Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees
Horror stories might have monsters like vampires or werewolves who are obviously malevolent, but sometimes 
horror monsters come from well-known symbols of innocence, specifically the twisting and corruption of that innocence. Many children have owned dolls and spent many hours playing with them. However, killer dolls like Annabelle and Chucky prove that all it takes is some smudges of dirt (or blood) and a maniacal expression, to make a toy terrifying enough to have a movie (or series of movies) made about them. Writer and artist Patrick Horvath has also corrupted a seemingly benevolent children’s property, evoking Richard Scarry’s Busy, Busytown in his serial killer story Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees.
The story follows Samantha Strong, serial killer and owner of the hardware store in the small town of Woodbrook. Samantha is also a bear and Woodbrook is a town full of cuddly critters who love their community and their neighbors. When Samantha needs to satisfy her murderous urges, she doesn’t do it in Woodbrook. That means, when a critter is brutally murdered in the town where Samantha has built a life, she tries to find the other killer before the authorities start to notice her activities.
Those who know of Jeff Lindsay’s serial killer protagonist Dexter will probably notice the titular killer has a lot in common with Samantha. Both are serial killers who have cultivated a life that camouflages their darker natures and both adhere to a strict set of rules, even if Samantha’s rules are less about morals and more about not getting caught. Horvath isn’t necessarily breaking new ground in his narrative because, like Dexter, the conflict comes from another killer on Samantha’s turf, and like any predator, she doesn’t appreciate the intrusion into her territory. The story might have all the beats of a Dexter story, but Horvath does a superb job of exploring Samantha’s motivations and building the Busytown adjacent community of Woodbrook.
This setting and the artwork is what truly allows Beneath the Trees to stand out from many other serial killer-focused narratives. Horvath’s watercolor-inspired artwork, save for his graphic depictions of violence, could be found in any quality-illustrated children’s book. Like many horror works that reference a much more innocent series, Beneath the Trees works because Horvath’s choices, like his art style, readily reference the intellectual property that inspired his world while also adding his own bloody red flourishes. Rather than descend into anything goes parody, Horvath shows readers a town that could be in the same world as Busytown while also being a town that’s housing a very lethal predator.
While not as gory as some horror graphic novels, the fact that it takes place in a seemingly squeaky clean universe will interest horror fans due to its original concept. IThere are plenty of stories involving serial killers but very few of them feature cuddly animals who work, live and die violently like some unfortunate humans. And it’s not like adult horror fans have never had things from their childhood stripped of their innocence.
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees
By Patrick Horvath
IDW, 2024
ISBN: 9798887241081
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18)
