Salem: Queen of Thorns - Softcover

"It's a smart concept Chris Morgan and Kevin Walsh, one ripe with potential. Wilfredo Torres' art is moody and appropriate for the tone of the book, which is a potent mix of black magic, dark mood, and high action." - Ain't It Cool News

" This is Sergio Leone Spaghetti Westerns as directed and produced by Guillermo Del Toro as set in 1600s America... Pick it up..." - Indie Comic Book Noise

"If dark horroresque adventure is something on your comic palette, you want to put Salem: Queen of Thorns in your pullbox!" - The Pullbox

"...it promises to be a fun, occasionally creepy romp through one of the darker episodes of American history. Tour starts here." - Comixfan

"...solid dark fantasy with just an edge of horror to it." - Broken Frontier

Grade 8 Up–Published initially as comics and compiled into a graphic novel, this book features art by five artists and two colorists, with a smooth transition from one section to the next. Elias Hooke, a former witch hunter and inquisitor, is battling the true witch, the Queen of Thorns, whose corruption has spread throughout the American colonies, including Salem. Other witch hunters continue to execute those who have been tainted by the queen, those accused of witchcraft, without understanding the full repercussions. When Hooke saves accused witch Hannah, two factions inside the church's brotherhood pursue them, but the greater trouble comes from the Queen of Thorns herself, who wants Hooke to steal something from the church for her. The story is one of terror, not just from the monstrous creatures at the queen's beck and call, but also because the men involved in the witch hunts perform such monstrous tasks themselves. It is compelling and fast paced, though sometimes confusing, and the images of torture and disembodied heads may prove disturbing to some readers. As a historical horror graphic novel, the book could lend diversity to collections overwhelmed by superheroes and manga, but there is little historical truth in the narrative. The religious implications (the Queen of Thorns having been created at the crucifixion) may also be confusing to readers unfamiliar with the Christian story or intimately connected with the religion.–Alana Abbott, James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT END