Doom Ranch 5000 isn’t exactly a comic anthology; it is more a short collection of local Texas tall tales and legends illustrated by a variety of local artists. Rather than feeling like a fully fleshed out work, it feels more like a portfolio piece to introduce each artist to the comic-reading public and garner interest for their longer works. As an introduction to relatively unknown creators, it worked, but at the end of the short, seventeen-page volume, I was left wanting something more.
I’ve spent the majority of my life in Austin, and I attended college in San Antonio, so I’m already familiar with many of the creepy tales presented in Doom Ranch 5000. Each contributor touched on a different tale, ranging from the well-known (at least in the Southwest) La Llorona to local stories like Galveston’s Hallowmart (I had never heard this one!); however, due to the nature of the collection, none of the stories were fully developed after giving the basics, and I wanted to see more artwork from each artist. I would be fascinated to see some of these spooky tales developed into longer comics in some way. Any of them could provide the root for a fun Halloween plot!
The artists in Doom Ranch 5000 are Jessica Grundy, David Wilson, Bruce Small, Austin Rogers, Jessica Correa, Chris Ruggia, Josh Alexander, Amanda Rogers, J. Michael Stovall, Chris Sweet, Cody Schibi, and Mark Nasso. With so many different illustrators, the artwork varies widely, but it is all beautifully rendered. I honestly would need to see more from each before coming to a conclusion about whether or not I personally would want more of their pieces in my life.
Overall, Doom Ranch 5000 is a nice introduction to Texas’ spooky tales and legends and a variety of artists from the Lone Star State, but it doesn’t go much beyond that. It seems designed as starting point to learn more about both, not a definitive source. If you see art you like in the volume, check out the artists’ websites! The info is nicely included with their contributions to the comic, and the longer form works or collections of artwork may provide more depth.
4 Talking Longhorn Skulls out of 5
