BOOM! Studios’ horror anthology, Hello Darkness, is a comic in the vein of Tales from the Crypt and Creepshow, featuring the pulpy terror and humor they were best known for; however, these stories are updated for a modern age. Not to say horror anthology series are a thing of the past; short stories dripping with metaphors about social and political issues never overstay their welcome, but the majority of the tropes used have a tendency to be stuck in past decades. Hello Darkness updates its messages for a new generation.

The plethora of genres presented offer something for everyone. “Contagious,” written by Jude Ellison S. Doyle and drawn by Letizia Cadonici, takes a virus story and mashes it with the Village of the Damned without the gimmicky, matching blonde hair or coinciding births. Killtopia’s Dave Cook writes a splatter-house story set in a bowling alley. There’s the first part of a prequel story to Something Is Killing The Children written by the series’ creator. Sarah Anderson writes and draws a five-line horror story about a mermaid while A.L. Kaplan draws Steve Orlando’s story about the pros and cons of having a hand transplanted onto your stomach. It closes with the first part of a Garth Ennis story, which looks to be his setup of a Twilight Zone-like story. While Becky Cloonan’s art features no gore, Ennis’ words ramp up the beginning of a nuclear war.

The art for each story is spot on, and each genre represented in this issue checks the boxes it needs. While the best-written story in this collection is arguably “Contagious,” Dave Cousen’s art for “Stay in Your Lane” is a slasher fan’s dream, featuring a killer who doesn’t use anything sharp at all to wreak havoc on his undeserving victims. Tynion and Ennis’ story only offers a taste of what’s to come. Tynion’s short will lead into Erica Slaughter’s introduction in Something Is Killing The Children, but we are left with a very basic set up for Ennis’ story. For being the longest of the six stories in this collection, not a lot happens… and that’s okay. The next part will be here soon, as series editor Bryce Carlson acknowledges that this will be an ongoing series. Given the caliber of Ennis’ writing, his words will more than likely make a tasty meal later, and that’s a gamble worth taking in waiting for next month’s issue.

Creative Team: Garth Ennis, James Tynion IV, Brian Azzarello, Various (writers), Becky Cloonan, Werther Dell’Edera, Vanesa R. Del Rey, Various (artists), Paolo Rivera (cover artist)
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
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