Review by Frank Plowright
It might have been thought that three volumes of twisted American folklore leading to a final battle with countless witches in Hillbilly Volume Three presented all Eric Powell had to say about his wandering witch killer. That’s not the case, but Red Eye Witchery From Beyond is a fair departure.
The immediately noticeable difference is this being full colour, with the brightness applied by Brennan Wagner distancing this project from the early muted material. Furthermore, Powell only draws the single chapter himself, with Simone Di Meo (sample art) illustrating the first two chapters and Simone D’Armini the final reckoning. Di Meo has previously drawn a short story (Hillbilly Volume Two), but here modifies his own style to something that’s still nowhere near Powell’s dark and deformed characters. It’s more traditional action art, quite the change and probably not what Powell’s fans want to see. The chapter he draws himself is an interlude with its own specific problem, and, no doubt about it, it’s odd to see Powell’s art fully coloured.
As the title reveals, the threat Rondel faces differs from the witches populating his world, and they’re a little warier, wise to some of his tricks. Previous stories showed Rondel accompanied by others, and his companion here is an archer, chief assassin for a local chieftain from whom the Hillbilly accepts a mission. He’s needed for what proves an enemy beyond the Hillbilly’s usual understanding.
Powell generates his own projects in his own time, so it’s ultimately disappointing to have three artists with three very different styles working on four chapters in the manner of mainstream superhero publishers. D’Armini is an excellent artist on the wrong project. His fiddly, angular art would be ideal for Hellboy’s world, but with Hillbilly previously tied to a distinctive look, it’s out of place and unsuitable, yet it’s also Powell’s choice. Make of that what you will.
The cosmic finish is also beyond anything Hillbilly or his readers have previously experienced, and removing the character from his so effectively curated world results in a weaker story beyond the art.
