The Ward by Cavan Scott (Author), Andres Ponce (Illustrator)
Synopsis:
St. Lilith’s is a secret hospital for supernatural creatures. A place, and a life, Dr. Nat Reeves thought she left behind. She was wrong.
When a wounded woman (with a tail) appears on her doorstep, Nat crash lands at her old job in the emergency room of the city’s last recourse for the otherworldly ill. The personnel are overworked, the facility is underfunded, and all operations must be kept hidden from the public, including Nat’s own family. Some of the staff, like the self-duplicating nurse Lydia Black, are glad to have her back. Others, like Luis Cervantes, a new resident with something to prove (and more to hide), not so much. And who can tell what Dr. Kumasaka, the ghostly head of the department, is thinking?
All Nat knows is that the overwhelming need they face every day is enough to keep the truth of why she left St. Lilith’s at bay, at least, for a while. Then a magical plague hits the city, and everything sets to change, for everyone.
Review:
The Ward is a standalone graphic novel set in a world like ours, with a secret hospital for supernatural beings. I knew I’d love this story – and I was right. The suspense and mystery grabbed me right away. I absolutely loved the characters – from the conflicted protagonist Nat, to mythological creatures with the smallest page-time. The artwork is vibrant – colorful and beautiful. It made the story and characters come to life.
I read a lot of comics and graphic novels; and this is easily one of my top favorites in a long time. I hope to see more installments in this exciting and creative world. I feel like we barely scraped the surface of Nat and her colleagues. This ER for the supernatural is engaging, fun, and dramatic. Don’t miss this one.