New comic book Wednesday has come and gone. The dust at your local comic shop has settled. An eerie silence descends as you finish reading your last superhero book of the week. Now it's time for something a little more sinister. Welcome to Bagged and Boarded: comic reviews of the sick, spooky, twisted and terrifying!
B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth No. 114
Liz Sherman knows how to kill monsters. She's been doing it for years now. So when she finally returns to help a troupe of hapless police officers everyone knows good things are on the way. She takes them to a hospital where a crazed doctor has been turning his patients into monstrosities, and we see just how much she's developed both emotionally and pyrotechnically.
Bag it or board it up? This issue is definitely a keeper! In a series that can sometimes feel hopeless or without direction, Liz Sherman is a blazing torch for the reader. This issue has lots of action, a tense hostage negotiation, and a ton of that old 'Hellboy' charm. If you haven't been a long time reader, you'll still love this comic. But if you are a long time reader you'll feel nothing but nostalgia this issue.
Criminal Macabre: The Eyes of Frankenstein No. 4
The powerful sorcerer Hemlock has our friend Cal McDonald trapped in a ring of fire. As he sends hordes of his minions from below to smash Cal we see just how much power Cal took from the Ghouls. In this epic showdown big changes - changes that will alter the look, feel, and story of 'Criminal Macabre' - occur. If I say anything more, I'll spoil one of the best reveals in this comic's history.
Bag it or board it up? If you haven't read the rest of this four part series, pick it up before diving into this issue. It's a great read, but it carries much more weight if you've read everything else. There are moments in this issue that feel hopeless in ways most comics don't. There are movements from page to page. It's a great issue, really a stand-out issue. I don't know where the next series of 'Criminal Macabre' comics will go, but I'm excited to find out.
Ghost No. 1
One of my favorite comic series of last year gets another issue number one this year. 'Ghost' tells the tale of Elisa, a woman who's not quite dead and not quite living. She's a ghost, but she can't remember who she used to be. She can beat the hell out of you or make your hand pass through her. She's tough, confused, and generally… awesome! This issue one jumps right into the action, and we see her on the hunt for demons who have been walking around in human bodies for years.
Bag it or board it up? I really liked last year's take on this comic, but this year's spin on 'Ghost' is even better. We get right into the action, we don't spend time on her meeting her human friends. It's just accepted and established that she's got a crew she works with. That's the type of storytelling that says to me, "I respect my audience. I don't need to hold their hands." Go get this comic. It rules.
Ghostbusters: Happy Horror Days Part 3
Here's some holiday fun for the family! The Ghostbusters are on the hunt for the ghost of Sinterklaas, an evil version of old Saint Nick. Sinterklaas seems a lot like everyone's favorite red and white fat man, but he doesn't leave a lump of coal for bad kids… he abducts them! When the ghost of Mr. S. comes for the children of a small town it's up to the proton-packing 'Busters to save the day.
Bag it or board it up? If you've got kids, or are wildly nostalgic for a time when the Ghostbusters were awesome, you should check this comic out. It's not going to scare you senseless, it's not going to leave you emotionally moved or drained, but it is going to delight you for the ten minutes it takes to read it. Check it out if you want your horror on the "lighter side."