Read our review of Somna #2 from DSTLRY, written and drawn by Tula Lotay and Becky Cloonan, as this erotic horror tale continues.
We reviewed the book on the Stack podcast. But in the interest of highlighting more about the title, here’s a summary of the conversation with our thoughts. And if you prefer the longer audio version, that’s below as well!
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Somna #2 Review:
In the second issue of this erotic horror series, a small town seemingly beset by the devil in colonial times continues to spiral further into insanity as several townspeople give in to their darkest urges. But are those urges so wrong? Or so right?
“What this publisher is doing is very interesting,” said host Alex Zalben. “They’re doing limited runs, limited print runs… You can buy limited digital copies as well.”
More to the point of the book, Justin Tyler added, “I love this. The different art styles that are blended here, between the dream world and the reality of our characters, I thought was fantastic. The story is great. It’s a story set in the sort of Salem, witch world that feels different, it feels more intimate and more in the room than so many stories that feel like you’re just observing, and it’s very moralistic and whatnot. This feels very character-driven and I really liked riding along in the whole thing.”
“This is an absolutely gorgeous book,” Zalben agreed. “We have two artists at the top of their game… Becky Cloonan, I just wanted to shout out in particular, as somebody that we have followed through so much of her career, she’s doing such interesting things with the angles in this book, and the characters… Clearly, she has her own style. But there was a little bit of the main character that feels to me a little Gabriel Rodriguez, she’s channeling at certain points. And some angles, some specific panels with the statues in particular that feel very Mignola. So again, Becky Cloonan, very much her own artist doing her own thing, but I feel like she’s shouting out different [references] at different points, as well. It’s great to see these two people working together.”
“Last thing, I want to shout out the colorists Lee Loughridge and Dee Cunniffe,” said Tyler. “The colors are fantastic in this book on both sides of the art — from the Tula Lotay stuff and the Becky Cloonan stuff… The pages are so good.”
Somna #2 Official Synopsis:
The new hit series from DSTRLY by BECKY CLOONAN and TULA LOTAY continues!
Set amidst the terrifying backdrop of the witch hunts in a quiet 1600s English village, SOMNA follows one woman’s erotic escape from the confines of her puritanical world.
No one is above suspicion when the relentless Witch Hunter Roland draws his net around someone close to him as this darkly sexual thriller races towards its gripping conclusion!
From the masterful minds of Becky Cloonan (BY CHANCE OR PROVIDENCE) and Tula Lotay (BARNSTORMERS) comes an intoxicating blend of history, eroticism, and the supernatural. This series will transport readers to a world where passion and spirits intertwine, captivating your senses to leave you craving more.
Drawing inspiration from cinematic masterpieces such as Midsommar and The Witch, SOMNA emerges as an evocative instant classic of the medium.
