Zenescope’s Salem’s Daughter #1 Reviewed

Written by: Tom Sanford V, CC2K Contributor

Witchcraft and cowboys and blood, oh my! After a slightly bizarre and mostly entertaining #0 preview issue, Salem’s Daughter kicks off with its first issue from the folks over at Zenescope Entertainment. . It’s been years and years since I’ve last been entertained by anything cowboy related, so mixing Westerns and the occult in a bearable way makes it even better.

Sticking to the least amount of exposition as possible, the issue follows two parallel stories, one of an Eastwood-style cowboy (with more confidence) not wanted in town, another of a young woman living at home in Massachusetts being visited by a strange guest. With very little dialogue, panels focused mostly on well portrayed facial expressions to make for a subtle, quick, and endearing read. While it may seem run-of-the-mill Western at first glance, the supernatural elements, as always in the good Zenescope books, bring color to the story idea that not much else would be able to. A great thing about this issue is that while very little happened, just enough did to keep a reader not just intrigued, but ready to continue, a way in which very few new ongoing series begin.

It would still be nice to see the talented artists at Zenescope focus a bit more on background and ambience, including research of the places they were painting. “Witchcraft, Massachusetts” and “the Old West” are two VERY historically different places, yet here they look as if they are around the corner from one another. I don’t think that’s much of a gripe from me, either, only more of a way to enhance enjoyment of an already good book. If you’re looking for something quick and simple with room for tons of development, Salem’s Daughter is definitely something to check out in a high and dry week of comics.

4.0 out of 5.