Written by Jim Ousley
Art by Tyler B. Ruff
Colors by Benjamin Sawyer
Letters by Ed Dukeshire
Edited by Jason Green
Red 5 Comics

“A horror series about a grieving mother & son who find themselves caught in a conflict between a coven & an inner-city church.”

It’s been quite a while since I’ve done any sort of comic review, huh? But what better comic to jump back in with than with a horror one set relatively close to me, and by a writer I’ve reviewed a few times here: Jim Ousley from the Butcher Queen series. Check out the interview I did with Jim and Benjamin Sawyer here.

I backed this book on Kickstarter, and after reading a review copy, I’m so glad I did.

This first issue is off to a fantastic start. The set up was a great way to introduce us to the environment and the characters, making us sympathetic to the mother and son early on in the story, and locking in immediate dread for me as the tension built. It takes a good appreciation for the craft and for the horror genre to be able to build up a story this well and have readers eager for the next issue.

Plus, I love a good cult/coven/mystery group aspect in a story, and I can definitely tell something is afoot.

The art is fantastic. I loved some of the creative designs and haunting imagery, especially toward the end. I can’t wait to see what horrors await us in the next issue. The colors are gorgeous and really set the tone for the story. The lettering is perfect.

Definitely grab The Atonement Bell, the perfect horror story we need this winter.

-Angel