Kirkman’s latest team-up with McFarlane proves once again he’s the man. But what’s up with the Spawn creature?
Haunt #1
Publisher: Image
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Todd McFarlane, Ryan Ottley, Greg Capullo
Summary: Daniel Kilgore is dragged into his estranged brother Kurt’s secret life of murder and espionage…by his ghost. With no training whatsoever, guided by the spirit of his secret-agent brother, Daniel must now solve his brother’s murder and save the world - or die trying!
Review: Robert Kirkman and Todd McFarlane’s debut explodes onto the scene with a dark, burning, fiery passion. Anyone famaliar with McFarlane’s work can see that the creator of Spawn lends the same monster-esque qualities to Haunt, as depicted on the front cover. Looking like a cross between a Venom and Spawn lovechild, I was a bit apprehensive about what this story will breed. However, being a rather large fan of Kirkman, I had no doubt the story-telling would deliver in spades. I was right.
Haunt tells the story of quite the unconventional relationship between two brothers. One appears to be some form of highly unusual priest (prostitution anyone?) while the other works as an undercover agent for some unknown organization. Oh yeah, did I mention one of them is actually a ghost? Kurt Kilgore, secret agent, was tortured then executed during one of his secret op missions and now only appears to his priest brother, Daniel. Scientific experiments, prostitution, mass murder, espionage and ghosts all appear seamlessly within the story’s pages thereafter. Sounds exciting? It is. While seeming like a normal murder mystery with a ghostly twist, the story takes a nosedive for the supernatural with the surprise ending and appearance of the Spawn/Venom-esque creature. My lips are sealed as to why.
Kirkman is a master storyteller. There’s no doubt about it. What he manages to do with Haunt is create a story so sublimely interesting that the appearance of a Spawn creature doesn’t make you go “What the..?!” but instead manages to pique your interest even further. Kirkman has a brilliant way of weaving the supernatural into a story with cavalier diplomacy. What sets his stories apart from the billions of other fantastic stories is the fact that his are almost believable. Zombies? Run for cover! Ghostly hauntings, creepy scientific experiments and Spawn creatures? Give me more!
Kirkman’s enthralling storytelling paired with McFarlane and Ottley’s stylized and frenzy-filled panels chalk up a mix worth checking out. Haunt’s not for everyone; no, it definitely misses some of Kirkman’s comedic bits and is saturated with dark, gritty, and haunting themes that could sit uneasily with some folks. However, if you’re looking for something fresh and unsettling, head over to your local comic shop and pick Haunt #1 up today.
October 9th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
You do a nice job of being civil and unduly gracious to them. Congrats.
October 10th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
I hadn’t heard anyone else say they liked it yet. I’m not sure if it could hold up to something like Locke & Key. You’re the expert there.
October 13th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
This issue was hot and cold. It has the makings of a good comic, but there’s not enough going on both visually and story-wise to make it a hit. I also thought the ending was less than original, unfortunately.