Wraith: Welcome to Christmasland

 A mysterious Rolls Royce Wraith cruises the highways and byways of the United States. In the driver's seat is a creepy looking chauffeur named Charlie Manx. With horrid teeth and static in his eyes, Manx is literally a man possessed. But from what? 
 His normal passengers are young innocents excited with the promise of magical amusement park known as Christmasland. However on today's trek, Manx is transporting a trio of escaped prisoners who need a place to lay low. With two prison guards as hostages, it looks like nothing can go wrong; these fugitives are home free. But when the Wraith pulls into the escapees' new refuge, they will learn that Christmasland is actually the stuff of nightmares!

    Wraith: Welcome to Christmasland is a 2014 comic book prequel to author Joe Hill's NOS4A2. If you've been reading my blog for a while now, you'll know that I am a big fan of Hill's. The comic book series Locke & Key and last year's massive novel, The Fireman, are personal favorites. You can tell that he is the son of the Master of Horror, Stephen King. But Joe Hill is no second rate knock-off.
    My wife gave me this hardcover edition for Christmas. However, due to shipping issues, I didn't get this book until a few days afterwards. But let me tell you, it was worth it. For one, it's Joe Hill and I have NOS4A2 on my to-read list. Since this is a prequel, I'm ready to read it now!
Secondly, this is a Christmas-themed comic. I love Christmas comics. Lastly, this is a horror comics. I love horror comics and Wraith was a perfect mix of all three of my loves. 
     However, with large amounts of gore and some really creepy kids, I couldn't read this book too close to bed as Hill's creation of Christmasland truly gave me nightmares. I was a little bummed that artist and Locke & Key co-collaborator Gabriel Rodriguez didn't craft this story. But C.P. Wilson III (The Stuff of Legend) does an admirable job at some truly horrific stuff. (It really freaked me out!) Plus, we get some covers by Rodriguez and now that I think about it, his polished style just wouldn't capture the deceptive mix of Christmas joy, Texas Chainsaw Massacre level violence, and the harsh reality of everyday life.
     There's one last thing I loved about this book. My wife bought the book from the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund's online store. That means that the CBLDF got a donation and I got a really cool book from a favorite author! Who, I might add, autographed this book! He even included an original sketch (from Joe Hill) of a key from his Locke & Key series! 
    Can we say 'best gift ever!'?

My copy's autograph plate.

     Worth Consuming

     Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.