1891 and Marshal Azrael William Holt is sent out to the Utah Territory to investigate a series of bizarre and horrific murders. Signs point to the abandoned mine near the town of Canary whose water might be contaminated and could be driving people in the surrounding area to madness and despicable acts. But what’s really going on under the ground of Canary, and what does an old case of Holt’s, involving a demented child serial killer, have to do with all of this?
Scott Snyder and Dan Panosian’s Canary is a pretty decent western/horror that’s good when it’s focused on the western part and becomes worse when it leans into the horror.
The story starts well with a compelling, very dark crime, and we’re introduced to the similarly dark, compelling Marshal Holt whose adventures are chronicled in the pulp fiction of the time. It’s an aspect of the times that you don’t often see referenced, that the lawmen of those days were both real people and written about as if they were fictional heroes, so that was different to see. Snyder throws in a flashback to an even darker crime and the present mystery is set up in a tantalising way.
Then the pacing slows down as we’re introduced to the stock western townsfolk characters of Canary, along with the distractingly anachronistic diversity additions, and the story becomes less interesting with little conflict happening as Holt and the geologist look into Canary’s mine. The occasional fun scene breaks up the monotony though, like the inclusion of the Native Americans trying to shut the mine down for good.
Snyder tries to do too much in the second half, throwing in a rushed backstory for Holt that’s vague in how it connects to the current mystery, as well as the people involved in the mine and what they were trying to accomplish. Lots of occult details are piled on too without much payoff and cliches are tacked on that undermine the story’s seriousness. This is Holt’s last case before he retires, there’s the stock creepy old house that’s in every horror story, the monsters gurn for the audience because monsters, etc.
Snyder’s big finale is really uninspired, falling back on the usual hero fighting the monster at the end trope and it’s something he’s done so many times before - both the scenario and the type of villain, in personality and design - in titles like Batman and American Vampire that it feels rote at this point.
The obstacles the characters overcome are feeble jokes for the most part too. Descending thousands of feet below ground leads to them bleeding from the ears and lowering oxygen levels - but if you address them then they’re no longer a concern! Oh no, monsters in the way - bang, shot them dead - no more problem! If they’re that irrelevant/easy to deal with, why even mention/have these things to begin with?
Dan Panosian’s art is really good throughout. I loved the painted skies of Utah in vivid reds and yellows, indicating a hellish setting, and the period details look convincing and are impeccably drawn. Holt’s mask has a weird design to it - it’s an inverted coffin - that I’m not sure is all that effective as it's unclear what you’re looking at initially and then silly when you realise what it is, but it doesn’t detract from the quality of the artwork overall.
Canary is a decent western comic with forgettable horror features. The western elements are the most enjoyable parts and I feel like it would’ve been a more satisfying read if Snyder had stuck to the crime story, making it about the terrible things humans can do to one another rather than work in supernatural elements to explain it away (not least as it would then avoid that trite final act). The unimaginative horror stuff drags down Canary into mediocrity but it’s still worth a read if you’re after a somewhat entertaining western comic.
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