A sequel forBeneath the Trees Where Nobody Seeshas just been announced. The 2023 graphic novel released under a heap of hype, promoted as ahybrid betweenDexterandAnimal Crossing. A pitch like that is hard to live up to, but thecritical acclaim revealed it as outstanding.
Fans can rejoice as IDW’s New York Comic-Con panel announces IDW Dark, a new horror imprint that will release a slew of new titles, including a sequel toBeneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees.The title for the sequel in question has been announced asBeneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Springand with it, a title card for the project has been unveiled.
Details about the sequel’s story have yet to be officially released, but if nothing else, the announcement of a sequel officially provides fans with the newest horror comic franchise to be obsessed with.
What This Sequel Means for Horror Fans
A New Franchise on the Horizon
The idea of sequels in any form of media tends to be frowned upon by fans, but sequels help turn masterpieces into classics. Even when sequels fail to hit the mark, they add to the legacy of the original and its characters, helping them reach legendary status, all while extending the shelf life of the original and its contents. Plus, doing so leaves more room for new audiences to enter the fray and discover what makes the original such a classic once it is built upon through an ensuing franchise.
Now,Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Seesis on course for that same legend status. The first sequel marks a first step into the serial killer storybook becoming a franchise with multiple chapters. Even better is the fact that the idea of a franchise isn’t something that was manifested as a last-minute idea based around the original’s success. The creatorPatrick Horvath previously teased the potentialof a possible wider franchise in the future, as Horvath"quickly realized that there was a lot more that I could do with this world."
Our Take on IDW’s Sequel
Story Potential
It’s hard to predict where a sequel can go whenBeneath the Trees Where Nobody Seesitself was incredibly unpredictable. Then again,that’s where much of the anticipation and excitement for the sequel comes from, the fact that it could go anywhere moving forward. Story-wise, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what the next step goes forBeneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, but if the sequel echoes the same deliberate sense of uncomfortable whimsy as the original, then it’ll be a worthy sequel indeed.
