Flying Comics

The Witching Hour by "Snarler" Li

Ever thought that you would have done something better if you were given a second chance? But would you have made a different choice? That is the question that storywriters Jeph Loeb and Chris Bachalo posed in their mini-series The Witching Hour.

The Wiccans are a group of witches who survived the Salem Witch Trials, a
time of witch hunting and burning. Now in modern days, they set out to give
people a second chance. Not just anyone, but people who touch the dark,
embrace the wicked, doomed by desires.

The Witching Hour exceled in its characterisation. The Wiccans take the
names of the colours of the seasons, which coincidentally represents their
characters: White, the leader of the clan, is a beautiful no-nonsense woman, bent on dealing justice, yet showing compassion and sympathy when required; Blue, the silent one, yet perhaps the most approachable; Black: a quote-spouting boy who would probably talk you to death, literally; Red, hot and unpredictable, the wild card of the clan; and Gray, the voice of the book, the oldest among the Wiccans, maybe the most human too.

It is especially intriguing to see how different characters react when
approached by the Wiccans to fulfil their hearts' desires and bear the
consequences. I loved the story arc of Charity, a young lady struck by
poverty who blamed anything and everything for the failure she was, thinking
that things would be better if she was rich. Yet, when she became part of
the rich and famous, she went all out to live the life she had, which is
probably what many of us would do: the self-defeatist aspect in us at work.

For the rest of the story arcs, expect the unexpected as they are filled
with twists and surprises. In fact I did not realise the existence of one
story arc right until the end. The storyline is that amazing.

Like most Vertigo comics, the mini-series has a dark edge in it. With Chris
Bachalo and Art Thibert taking the helm of the art department, the comic is
beautifully drawn. It is almost like a MTV in print, with flashes of
different story arcs linked only by the voice of Gray, adding a sense of
surrealism. And, of course, with Chris Bachalo, you can expect his signature frogs peppered over the artwork.

Published in 1999, the series is also given a second chance, as Vertigo
Comics has released a hardcover edition collecting the three comic books and also a section of never-seen-before sketches by Bachalo. The original
3-issue comic books cost US$5.95 each, and the hardcover edition US$29.95.

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