The search for self is a scary thing. Maybe even haunting at times. You have to break down and leave yourself vulnerable to suggestions and that can leave you suspicious of what you are experiencing. So when Ro Meadows opts to rent a house with a sordid past in Image Comics’ The Me You Love in the Dark # 1 it isn’t long before she begins chasing after ghosts of the past.
The Me You Love In The Dark # 1
By: Image Comics
Story: Skottie Young
Art: Jorge Corona
Colors: Jean-Francois Beaulieu
Lettering: Nate Piekos of Blambot
I’m afraid before I can begin to talk about the story I must speak on the fantastic job the artists have done with this comic. Since I know there are no coincidences I have to point out Ro is herself an artist hoping this house will offer inspiration for her next gallery exhibit. In the opening sequence, the realtor tells Ro that “this is too much house to keep up with”. Jorge Corona helps the reader see that point in the perspectives on the pages. I couldn’t help but notice how the bookcases, windows, and stairs illustrate how tiny Ro is in comparison. These background pieces indicate just how empty this house is possibly a metaphor for how Ro feels about her efforts to create something artistic.
It doesn’t take long before Ro begins attempting to communicate with the apparition(s) of the house, if in fact there are any, by asking for help unpacking. This eventually leads to her almost begging for help with her artwork from the still silent spook.
Adding to the illustrations are the colors Jean-Francis Beaulieu chose. They aren’t overly dark instead I would say they are defined. These contrasts allow elements and items to stand out differently from one page to the next. For example, the wine Ro sips on looks much different on one page than the next when she angrily hurls it at her canvas even though we know it is from the same bottle.
Skottie Young has opted to romanticize the traditional haunted house/ghost genre which works very well. It doesn’t take long before Ro begins attempting to communicate with the apparition(s) of the house, if in fact there are any, by asking for help unpacking. This eventually leads to her almost begging for help with her artwork from the still silent spook. There are many problems with her actions in this issue. First, she believes in ghosts which would lead some people to question her grasp of reality. If that isn’t taking matters too far already she then attempts to communicate with the ghost(s) which the Warrens of the Conjuring series say is on the DO NOT EVER DO list.
The Me You Love in the Dark # 1 is a brilliant and balanced beginning to this series. Ro Meadows is a relatable character speaking to shadows in a sad structure. But is it the specter(s) that may occupy the home she is renting or that of her own success she is seeking to communicate with?