Comics Review: "Creepy" #17

- by Señor Editor, 22 August 2014

Dark Horse has been publishing the current volume of „Creepy” for a while now, but I think it’s safe to say the majority of comicbook readers don’t even have the book on their radar. And that’s a shame, because the horror anthology title regularly delivers on quality entertainment. Why, just look at the newly released #17.

Click to enlarge.

First of all, “Creepy” has some of the best covers in modern comicbooks. Just look at this beauty, by one of the most talented horror comics artists around, Juan Ferreyra. It’s an eye-grabber for sure. If horror comics were still being sold in newsstands and small shops, the sales on this one would be huge. And there would be protests from concerned parent groups, but, man… SALES WOULD BE HUUUUGE.

This issue has three short stories (two new and one classic, by Archie Goodwin and Angelo Torres) and three one-page gag comics. The gag comics aren’t really the highlight for me, they’re okay and all, but they’re not just the side dish, as far as I’m concerned. It’s the rest of this issue that’s the meat and potatoes.

“The Human Condition” is the first story (and it’s the one that the cover represents) and it’s by Paul Tobin and Juan Ferreyra, the duo that brought us the fantastic “Colder” miniseries a year or so ago. 

The story is about Sam, a young depressed man, who contemplates suicide. Just as he’s about to eat a whole pile of pills, a man with a whole through his head appears. He’s there to intervene and save Sam’s life, while also giving him a new positive outlook! He tells Sam exactly how long he will be remembered by his family and friends, and how they will react to his death. These stories are very short, so anything else would be spoiling too much, but (as it usually happens with “Creepy” stories) there’s a surprise twist at the end. It’s a very good story, with Ferreyra providing his trademark fantastic art, and Tobin showing he’s just as good with short stories as he is with long-form comics.

Bullshit.

If that would be the only good story this issue, I’d still recommend getting it, but it isn’t. 

The second story, “Arrangement of Skin”, is a short and sweet tale about a talented taxidermist and an overly enthusiastic client of his. The artist for this one is Ron Salas, and he really works very well with the black & white format. His lines are crisp, realistic and have a very “classic” feel to them. He does a good job, and the simple story is all the more effective for it.

Taxidermy is creepy by definition.

The writer on “Arrangement of Skin” is J. Torres, and while the story is very simple, it is effective and the twist is handled very nicely. It’s a completely different type of story than “The Human Condition”, but it was another “pleasant” read.

Last but not least, it’s time for Archie Goodwin’s oldschool “Duel of the Monsters”, which has a vampire and a werewolf, so you know it can’t be bad! This story is set in a small town, where a vampire works as a policeman during night shifts. It seems a werewolf is in town, killing people and doing werewolf stuff, and that town just isn’t big enough for two monsters roaming around. Too much competition! The vampire cop decides he needs to track down the werewolf as quick as possible, but as usual, there’s a twist coming. I really like this story. It’s much different than the new stuff, but it’s a nice throwback to classic monster stories.

Goddamn werewolves.

All in all, “Creepy” #17 is a very good issue, and the series continues showing that short, twist ending stories can still be done to great effect. Check it out!


Are you reading “Creepy”? What other horror comics do you follow? Sound off in the comments!

Tagged: comics, Reviews.

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