#175-##178 = COUNT CROWLEY, MEDIOCRE MIDNIGHT MONSTER HUNTER #1-#4 of 4 by David Dastmalchian and Lukas Ketner (Dark Horse Comics, November 2023-May 2024)
Synopsis on the Goodreads website . . . . .
“When Jeri Bartman assumed the role of Count Crowley, horror host of the late-night creature feature, she never imagined how much her life would be turned upside down.
Turns out her predecessor was moonlighting as one of the world’s last monster hunters. Still struggling to overcome her self-destructive tendencies, Jeri has gone full throttle into her new role as an appointed slayer of the supernatural. With a stalking vampire, a vengeful Halloween entity, werewolves and a host of dysfunctional relationships to manage, Jerri is going to have to learn the hard way that there is no room for mediocrity in the eradication of evil.”
The Count Crowley series has proven to be a deft blend of horror and humor, featuring encounters, plot points, and drama with a revolving cast of classic monsters (werewolves and vampires, etc).
The perfect compliment to Daasatmalchian's clever script is the art of Lucas Ketner, which looks like a marriage of classic horror straight out of EC Comics’ Tales From The Crypt combined with Jack Davis' funny illustrations from the very early days of Mad Magazine.
I look forward to Volume Four in the series, especially since some of the plot threads/challenges/threats introduced here are not completely resolved. FOUR STARS.
#179-#180 HELLO DARKNESS #8 by various creators (Boom! Studios, February 2025) This seems to be the most grim, darkest, and disturbing issue so far. So, I’m elevating my rating on this issue. Even the variant covers (included in full-page spreads inside) by Jenny Frison, Dan Mora and John McCrea are disturbing and delicious images. An almost perfect issue.
Things kick off with “Stealth” by Marguerite Bennett and Luana Vecchio - an erotic one-night stand that turns deadly, recalling the greeting between chauvinistic male chums: “Get any strange, lately?”
I’m wondering when in “Something Is Killing The Children: a Monster Hunter Walks Into A Bar, Part Four” (James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera) the monster hunter is going to get off the bar stool and do something about the murders beside listening to various stories and theories about what’s happening. It’s getting monotonous. This is the story that pulled my rating down.
“You Can’t Cheat 10,000 Hours” by Jordan Thomas and Shaky Kane is a spin on the classic deal-with-the-devil tropes. This time it’s an aspiring artist who meets her deceiver on an online chat group.
“The War, Part Seven” by Garth Ennis and Becky Cloonan concludes with a dark, disturbing punch to the mouth. I have to admit I grew tired of this episodic tale but those last two chapters made quite the impression. This just may be the darkest, nastiest thing that Ennis has written since the “A Walk Through Hell” maxi-series. By far, this is my favorite story this issue - and will nag and bother me the most when I recall this issue. FOUR AND ONE-HALF STARS OVERALL.
#181 MINE IS A LONG, LONESOME GRAVE #2 by Justin Jordan and Chris Shehan (Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group, March 2025) This tale would only be half as effective without the creepy art by Chris Shehan and moody coloring by Alessandro Santoro. Quite the team-up, along with Justin Jordan’s gritty, hard-hitting drama.
This is an engaging blend of crime and folk-horror. If you’re a fan of crime comics and you’re not reading this title - - you are missing out.
Convicted criminal Harley Creed has returned to the backwoods small town of Briar Falls, WVA after a 20-year stint in prison. After his grown-up daughter rejects his efforts to reunite the family and leaves town, he has nothing to do but hang around and wait for the curse/hex from Granny Weaver to take fatal effect.
In the meantime, the once-powerful Weaver crime clan is sending out various inexperienced henchmen to take Creed out. But, he’s ready for them and Issue #2 is one brutal putdown after another until Harley finds a way to take the battle to them and enter their compound as the issue ends.
Not the most original of stories, but the trappings and garnish make it feel fresh; and the story-telling is top notch. FOUR STARS.
#182 FIRE AND ICE #3 by Bill Willingham and Leonardo Manco (Dynamite Entertainment, December 2023) I had previously read FIRE AND ICE #1 when it was originally released. Although impressed by the world-building that Willingham created in this variation on the classic animated movie, I wasn’t ready to get too deep into a sword and sorcery fantasy. But, that art by Manco was tempting, a hybrid style from him that paid homage to the great Frank Frazetta. (Frazetta was an inspiration for the original film, for which he did many storyboards and consultation).
So, when browsing through the 50 cent bins at Captain Blue Hen in Newark, Delaware - - that Joseph Michael Linsner cover caught my eye. Plus another change to view Marco’s art, so this was a quick impulse buy.
Since my last reading, the Ice Kingdom’s Prince Kaledan was murdered by his brother in a power grab. Brother Nekron blamed it on an assassin from the Realm of Fire. War was declared.
This is primarily a battle issue with the main plot points being a reunion of characters from Issue #1 as well as the Ice Queen’s sorcerous resurrection attempts at reviving her dead son. P.S. The Manco art is still spectacular, and worth my 50 cents for sure.THREE STARS.
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