With two successful and fascinating issues delivered, we find ourselves in the last half of the series. Our story is coming to a close, but what will David Dastmalchian (writer), Lucas Ketner (artist), and Lauren Affe (colorist) deliver in the end?
Let’s continue with Count Crowley: Reluctant Midnight Monster Hunter and figure out where this third issue lands.
The Story
It looks like everything is falling apart for Jerri which is fitting given the point of the story we hit in this issue. The sequence opens with Jerri on the escape from her reanimated attacker. She manages this with the timely intervention of Barnes’ cat, from the previous issue. Jerri severs the hand of the attacker in the process.
Naturally, anyone would need a little liquid courage after that and that is where everything begins to fall apart for Jerri. There is a really great (as in well written) explosion of tension between Jerri and her brother. As one expects at this point, the very evidence which can support Jerri’s insane-sounding claims literally walks away on five fingers.
All this leads Jerri to her next lead, Vincent Freis, the host of the show prior to the missing Barnes. There Jerri learns some information about a much larger conflict, all while taking the barbs of a very sad old man. Misogyny is the real monster here, folks.
The only problem with the issue, as fun as it is, is that it all feels very much like Jerri is on the periphery of things and I am just not sure how well the story will resolve itself at this point by the next issue. I feel that David Dastmalchian’s writing is very strong and I am totally on-board for the ride, but I just don’t know if this is going to work as a one-and-done story.
Then again, based on the information dropped on readers by Vincent… it sounds like there is a thread for more stories to come.
The Look
The art continues to impress. In particular, the character designs continue to land, particularly with the character of Vincent who looks just curmudgeonly enough. His design evokes a little bit of the old EC Hosts, such as the Crypt Keeper and the like. Jerri as a character has really gotten used to her costume in the story and every time she uses the cape to “sneak” around is an absolutely riotous image we see a couple of times in the issue. It is an absolutely perfect sight gag.
The usage of color throughout the scenes is amazing. I am particularly thrilled by the overall mood of Vincent’s room at Atrium Gardens. It’s incredibly creepy with some amazing interplay of blue and orange tones. The color carries through the rest of the issue as Jerri’s day is coming to an end and a long night begins.
Final Verdict
Besides the cover, one of the reasons I picked up Count Crowley, initially, was the presence of the notice of “#1 of 4” on that very first issue. I like mini-series, and I like things that do not wear out their welcome. Count Crowley is not wearing out its welcome by any sense of the term, but I am wondering how much of a complete experience I am getting by that fourth issue.
On the one hand, I am excited by what I have read, but on the other… will it be a complete story or set up for something else? Something longer?
Regardless, Count Crowley continues to impress, but I am getting a bit nervous about the sudden increase of scale presented in this issue.
(4 / 5)
Stick around as we finish covering the complete Count Crowley. Feel free to check out our other comic coverage as well.