Obelisk by Ashley McCammon is a gothic horror story set in 1908 New York City. When Evelyn Reuter inherits her late father’s business, she discovers that he had been involved in more work than she suspected. Nevertheless, she sets out to set his affairs in order.
A series of discoveries leads to a curio shop, where Eveyln meets the mysterious Margot. When Evelyn tries to ascertain what connection (if any) her late father might have had to the elegant but short-tempered stranger, Margot bristles and sets Eveyln on the defensive.
However, as time passes, Evelyn finds her thoughts turning to the mysterious Margot more and more. Is there more to the strange woman that meets the eye?
In addition to Evelyn and Margot, there are plenty of fleshed-out supporting characters who bring the world to life, including Evelyn’s younger brother David and Agostino “Dean” Motagna.
The art is predominantly black and white, with red occasionally being used for emphasis, and the pallet does an excellent job of calling to mind the classic horror movies that provided some of the inspiration for the comic.
You’ll want to be sure you read the notes that accompany each update for a fully immersive experience. For example, the note for October 31st, 2018’s update includes insight into the music that filters through the ceiling: “Bella Ciao,” a popular Italian folk song that was adapted into an antifascist anthem in the 1940s. And the October 2nd, 2019 update even links to the text of the 1901 short story being read by a character, “A Witch City Mystery.”
While Obelisk is currently in its second chapter, you can catch up with the archive. To keep up with the latest updates, you can follow McCammon on Twitter or Instagram, and support Obelisk directly by donating to her Patreon page.
