The Department of Truth: Wild Fictions by James Tynion IV & Martin Simmonds

with a host of incredibly talented guest artists!

So I went into this book assuming it was a graphic novel, like the rest of the series. Readers, it is not! While it is 100% based on The Department Of Truth comic book series — and there are two issues from the main series at the very end of this volume — the bulk of this book is an illustrated primer to supernatural phenomena the world over. It does, however, mainly focus on America, as that’s where the series’ namesake department is located.

Roughly divided into three parts, the book covers first, intangibles such as ghosts; second, close encounters such as aliens, and third, the cryptids that make up the bulk of what the Department Of Truth deems the most dangerous Wild Fictions. These Wild Fictions are essentially the coalition of so much willpower and belief in a creature that the cryptid in question becomes not only real but deadly to those who cross its path (tho interestingly, the concept of the tulpa on which this is clearly based is only mentioned briefly and never actually explained in these pages.) The conceit is that cryptids are far more likely to manifest and pose a threat than the other categories because of humanity’s often difficult relationship with the wild. The write-ups are written from the acerbic point of view of DoT agents who break down the history of each phenomenon, with a brief risk assessment and occasional redactions of material still too classified to share with the general public.

As a lifelong lover of the paranormal, I truly enjoyed learning more about the manifestations covered in this book, as well as the overarching theory this title has about them. But what really affected me the most and, indeed, provoked the most thought, was the actual graphic novel part of the book. It essentially pits three agents of the DoT — two veterans and a rookie — against someone who desperately wants to believe. The parts from the point of view of the DoT were your standard black ops government agency stuff, but woof, the parts from the Bigfoot believer! Have y’all ever read Ashley Stokes’ Gigantic? You should: it’s definitely the best thing on the psychology of cryptid hunters I’ve ever encountered. This book runs a close second tho, even as it made me desperately uncomfortable with its use of the word “wonder” to describe the hunter’s determination to prove Bigfoot exists. There’s so much explicable wonder in the world around us already that it seems heartbreaking that some will ruin their lives chasing things that don’t exist. It’s essentially another form of addiction, with similarly devastating consequences.

The art throughout is likewise spectacular, showcasing the work of over twenty different artists called upon to render the various phenomenon described in these pages. From the sublimely beautiful to the downright terrifying, these renditions are all brilliantly suited to their subjects, even as they run the gamut from cartoony to realistic to highly abstract.

This is a fantastic primer for those wanting to know more about the paranormal, albeit from a slightly skewed lens. In fairness, all lenses on the subject are likely somewhat skewed, given the subject’s fantastic nature. This book likely has the best collection of illustrations you’ll ever see on the subject tho. Don’t let the cover scare you into thinking that the contents are relentlessly grimdark either: they truly cover a wide range of endlessly fascinating information and moods.

The Department of Truth: Wild Fictions by James Tynion IV & Martin Simmonds was published October 8 2024 by Image Comics and is available from all good booksellers, including