Stephen King Was an Early Champion of This Criminally Underrated Horror Series

Summary

• Stephen King, the Master of Horror, praises
  Wytches
  as ”
  fabulous
  ” and ”
  a triumph
  ,” making it a must-read for horror fans.
• Wytches
  , a terrifying limited series by Scott Snyder and Jock, tells a cohesive story with shocking twists and nightmarish visuals.
• Characters in
  Wytches
  are well-developed and face their own demons, reminiscent of Stephen King’s storytelling, making it perfect for Stephen King fans everywhere.

Stephen King is perhaps the greatest horror writer of all time, having authored some of the most acclaimed novels of the genre, which means his words carry a great deal of weight when it comes to the praise King gives other horror stories. One particularly underrated story is no exception, as Stephen King said this horror series was “fabulous”, calling it “a triumph” – and that series is called Wytches.

Wytches is a 2014 Image Comics limited series by Scott Snyder and Jock. There are six issues of Wytches in total, as it tells one cohesive story from start to finish, with every horrific visual and shocking twist more terrifying than the last all the way until the final page of the series. However, it’s what’s on the front cover of the first issue of Wytches that’s perhaps the biggest tell-tale sign of how truly scary the series is, as the cover features a short yet telling testimonial from Stephen King:

“It’s Fabulous. A Triumph.” – Stephen King

If there’s one person’s word someone should take without question when it comes to horror, it’s that of Stephen King. Though upon reading Wytches oneself, it’s easy to see why the Master of Horror formed this opinion in the first place. Not only is Wytches absolutely terrifying, it’s also a well-crafted story with flawed yet redeemable characters and mind-blowing twists that readers will not see coming. Interestingly enough, Wytches actually feels like a story Stephen King himself would tell.

What Is WYTCHES? Image Comics’ Critically Acclaimed Limited Horror Series, Explained

Wytches follows a teenage girl named Sailor Rook who moves to a small town with her mom and dad after witnessing a horrible tragedy she can’t explain. Before the move, Sailor was being terrorized by a bully who did a bit more than just tease Sailor. One day, while alone together in the woods, Sailor tried standing up for herself. However, the bully pulled out a pistol and threatened to kill Sailor unless she did a lewd act on camera. It was at that moment the bully was suddenly attacked by horrific creatures, who murdered her right in front of Sailor.

Sailor couldn’t explain what happened, and her parents and doctors convinced her she had imagined the whole thing. So, in an attempt to heal the family, Sailor’s mother and father move to a new town to start a new life. Unfortunately, the horrors had only just begun, and Sailor started encountering creatures just like the ones that killed her bully – and no one believed her.

When Sailor’s father, Charlie, finally does believe his daughter, he suddenly has to face his own demons to overcome the Wytches and save Sailor’s life. Those ‘demons’ included a constant fight with alcoholism, and the shame he carries with him every day after having abandoned his family many years earlier. Throughout Wytches, the Rook family is being haunted not just by the Wytches themselves (who are more like mutated mole people with access to black magic than humans), but also by the ghosts of their pasts – something that nearly becomes the entire family’s undoing (in an entirely unexpected way).

For a series that’s only six issues long, Wytches still finds a way to fully develop its characters, which makes their experiences all the more terrifying, as they feel like more than just ‘victims in a horror comic’, but real people going through something unimaginably horrific.

Why Stephen King Fans Will LOVE Wytches (Just Like He Did)

Elements of Stephen King’s It, The Body (Stand By Me), & The Shining can be felt in Wytches.

This clip from
The Shining
was shared by the YouTube account,
SoulCarrier77

Even from the above (spoiler free) breakdown of Wytches, one can see storytelling elements that Stephen King himself has used in the past. The bully terrorizing Sailor to an extreme degree is reminiscent of the bullies from both The Body and It, as they, too, weren’t afraid to cause great bodily harm (even potentially fatal) when harassing their victims.

The same is true for Charlie Rook’s alcoholism, as his demons were similar to those of Jack Torrance in The Shining. In Wytches, it’s revealed that Charlie’s addiction acted as something of a beacon for the Wytches (among other shocking things that were revealed in the final issue). Charlie’s darkness opened his family up to supernatural horrors, just like Jack Torrance.

Of course, a Stephen King novel is nothing without its monster, and the Wytches are right up there with anything King has brought to the page. These creatures are more than just magic-wielders, but entities more akin to literal demons, lurking underground through the hollowed trunks of dead trees, making deals with humans to feast on the flesh of children (at least, they prefer children).

If you enjoy feeling scared to your core of seemingly eldritch beasts that lurk in the deep, dark wood with unlimited access to dark magic used for the sole purpose of consuming children, then you’re likely a Stephen King fan, and Wytches is absolutely for you.

What Else are the Creators of WYTCHES Known For?

Some of Scott Snyder & Jock’s most notable works, explained!

As Stephen King himself can attest to, Scott Snyder and Jock absolutely nailed it with Wytches – so, what else have these two done? Together, not much. But separately, writer Scott Snyder and artist Jock have extensive catalogs of comics under their belts with the same level of creative quality their fans (including Stephen King) enjoyed with Wytches.

Some of Scott Snyder’s most popular works include American Vampire (which, interestingly enough, Scott Snyder actually worked with Stephen King on), Swamp Thing, and Dark Nights: Metal. One will notice that all of those have a similar horror element running through them, and that’s not by accident. Snyder is a fantastic horror writer, and he proves as much in almost every comic he writes – including and especially Wytches.

Jock, on the other hand, is much more consistent when it comes to style as opposed to genre. The artist blew readers away with the visuals featured in Wytches, though that same aesthetic can be found in some of his other most popular works, including The Losers, Faker, and Green Arrow: Year One.

While these other titles are fantastic reads, well worth any comic book fan’s time, there are few stories that can compare to Wytches in terms of high quality horror wrapped in phenomenal writing and astounding artwork. Indeed, Stephen King himself was an early champion of this criminally underrated horror series with his positive review featured prominently on the cover of the very first issue, and anyone who reads it will agree that Wytches is “Fabulous. A Triumph”.

Source: SoulCarrier77/YouTube