Blue Palo Verde

This unnerving Southwest horror by Fawkes (Batman: Eternal) and debut artist Rimanti pits a pessimistic ex-con against the residents of an outré desert town. When heavily tattooed toughie Kristine Woods is released in Tuscon following a 15-year prison stint, she finds that her mysterious father is missing but has left her a gassed-up sports car with money in the glove compartment. She buckles in for a search, and rolls into the sinister oasis of Promise, his last known address, on the night of a local festival that gives off Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery vibes. Cue the occult sacrifices, cryptic sightings of her dad, and an obstinate sheriff who’s intent on preventing him from escaping the town even if that means taking Kristine out of the picture. Meanwhile, the ceremonies summon Pallanna, a shape-shifting mother goddess who embraces and tries—it seems—to protect Kristine. The plot is unpretentious, and Fawkes’s use of a 24-hour timeline ups the dread, conjuring the fight-or-flee emotions of a horror flick. Rimanti’s semi-realistic character design recalls Steve McNiven or Frank Quitely, and makes the story’s supernatural elements even more disconcerting. Bright colors by Rifan Kartakusumah liven up the visuals. The result is a dark southwestern fantasy that will appeal to fans of writers like Margaret Killjoy and films such as Route 666. (Dec.)