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Dark Matter: This Haunted World #1    by Mark Powers, Chris Lee & Rahmat Handoko Amazon.com order for
Dark Matter
by Mark Powers
Order:  USA  Can
Sea Lion, 2011 (2011)
Softcover
* * *   Reviewed by Ricki Marking-Camuto

Everything I have read from Sea Lion has been dark, but none so dark as Mark Power and Chris Lee's This Haunted World, illustrated by Rahmat Handoko and others.

Chapter 1, Dark Matter, is just the tip of the iceberg. In it, we are introduced to a variety of characters – an army corporal who suffered under a strange hail of bullets, a young inmate, a Senator who is losing his faith, and an American tourist in Hiroshima. As well as these human characters, there are also some shadowy, unexplained ones seen by the corporal and the tourtist.

The main character seems to be Daniel Ismail, a Malaysian student currently jailed in America because his finger prints were found at some murder scenes that he claims he went to to investigate paranormal activity. However, he finds his chance to be free when the rest of the inmates and guards mysteriously wind up dead. This sets the story in motion and leaves the reader wanting to know what is going to happen next and how all of these characters are connected.

The artwork is clean and crisp but heavy on the dark undertones, which just adds to the creepiness and suspense. It looks like Sea Lion has another winner on their hands.

Note: Find out how to order the comic through Sea Lion Books.

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