A champion of the book since he first reviewed it, Steven was awesome enough to post the following at Broken Frontier:
Recall that original graphic novel about werewolves I enjoyed immensely back in the late summer of 2010, Harbor Moon? Well, it’s finally for sale on Amazon, and I still highly recommend it.
Ryan Colucci, the book’s co-writer and producer, had hoped his narrative treasure would have hit stores in December 2010, but if there’s one tragic consistency of small-press publishing, it’s the oxymoronic inconsistency of timelines and release dates.
Of the many points I made in my original review, this aspect of Harbor Moon is still what stands out to me:
“What’s so interesting about Harbor Moon is its successful usage of old formulas. It’s almost impossible to tell a story in the dark fantasy or horror genre without invoking the feelings of isolation and claustrophobia; that’s exactly why so many stories have lone and troubled heroes roaming around haunted houses and ghostly towns. They’re alone and susceptible to danger, and therefore, we as the readers are as well. Writers Colucci and Ornekian both flawlessly create this vital atmospheric element. Harbor Moon as a place is constructed from a classic formula, but one that exists on its own terms.
When Harbor Moon isn’t trying to invoke fear, it’s tapping into the instinctual nature of man. It’s no accident that Tim Vance is a former soldier, trained by the Special Forces and having completed three tours in the Middle East. He’s a tough and stoic guy, but soft-spoken and respectful of those around him. When he wanders into the town’s diner, Tim is confronted by Patrick, the local roughneck who does what he can to shake the newcomer up. These kinds of fights are common in Harbor Moon, but they’re not just bloody brawls, though many of them are, in fact, bloody brawls. They’re tests of sheer strength, will, and survival.”
I also voted Harbor Moon as my fifth favorite independent book of 2010, and included Colucci in a round-table discussion about horror and dark-fantasy themes as they appear in comics in the Halloween 2010 edition of the Frontiersman digital magazine.
