THOUGHT BUBBLE MONTH 2025! Silent Horizon. A new, self-published graphic novel written and illustrated by Benjamin Dickson. Five years in the making to illustrate and complete. A mystery so intriguing, you won’t be able to put it down until you’ve solved it.
Silent Horizon follows a vicar named Branson, who ministers to a parish on a small island. Despite living in the middle of nowhere, Branson has made a reasonable success of his role: he has a few good friends, a small congregation, and enjoys the peace and quiet. But personally, he’s having a rough time. His wife has arrived on the ferry with her new boyfriend in tow to finalise their divorce. Branson is still holding out some hope for a reunion, but after a year apart, his wife feels like a stranger.
Emi, or as she now likes to be called, Emilia, is only supposed to be on the island for one night. But the ferry fails to turn up the next morning… and no one knows why. When this happens again, and again, the community starts to suspect something has gone terribly wrong. With the transmitters down, all communication to the outside world is cut off, and supplies begin to dwindle. Things only get more sinister from there, as the islanders discover it’s not just their broadcast that’s been cut off… it’s the entire world’s. With the world as they know it in a state of limbo, it is up to Branson to try to lead the inhabitants through the chaos of the great unknown.
There’s something very lifelike about the way Dickson paints his characters and landscapes. Illustrated entirely using Rebelle, a digital painting programme, Dickson’s style blurs the boundary between real and illustrated. It’s this quality that gives Silent Horizon an uncanny feeling right from the beginning. Not only are the characters deeply expressive, but the landscapes are rendered with eerily realistic detail; the island often feels claustrophobic, hemmed in by dark, sweeping waves and high, imposing cliffs.
What begins as a quaint, small-scale mystery evolves into a high-stakes sci-fi thriller, complete with alien entities, interpersonal rivalries that mirror Lord of the Flies, and some truly stunning panels. Dickson proves his versatility with flair and ease, delivering visuals that are horrifying, traumatic, and heartbreakingly human, sometimes all at once.
Silent Horizon is beautifully executed, gradually pulling the reader deeper into its eerie atmosphere until you’re completely hooked and desperate for answers. Dickson delivers a story that’s as visually compelling as it is emotionally layered. Silent Horizon is available in print at this year’s Thought Bubble Comics Convention.
Benjamin Dickson (W/A) • Self-published, £25.00
Visit Benjamin Dickson’s site and store here
Review by Lydia Turner
Benjamin Dickson will be at Table C39 in the Redshirt Hall at Thought Bubble.
Thought Bubble 2025 runs from November 1oth-16th with the convention weekend taking place on the 15th-16th. More details on the Thought Bubble site here.
Read all our Thought Bubble 2025 coverage so far in one place here.
Poster by Ng Yin Shian
