Share this
Creative Team
Story by: David Dastmalchian; Art & Standard Cover: Lukas Ketner; Colors: Lauren Affe; Letters: Frank Cvetkovic; Variant Cover: Francesco Francavilla
Count Crowley Mediocre Midnight Monster Hunter, from Dark Horse Comics, Issue 1
This is the third miniseries volume of the Count Crowley horror series. The previous two are Count Crowley: Reluctant Midnight Monster Hunter, and Count Crowley: Amateur Midnight Monster Hunter. If you haven’t read the previous series (or it’s been awhile), do not fret, as the opening to Mediocre Midnight Hunter, kicks off with a fun little rhyme by our body-less host, to get the reader caught up. Then the story of Jerri Bartman’s sad life continues in this “next murderous chapter.” As the titles suggest, our monster hunter, who has put on the Count Crowley cape, has now moved up from amateur status to mediocre.
The Story for Issue #1
After our host catches us up, we’re quickly thrown into the story. Jerri, our main character, is fighting a metaphorical monster while simultaneously fighting real monsters. Jerri struggles with alcoholism, and she just walked in to see her monster hunting predecessor, killing her AA sponsor, who also just happens to be a werewolf. Some monsters aren’t all bad.
Jerri now has to deal with the death of her werewolf sponsor, while not having him to support her. She then begins to spiral a bit. However, if she knew what else was coming, she may be spiraling even more. Bodies are missing from morgues, and a rich dying guy is in contract negotiations in order to obtain eternal life, by becoming a monster (although, I would guess he was already as much of a monster as a human can be). What the monsters benefit from in the contract, will most likely make Jerri’s actual job, and her County Crowley monster job, a smidge bit more difficult. I won’t spoil what happens at the very end, but I will offer a warning…clowns.
The Art
The cover alone sucked me right in. The art does a great job of combining the feel of old school monsters, with a current day comic book. Every page is beautifully detailed with colors that help show where and when we are in the story. Jerri is struggling with a lot at the moment, and that can be hard to see in such a short story, as a comic book. Nevertheless, you can always see her emotions being conveyed perfectly. This helps you feel for her. Whether she’s grieving her friend with lycanthrope tendencies, or just being a smartass to the douchey misogynist.
Count Crowley Mediocre Midnight Monster Hunter Issue 1 Rating: 9/10
If you’ve read some of my other reviews, or listened to our podcast, Hops GEEK News, you know I’m a sucker for a monster hunting story, thanks to the very underrated show: Supernatural. I’m also a sucker for knowing some monsters can be good, and some humans can be monsters.
Who really is worse, the nice werewolf, or the human who hunts monsters, yet can’t seem to say anything to Jerri that isn’t dripping with misogyny? I think I’d rather risk being murdered every full moon, than deal with Jerri’s fellow monster hunting colleagues. Nevertheless I loved this touch. I felt it helped show that anyone can be a monster, while also making a nod to old school movies, where talking down to woman was simply the norm. These other hunters are a bit too old school. Overall, this story has mystery, monsters, modern day issues, and old school cheesy horror feels. I will definitely be tuning in for the next “FRIGHTFUL SHOW!”
