Comics Review: "LOST IN THE WOODS #1" is Ready to Be Found

LOST IN THE WOODS #1

CANDLE LIGHT PRESS

STORY: John Ira Thomas

ART: Will Grant

LETTERS: John Ira Thomas

28pp, B&W, $5.00 U.S. (2026)

Chapter #1: “Changes”

Lost in the Woods is a horror comic book series from writer John Ira Thomas (Man is Vox) and artist Will Grant (Mandallumins).  It is currently being serialized before eventually being collected as a graphic novel.  It is a sequel or follow-up to the horror and dark fantasy graphic novel, Lost in the Wash (2013).

Lost in the Woods #1 ("Changes") is set in the town of Francisco, Colorado, a name the residents changed to “Isco,” in order to remove the suggestion of “France” from the town’s name.  We meet Sheriff Terisa Salazar, the sheriff of Centennial County, and her partner, Aurora, who performs as a stripper under the name, “Laurelia Capoblanco.”

The incident involving Darin Miles, his Uncle Sal Miles' “Laundromat,” and the wyrd in the form of a “water snake” still hangs over Isco.  Well, corporate employee, Torsten Green, is about to be the new cloud hanging over Isco when he discovers that his favorite entertainment is no longer available.

THE LOWDOWN:  When I first read Lost in the Wash – during its serialization, I found that it reminded me of the horror comics published by Warren Publishing and, especially, by EC Comics.  I thought that the team of writer John Ira Thomas and artist Will Grant as a 21st century iteration of EC's Harvey Kurtzman-Graham Ingels team-up.  If EC Comics had published graphic novels, I think that they were more likely to look like Lost in the Wash than look like any horror or dark fantasy titles from Vertigo or IDW Publishing.

The weirdness of the sequel, Lost in the Woods, shambles into modern times with the disquiet of 21st century horror anthology television series like Showtime/Starz's “Masters of Horror” (2005-07), NBC/Lionsgate's “Fear Itself” (2008), and Quibi's “50 States of Fright” (2020).

In a general sense, horror is sometimes about finding the right benediction and clove of garlic combo that could save a victim from the cosmic horror of old gods or the blood lust of monsters.  Sometimes, it seems as if recent horror fiction accepts the existence of bad things, so a story's characters' attitudes should be like the motto of the NCAA Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments – survive and advance.

So this early in the story, I can't make any substantive analysis.  However, I can say that Will Grant's cover art for Lost in the Woods #1 looks like a wood engraving.  It is the doorway to a comic book narrative composed of sentient shadows shifting at play as if they are building their own theatrical stage.  What beautiful and meaningful art, and it preps the invitation from John Ira Thomas to prepare to survive and advance whatever darkness is to come.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Lost in the Wash will want to read Lost in the Woods #1.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

LOST IN THE WASH is available at comic book conventions, shows, and expos where Candle Light Press appears.

The text is copyright © 2026 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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