Comics
REVIEW: ‘Let Me In’ Issue #4
Movie tie-ins always have that unfortunate aspect of having to adhere to the fundamentals of their source while attempting to recreate the experience through an entirely different medium. Let Me In: Crossroads is a four-part prequel to the vampire horror movie of last year which, itself, is an American remake of the Swedish film Let the Right One In. Being a prequel, this last issue of the miniseries is destined not to have quite the climax the movie does, but it provides some decent thrills and a classic horror ending. Read on for the full review…
“What I liked so much about the original Swedish film was that it took the vampire genre and completely flipped it on its head, turning it more into a slow-artsy film than a jumpy horror movie. It also really made me reconsider the vampire genre as a whole after Stephanie Meyers and so many others soiled its name. Somewhere between jumping over the Atlantic, being remade into an American movie and then passing into comic book form, the subtlety of the Swedish film does not make it into Crossroads. There are a few too many panels with Abby, our prepubescent vampire protagonist, growling and leaping into the air as if she’s some type of canine. While seeing a young girl climb on ceilings and rip out the jugulars of grown men is entertaining, one cannot help but think of the how the original film included very little of these types of horrific moments making the action that much more jarring and disturbing.
Of course, as this is a different medium and a different story, the reader should approach the comic as such and try not to compare it to its counterpart (even though I just did). Seeing it in this light, Crossroads # 4, while not being wholly ground-breaking, is a decent ending to the horror miniseries. The art, penciled by Patric Reynolds is again pretty good but nothing astounding and is overshadowed by the coloring of Dave Stewart which includes a very appropriate palette of dark blues and grays accented by many layers of orangish-yellow lighting.
What I was happy to find in this issue is the feeling of uncertainty carried over from the films. It forces the reader to ask questions about murder, even if the victim is a bad person, and sustenance/survival of the fittest without providing any answers. The uneasiness of these lingering questions has the same effect on the audience that the original film did. These enduring feelings are heightened at the comic’s brief, but proper, classic horror ending.”
“LET ME IN” Issue #4 Is Available NOW From Dark Horse Comics! (MSRP-$3.99)
Comics
‘Curse of the Where Wolf’ Bites Into August Release With Trio of Werewolf Theatrical Screenings [Exclusive Preview]
Larry Chaney‘s hairy misadventures are continuing in the sequel graphic novel Curse of the Where Wolf from creative team Rob Saucedo, Debora Lancianese, and Jack Morelli, and its author is celebrating with a trio of horror’s greatest werewolf films.
The Curse of the Where Wolf hits shelves on August 7 from Encyclopocalypse Publications.
That coincides with the launch of a theatrical screening event in Houston, Texas, featuring a trio of seminal werewolf flicks turning 45 this year: The Howling on August 7, Wolfen on August 14, and An American Werewolf in London on August 21.
Each screening features a “werewolf in film” presentation as well as a book signing from Where Wolf author and River Oaks Theatre artistic director Rob Saucedo.
In the new graphic novel, “Being a werewolf sucks. Reporter Larry Chaney wanted to be a hero. Instead, he became a werewolf. Now, caught between incredible new powers and a desire to eat everything (and everyone) in sight, Larry must find a cure for his curse. Or die trying.”
“With Where Wolf, I wanted to tell a whodunit set in a furry convention, so the story was pretty contained within a very specific setting and genre. With Curse of the Where Wolf, I wanted to celebrate everything I love about the possibility of comic books. Curse of the Where Wolf is a funny book, in every sense of the phrase, but it’s also an earnest look at a person’s struggle to become a better version of themselves, especially when the alternative is to become a literal monster,” Saucedo says of Curse.
The original graphic novel was previously serialized as the first webcomic hosted on Fangoria before being collected by Encyclopocalypse Publications in 2023 and has already been optioned for film, podcast, and television development ahead of launch by producers James Fino (“The Freak Brothers” for Tubi, “Rick and Morty” for Adult Swim) and Charles Horak (First Date for Magnolia Pictures).
Expect Larry to find himself in even weirder situations in the 362-page full color sequel; Saucedo has provided Bloody Disgusting with exclusive art pages from the upcoming graphic novel that showcase lupine humor.
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