FIRST LOOK: BENEATH THE TREES WHERE NOBODY SEES: HALLOWEEN SPECIAL (IDW DARK)
It’s time to return to Woodbrook and even though years have passed the horror that Sam inflicted on this small town is still very fresh in the minds of the citizens. This is more apparent on Halloween as the younger generation tells tales of her return and continued murders. This is the world that this anthology Halloween Special from IDW Dark is set in. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Halloween Special is set to hit the shelves of your local comic shop on October 7th, 2026. Ahead of the Final Order Cutoff date of Monday August 31st, 2026, IDW Publishing gave us a copy for a SPOILER FREE first look review.
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Halloween Special – Written By Patrick Horvath, Che Grayson, Tony Fleecs, Jared Cullum, and James Tynion IV – Art By Patrick Horvath, Matt Emmons, Dave Wachter, Jared Cullum, and Tyler Boss – Letters By Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou – Edited By Jake Williams - Published By IDW Publishing
Credit: IDW Dark
CHECK OUT MY REVIEW OF BTTWNS: RITE OF SPRING #6
WRITING:
This Halloween Special delivers with the storytelling on so many levels. Being an anthology book with five different writers it would be easy for this book to lose the feel of the source material. But this book doesn’t just capture the essence of Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, it adds to the mythos and legacy of this series. Every writer crafts a different kind of horror story in their respective section. This makes each story sound fresh, well having its own tone and vibe. The difference in the stories keep the reader guessing what’s going to happen next. This anticipation and intrigue build up a nice level of excitement that bursts onto the each and every page. Couple this with Patrick Horvath connecting the dots with the opening, closing, and interludes between the segments and you have a nice bridge piece for fans of the series to get excited about.
ARTWORK:
The artwork in this special is just as different and exciting as the story due to the anthology element. Just like the writing, all five artists bring a different and unique look to each segment of the story. This allows the reader to visually tell when each new segment starts as the artwork is different. The different styles of art also make this issue very fresh, as we are all used to Horvath’s artwork in this series and the addition of some different styles makes for that fresh feel. Speaking of Patrick Horvath just like the writing, his artwork is displayed in the open, closing, and interludes. Which is just like the writing and grounds the issue, well connecting it to the series.
Final Thoughts:
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Halloween Special is an amazing anthology book that not only connects to the series but also feels fresh and exciting. The horror and the story we’ve all fallen in love with are represented in an awesome way, introducing us to some new insights brought to us by some of the best creators in comics today. The next chapter in this series may not be dropping until April, but this special will more than whet your appetite until then. Make sure to head down to your Local Comic Shop before Monday August 31st and order your copy of this awesome Halloween special. While you are there grab the trade paperbacks for the first two chapters of this series if you already don’t have them. You can enjoy said trades well you wait for your copy of Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Halloween Special to hit your Pull Box on October 7th.
FINAL GRADE: 10/10
Let me know your thoughts on Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Halloween Special in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
