A classic horror comic for the inner Stephen King latchkey kid in all of us.
Butterfly, California, is a seemingly simple (albeit overly prayerful and prejudiced) town, filled to the brim with troubles of its own. Naz, Sal, and two Matts (That makes four if you’re counting the creators.) are caught playing Dungeons & Dragons in a cemetery at night by a group of standard-issue varsity bullies, complete with the jackets. But as the two warring factions reach a climax in their confrontation, they’re interrupted by a satanic being, bringing about the aforementioned panic as the groups split from the scene. As the story progresses, the police force tightens its grip on the team as everyone tries to figure out what is haunting the town.
Seeing as it’s the day after Halloween that I am writing this review, it couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. This is a creative team I am completely new to, so it’s already astounding to see the amount of talent presented here. Miner’s writing accentuates the indisputable ’80s era of American horror, with carefully crafted vernacular that pays homage to those that came before. Alongside Krotzer’s fantastic lettering, it makes for a Matt-made-in-Heaven with these two in synchronicity. The louder moments in the narrative play out as boisterously as they need to, and in the quieter, more intense moments, the lettering fits the situation and adds an underlying sense of tension.
McCormack’s artistic work on the comic is nothing short of mesmerizing, encapsulating that time-honored feel even further with plenty of gorgeous hatching and scrawly illustrations that really shine during the more bloodcurdling scenes. Mertz’s excellent coloring lies in the space between the shadows of the town, and his decision to opt for flatter colors leaves the world feeling a bit grimmer and driving in that horror feel. It’s apparent there was great care taken with the art direction, and it pays off in dividends.
Satanic Panic #1 lives up to its name, treading on forbidden comics ground with a devilish caliber of quality and the ’80s body horror to back it up.
Creative Team: Matt Miner (writer), Clay McCormack (artist/cover A), Oliver Mertz (colorist/cover A), Matt Krotzer (letterer), Jon Moisan (editor), Mike Marts (editor-in-chief), Camilo Sánchez (book designer), Juan Diego Posada (book production), Justin Coffee (cover artist B/C/D)
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Click here to purchase.
