DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT – @dynamitecomics
[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]
STORY: Cullen Bunn
ART: Blacky Shepherd; Kyle Strahm
COLORS: Thiago Ribeiro; Kyle Strahm
LETTERS: Troy Peteri
COVER: Kelley Jones with Chris O'Halloran
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Kelley Jones with Chris O'Halloran; Kelley Jones; Ken Haeser and Buz Hasson with Blair Smith
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S.
Rated “Teen+”
Pumpkinhead is a1988 horror and dark fantasy horror film. It is the directorial debut of special effects artist Stan Winston, a multiple Oscar-winner (Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Jurassic Park). Pumpkinhead is the titular monster, a grotesque creature summoned when hillbillies and assorted backwoods denizens and people of the “holler” wanted supernatural revenge – usually against a person or persons who killed a loved one.
Pumpkinhead yielded straight-to-video and television movie sequels and a two-issue, never completed comic book series from Dark Horse Comics. Because everything old is retread again, Dynamite Entertainment has obtained the license to produce comic books based on Pumpkinhead. Dynamite's debut title, Pumpkinhead, is written by Cullen Bunn; drawn by Blacky Shepherd; colored by Thiago Ribeiro; and lettered by Troy Peteri.
Pumpkinhead #1 opens on Bradley Mountain “long ago,” and reveals a ritual that involves finding demons. The story moves to the present day small town of Wrightson Mills. Sheriff Andi Ferris, a woman of color, is trying to get cooperation concerning the hit-and-run death of two local (i.e. hillbilly) children. Meanwhile, the perpetrator of that crime, Clayton Reese, sits tight, waiting for his bosses to help him escape from the consequences of his actions. The consequences are more dire than he can realize or even dream in his worst nightmares.
The plot of Pumpkinhead #1 is similar to the plot of the original film, and the first issue's script basically follows the film's formula. I liked the movie when I first saw it in a theater decades ago, and I have watched it a few times since. So I enjoyed the fact that Pumpkinhead #1 does not veer from the film in that respect.
However, I don't like the new origin slash explanation of Pumpkinhead's existence and of what he is. Sure, I wanted to know more about the whys, hows, and wheres of Pumpkinhead as I left the theater after seeing the film for the first time, but there is something to be said in favor of keeping the mystery, or at least some of it, unsolved.
Writer Cullen Bunn has become quite prolific in the last several years, writing a number of comic books, especially for Marvel. Some of his comic books are imaginative, even a little scary; some of his other comics writing is ordinary superhero hackwork. Pumpkinhead #1 reflects both Bunns. Some of it is good storytelling, roiling with anticipation and a sense of dread. Some of it, like Pumpkinhead's back story, is the kind of screwy, pretend inventiveness we get from that process called “re-imagining.”
The art and coloring by Blacky Shepherd and Thiago Ribeiro is perfect for visualizing scary stories and for comics that have a folktale bent, like Pumpkinhead #1. Shepherd's graphical storytelling and page design creates a milieu perfect for a comic book story that sometimes reads like a campfire tale, and Shepherd even manages to brings dignity to the ridiculous “origin” story.
And no scary comics story is complete without lettering that strikes the right tone, which Troy Peteri does, especially with the dialogue. Peteri uses his lettering to give each character a voice – from the creepy old lady to the vengeful mountain man and from the stalwart lady lawdog to the sleazy hood. Everyone “sounds” right.
Pumpkinhead #1 shows how good and important it is to have a complete skilled graphics team of artist, colorist, and letterer. Colorist Thiago Ribeiro and letterer Troy Peteri are making me push aside my few reservations about Pumpkinhead the comic book series.
7.5 out of 10
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
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