Reviews for the week ending on Sunday, February 23 . . . . . .
#148 = LUCKY DEVILS #2 by Charles Soule and Ryan Browne (Image Comics/Silent Productions, February 2025 Hands down, this is my favorite comic of 2025 so far. LUCKY DEVILS is sharp-witted and bright, with a premise I love. From the credits page: “Cameron Stane and Starr Winslow are two ordinary, good-hearted souls living a humdrum existence - - at least until their shoulder devils, Collar and Rake, appear to them and announce they’ve decided to fix their terrible lives. Why? The devils believe they’re saviors, destined to start a class revolution in hell that will burn its unfair systems to the ground. The first step in their plan? Making their good-hearted humans the most influential people on earth.”
As Issue #2 opens, it’s the annual retreat aboard a luxury cruise ship off the coast of Hell for the Midwest U.S. division of devils. In one of the best scenes in this series so far, the keynote speaker makes a motivational speech, and Soule takes a funny satirical jab at network marketing and pyramid schemes.
Collar’s shaming and prompting finally persuades Stane to step up his game, and he gets a promotion as adjunct professor at the college. Rake persuades a six-zed Devil (zeds are slang for the Seven Deadly Sins - a six-zed Devil can utilize six of the seven) to let her borrow Lust so she can compromise a co-worker standing in the way of Winslow’s promotion at the hospital where she works.
These actions get both Collar and Rake promoted to two-zed devils, and the game is afoot. Funny as well as eye-appealing. The clever art of Browne is strangely whimsical in a truly wicked way. Hard to top the FIVE STARS of that perfect debut issue. FOUR AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#149 = CREEPSHOW IN LOVE 2025 SPECIAL (Image Comics, February 2025) The middle story in this trio of tales is my favorite, another amazing effort from writer/artist Patrick Horvath (of BENEATH THE TREES . . . fame). A nerdy shy and awkward young man pays top dollar to procure a high-tech version of Love Potion Number Nine. Despite being warned of the limitations and dangers of improper use, his mishandling results in unanticipated and unwelcome advances in “Cursed Casanova”.
The opening story is “Heart To Heart” by another writer/artist, Mirko Andolfo. It details the unfortunate attempts of a serial killer who preys on couples in love to secure his coveted “pure heart”. It’s try and try again until finally he finds it in an unlikely place.
The issue closes with “Penguin Avenger” by Yul-Pyeong Oh and Pure. A young man with medical/scientific abilities has numerous first encounters through dating services, yet never loses touch with all his dates . . . until the day when he slips up. Wacky, weird and disturbing.
A great one-shot issue that I assume will become a yearly event. Great stories, great art. A FOUR STAR effort.
#150-#151 = HELLO DARKNESS #7 (Boom! Studios, January 2025) There’s a bit of a change-up here, as there are no serialized stories as in previous issues. If you’re looking for the next installment in the Tynion and Ennis stories, you’ll have to wait until next month (I guess). I kind of like it, with this issue containing five complete stories plus the usually fun cartoon page from Robert Hack and some gory poster pages.
All the original stories this issue were top quality, so it was harder for me to pick a favorite. But, the one that stuck with me longer was “Evermore” by David Hazan and Stefano Nesi. A recently widowed man tries to find a new companion via social media and text messaging, and then can’t unfollow or stop the messages when the relationship doesn’t work out.
“L-O-V-E “ by Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan shows that even serial killers and slashers can be romantic, and create unusual Valentines’ Day messages when attempting to renew a failed relationship.
“Words In The Smoke” by Maria Llovet was my least favorite story this issue, a poetic romantic encounter between a woman and a creature of the night that was predictable in its’ ending. “The Booth” by Anirudh J was interesting but anticlimactic in the ending as a mysterious sleuth sets surveilance of a telephone booth, expecting a certain call at a certain time.
Also noteworthy is “Excision” by Chris Gooch and Eli Powell, about a dreary bargain-basement surgery with a twist ending. Overall, an above average issue for this anthology. THREE AND THREE-QUARTER STARS.
#152-#153 = EPITAPHS FROM THE ABYSS #8 (Oni Press/EC Comics, February 2025) - - Wherein three more “tales of torment and tension” are presented for our consideration, provided you have the nerve to turn the page after viewing that eye-popping, cringe-inducing cover of a neck tattoo that bites. If that doesn’t choke you up, the introductory page with The Grave-Digger and the Tormentor’s latest subject will get the job done. There are also plenty of slime-y tentacular horrors and creepy clowns inside.
Surprisingly the most disturbing (to me) story this issue contain none of the above, and no blood and guts. “The Main Character” by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Andrea Sorrentino relates the story of a head-on car collision survivor who was judged not guilty but feels bad nonetheless. Out of the corners of his eyes and everywhere he looks he sees a shadowy figure in a red hoodie watching him - - and no one else can see that. He finally confronts the hoodie and gets a surprising answer. I think I’m not the only reader going to be disturbed by this story. It’s followed by a disclaimer page with a public service announcement.
The female protagonist in Stephanie Phillip and Valeria Burzo’s “Yellow Smoke” also sees threats in the wallpaper of the home she inherited but no one else does - and therefore suggest she see a doctor. But, she’s determined to show everyone what has been bothering her.
Who would hang a portrait of a clown in a prominent place in the home? When in third grade I recall being gifted several paint-by-number kits (dogs and horses). When I was offered a paint-by-numbers portrait of an Emmett Kelly-like clown I politely declined. The painting in “The Honking” by Brendan Hay and artists PJ Holden and John McCrea has a life of its’ own . . and it wants company. Another FOUR STAR effort.
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