Review by Frank Plowright

The Horde has been referred to by long-term inhabitants of the Woods, but only rarely and reluctantly. Since the end of Movie Night we know why. The Wisconsin high school wasn’t the first massive transportation of people to the planet because from the 1940s a whole Japanese battleship arrived. It was packed with loyal men and under the command of an admiral who firmly believed in the invincibility of the Japanese race. His resources have seen him destroy two communities, and an uneasy truce was reached with New London. Now, with the helpful conniving of Casey McCready and New London, the Horde are about to occupy the school.

Events have previously moved at rocket pace, but James Tynion IV applies the brakes for The Horde, slowing everything down to the point of all four chapters being occupied by the Horde’s occupation. Well, allowing for a fair number of flashbacks explaining the present, most to do with Casey and Calder McCready’s relationship as they grew up. Interestingly, with the exception of Admiral Taisho, Tynion doesn’t need to include any of the Horde as Taisho alone can represent the idea and the force. It’s clever.

While the environment has always been important, it’s noticeable that there’s been a gradual shift away from the reality of the woods toward what lies beyond them, and that pushes artist Michael Dialynas beyond what he’s been comfortably producing for the past four books. There’s always been an element of additional strangeness, but Dialynas increases it here impressively, again with colourist Josan Gonzalez an important part of the equation.

For a long time it seems this segment is going to be Calder’s redemption story, a sarcastic line of dialogue leading that thought, and in part it is, but Tynion cleverly makes it about someone else also. Calder’s conflicted personality is as near to a lead character as is possible in this ensemble series in that his actions and decisions have a focus and an effect, but as ever, others resonate. Isaac Andrews was broken at the series start, and the results of what he’s experienced since are layered on top to create someone unique even in a remarkable series.

This is collected in hardback along with the following book The Lost as the second Yearbook Edition, or you can buy the entire story in one massive book just called The Woods.