The ME YOU LOVE in the DARK # 2
The second issue of Skottie Young’s gothic horror story The Me You Love in the Dark is almost as bare as the house the main character has chosen to rent. And yet it is the minimalistic essence that makes it all the more intriguing. This leaves the reader as unsure as Rowena is about what is truly transpiring.
Story: Skottie Young
Art: Jorge Corona
Colors: Jean-Francois Beaulieu
Lettering: Nate Piekos of Blambot
After finally managing to make contact with the “ghost” you can tell Rowena is unsure of what do next. For “it’s” part the entity was subtle and still revealing while carrying on the conversation with Rowena’s. It was rather amusing to notice her apprehension yet willingness to accept the advice from this entity. I couldn’t tell whether it was shock, exhaustion or the possibility of inspiration which kept her from leaving immediately.
The “entity” occupying the house has already begun to exhibit some questionable behavior. The “ghost” insists to Rowena it “would never” as she wonders about being spied on while sleeping. Yet only moments prior “it” remarked that it was “observant” as to the reason it knew her name.
More pages of this issue are occupied with art than words. This allows the light to shine on the creative talents of Jorge Corona and Jean-Francois Beaulieu. During these panels when Rowena isn’t communicating with the “ghost” you can feel the emptiness of this vast dwelling. Since you can’t ever truly see a ghost the reader like Rowena is left wondering “Is it there”? The scene of her in the bathtub is particularly revealing. You notice her complete sense of vulnerability to the prying eyes of an invisible observer.
Given how little has transpired in the initial two issues of this series it is hard to determine what is truly occurring in the house. Rowena could simply be suffering from a psychological breakdown and imagining these interactions. However I can’t shake the feeling that if there is psychology at work then it would be manipulation on the part of the “ghost”. The very title suggests and is even a play on the idea of how little a lover can know about the object of their affection. What are the “ghost’s” true intentions for Rowena? As of now she like the reader remain in the dark.