Spookhouse 2018 Halloween ComicFest Mini Comic

I am super stoked that Eric Powell has returned to his hillbilly criminal macabre roots with more adventures of the Goon and Frankie. But it will be next year before I read those because I cannot stand a cliffhanger. Plus I'm still behind 2 volumes. (They've not been very easy to find.)

Until then, I have this mini comic Halloween ComicFest promo and trick-or-treat freebie from 2018 to tide me over.

I've read the first story before. It's pure Powell. A group of obnoxious teens who are haunted house aficionados, are invited by a spry little fella wearing a great skull mask and a tuxedo to visit a legendary site. It's the location of a series of gruesome killings and rumor has it that for one night only, it's open to the public as the best scary attraction in the entire tri-state area. This is something those spook snobs have got to see for themselves.

I love this story. It's got a great punchline ending that while I saw coming a mile away, there's a twist that catches you off guard. Meaning I zigged when Powell zagged and he got me good! I also love the art for this story. You can see how legends from EC Comics like Jack Davis and 'Ghastly' Graham Ingels inspired Powell to create this all-ages fright fest. The design of the little fella in the mask and tails was brilliant. If they ever make a tee-shirt of the cover image, I must have it! And the poses of the subjects and the angles selected for the action- such fluidity of movement.

The second story is only written by Eric Powell. So visually, it lacks that magical oomph. It's about a young boy who earns a F on his book report on a book on monsters written long ago by his late discredited grandfather. More funny than scary. But it's got a ghost, a troll and a school marm who's a worst villain than the two previous frights combined. 

I don't know why I haven't just pulled the trigger and consumed all 10 issues from the 2 series. I've read at least 1 other issue and I thought it was great. And the fact that I read these stories previously and I had a big thrill reading it again; I think that speaks volumes to the skills and talents of Eric Powell. And I had so much fun!

I think next Halloween is going to be a Spookhouse Halloween... 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Spookhouse (2019 Halloween ComicFest Mini Comic)

I love this all-ages series from The Goon's Eric Powell! He takes those oddball twist endings from those classic 1950s horror titles and crafts some amazingly spooky tales! 

I grew up on titles like Tales from the Crypt and The Vault of Horror (in reprint, obviously.) I loved those weird endings that gave villains their due while also not being afraid to off an innocent or two. The artwork was all over the place in terms of style. It's quality was never an issue. There was a wealth of variety. You had folks like Johnny Craig who crafted very stylish noir pieces and Wally Wood with his deep palette of textures and shading. 

A person favorite was the art of Jack Davis. The MAD Magazine legend drew highly embellished art that favored a caricaturist. Eric Powell has a very similar style in his works and I truly love it!

Unfortunately, the only artwork from Eric Powell is the cover. But that's actually okay. Powell writes all the stories within, with his patented tongue-in-cheek manner. Plus artists William Stout and Gideon Kendall (Dino Pets) do fantastic job to the point I thought it really was Eric Powell behind the pencil!

Featuring awesome parodies of Stephen King's It, Spider-Man and the classic 80s horror film, The Lost Boys, this was a near perfect warm-up for Halloween thrills and chills!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.