Never Say Their Real Name: Reviewing ‘The Neighbors’ #4

Prejudice, whether conscious or unconscious, takes many forms. Sometimes it puts the lives of others in danger, sometimes your own. When dealing with unknown supernatural forces, certain prejudices might just prove to be fatal in The Neighbors #4.

Within this issue, Jude Ellison S. Doyle pulls back the proverbial curtain. We learn what has happened to young Casey since she was snatched in the first issue and where her mother has ended up. Through the old woman that has been around the family, we also learn what the series’ title means. The Neighbors are the supernatural beings that have replaced Casey and others. They are the ones that must not be spoken of by name and seemingly have designs on little Isobel.

None of the creepy horror factors of the previous issues is lost as this one begins to explain more things. Doyle has explored a lot of prejudices and their effects all the way through, chiefly through Oliver and his fears since transitioning. Here we see how Oliver’s own fears and prejudices are putting him and his child at risk. That being the instant decision to assume the worst of the old woman earlier in the series and go at her hard here.

In some ways many would feel that his fears are justified, the woman is doing odd things without explaining herself. It turns out that she was trying to protect the Gowdie family from The Neighbors, as she brings Janet back from some nightmare realm. It was there that we also learned that Janet might have some issues of her own tied to Oliver’s transition. Which occurred once the two were together, their love born out of an affair and an ended marriage.

There is a ton that I love about what Letizia Cadonici and Alessandro Santoro are doing artistically. Yes, this is a horror story, and it feels that way, but it also doesn’t. Even in this nightmare/dream realm things are inherently creepy and dark but also are lighter and very real feeling. It plays into the idea that the horror of things is all around them, in their own lives as well as outside of them.

Cadonici captures every emotional beat and makes paneling choices that highlight those emotions. He also makes sure that every space we visit has depth and weight, feeling like spaces we might know. There is a looseness to it all as it flows across the pages even as it’s clear how tightly it’s all been planned and put into effect.

Overall, the colors are very light, toned-down in a sense, bordering on washed-out in some cases. There are flashes of vibrancy mixed in to highlight certain elements. It feels heavy with all the shadows, some spaces full of more shadows than others, making sure that we keep feeling that ominous horror tone all the way through.

The same can be said about all the lettering throughout the issue. Becca Carey gives every single word that appears on a page personality, energy, and the right tone. Little things like the shapes of the bubble or changes to the fonts make it all work. It ensures that we can hear and feel everything as we’re meant to in a visually exciting way. A story like this needs the energy of the overall story to be clear in every element and we get that with Carey’s work.

The Neighbors #4 is now available from BOOM! Studios.