Of all the titles under Ghost Machine, Hyde Street is the one I’m still struggling to figure out how I feel about. Its premise of “The Twilight Zone meets Tales from the Crypt” is intriguing enough, and so is the collection of characters that inhabit Hyde Street. But unlike Geiger or Rook: Exodus, the narrative feels somewhat scattershot, not to mention shrouded in a bit too much mystery. Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story #1 offers a different path for the series going forward, and one that it should consider.
Like the title suggests, Sisterhood focuses on the mysterious fortune teller Sister Hood, who first appeared in Hyde Street #5. It’s also the tale of two best friends, Sophie and Violet, who were bonded together by tragedy. Tragedy also separates them, as Violet’s attempts to join a sorority when the duo hit college lead to her losing her life. Grief-stricken, Sophie takes a turn onto Hyde Street…and encounters Sister Hood, who offers her a chance at vengeance.
Sisterhood is brought to you by the creative team of Maytal Zchut and Leila Leiz, who previously worked on the Devour one-shot that spun out of the main Hyde Street series. In the same way that Devour drew in its readers from start to finish, Sisterhood builds up a compelling tale. You’ll come for Sophie and Violet’s friendship, which feels genuine in all the right ways; gasp in horror at some of the sequences, and be intrigued by the ending, where Violet starts to get her revenge.
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If Sisterhood #1 feels personal, that’s because it is. “I often describe the series as the story of a friend ‘break-up’, a topic I feel isn’t often covered but can be equally as painful as losing any other significant relationship,” Zchut said in an interview. Reading through Sisterhood #1, I definitely felt a personal pain ebbing off the pages. The moment where Violet learns of Sophie’s death is utterly devastating, as is the way she slowly sinks into herself. Losing someone that close to you is like losing a piece of yourself, and Zchut makes sure that pain resonates as much as the horror elements.
Leiz also provides some beautiful artwork, which is rendered in lush color by Alex Sinclair. The standout figure is Sister Hood herself. At first, she seems like an ethereal figure, clad in a ghostly white dress with a veil covering her face. But as the issue progresses, hints at her darker nature begin to leak out – and Leiz relishes in the chance to deliver some horrific imagery. It’s not as terrifying as the scene where Sophie starts to drown; in a series of panels, Leiz illustrates her struggling, then drawing her final breaths, as terror clouds her eyes.
I also like how Leiz and Sinclair make each of the characters feel distinct. Violet, being rather studious, is mostly shown in hoodies and jeans. Sophie is the more “girly” of the two, often wearing dresses and putting on makeup. And the sorority she’s trying to join is full of girls dressed in frills and bright pink, which hides their more sadistic nature.
Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story #1 isn’t just the beginning of another expansion in the Hyde Street universe; it’s an emotional gut punch to boot. If this series is a success, I hope Hyde Street continues to give its other residents their own stories.
‘Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story’ #1 moves the spotlight
Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story #1
Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story #1 isn’t just the beginning of another expansion in the Hyde Street universe; it’s an emotional gut punch to boot. If this series is a success, I hope Hyde Street continues to give its other residents their own stories.
Zchut makes this story feel extremely personal, which means the horror elements only hit harder.
Leiz and Sinclair deliver phenomenal artwork, resulting in distinct characters – especially where Sister Hood is concerned.
Proof that more of Hyde Street’s characters deserve their own spinoffs.
Will hook you from the first page and doesn’t let go.
