Matheus Lopes’ color work. As he did with Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, Lopes’ colors are the perfect accompaniment for Evely’s pencils, and it’s a wonderful treat to see these two working together again. Clayton Cowles is the letterer here, and I liked how he addressed the many narrative word balloons by choosing a different shade from the regular dialogue. And his placement of the narrative balloons never once negatively impacted the action nor prevented the reader from fully enjoying the beautifully crafted art.

I’ll just get this out of the way first: This book is fantastic. I started reading this graphic novel after I put my kids to bed and then found myself reading late into the night until I had finished. This really is an instant modern classic from a group of creators who have already accomplished that feat once with Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. I can only hope we see further collaborations in the future and more of Helen’s story, as well. I loved this world and its characters, and it would be a shame if King and Evely stopped here. One of the best graphic novels I’ve read this year or any year.

Creative Team: Tom King (writer), Bilquis Evely (artist), Matheus Lopes (colorist), Clayton Cowles (letterer)
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Click here to purchase.