Cullen Bunn is one of the most well-known horror writers in comic books today, and his stories are dramatic. They tend to be pretty serious and very rarely indulge in humor, which is what makes this issue of Black Hammer: Visions such a delight. Cthu-Lou is one of the more genuinely ridiculous creations from the Black Hammer-verse which also makes him one of the most joyful. He’s a blue-collar plumber with the head of a Cthulu monster. There was also Cthu-Louise who was equally as delightful.

In this one-shot story, Cthu-Lou is plagued not only by his wife, but by the return of his master, the Cthulu itself. Cthulu’s messenger is a sewer rat. And Bunn spends his time thumbing his nose at the great ancient one. Malachi Ward and Matthew Sheean really do embrace the absurdity of this situation on a visual level. A Cthulu-headed shlub tucked into his lazy boy is remarkably funny to me on many levels. The fact that the wife’s name is Elaine… The Honeymooners… the young folks won’t get the reference.

This is the first issue of Visions in which I want the creative team to genuinely continue forward with the character. (That’s not entirely true. I’d love to see Kelly Thompson continue on Skulldigger, as well). What Bunn would do with an ongoing Cthu-Lou series – a pun turned into a top-notch troll of an idea would be wonderful on so many levels.

Creative Team: Cullen Bunn (script), Malachi Ward and Matthew Sheean (art), Dave Stewart (colors), Nate Piekos of Blambot (letters), Daniel Chabon (editor), Chuck Howitt and Konner Knudsen (assistant editors), Ethan Kimberling (design), Josie Christensen (digital art technician)
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
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