Night of the Ghoul – 2021-2022 (Dark Horse Comics) – Horror, Mystery
Author: Scott Snyder
Art: Francesco Francavilla
Series Contents: Night of the Ghoul #1-3 (Sometimes also published as shorter issues #1-6, containing the same content)
What if all of mankind’s monster fables all tied back to one dark and evil being, an infesting ghoul that drives the world insane?
Story:
On a dark night, Forest Innman and his teenage son Orson drive through the Californian desert. They are heading to a rest home in the middle of nowhere, on an adventure, or so says Forest. Orson is mostly just humoring his father, at the behest of his mother. His parents’ relationship has strained and there is a separation, but his father is hoping for a reconciliation.
So why is Forest dragging his son out here to this place? Well, his goal is to talk to a hospice patient there named Mr. Charles Patrick. The resident doctor in charge there, Dr. Skeen, warns the him that Charles is very sick, and all he can offer is 20 minutes. Forest has lied to the group just to make it this far, noting he is a Northgood Insurance agent there to work out some details with Charles.
But… Forest surprises Charles with a revelation, he knows who the sick man really is! Forest believes he is T.F. Merrit, a writer and director for Hollywood of yesteryear. And why does any of this matter? Well, Forest is obsessed with some film reel portions that he has discovered. They are part of a movie entitled “Night of the Ghoul.” He must know more…
As the story takes off, it features a dark and creepy hospital setting, as well as horror, conspiracy, history, movie-making and more. Will Forest and Orson find what they are looking for, and will it be more than they bargained for? Find out in the quick horror tale Night of the Ghoul…
The story is fairly fast paced and is self-contained, however with the ideas at hand there could always be more dabbling into this world and ghoulish evil. Snyder whips up a fantastic atmospheric setting for his tale and opportunities for the artist to deliver haunting visuals. Pick this up for your October Halloween reading.
Art:
Francesco Francavilla’s distinguished style fits the moody and creepy story very well. Using strong blacks and blocks of color, the results are excellent and provide for the right visual mood. While characters are not overly detailed, they are easy to identify and the action scenes move well. Visuals for the disturbing elements are well realized and appropriately macabre.
Reasons to Read:
Movie making and horror tropes are on display here in this quick horror tale. While it may not be packed with surprises, ultimately it plays out like a classic camp fire tale with some sinister ideas and decent execution. It’s a quick read, and can be devoured in one sitting easily.
Similar Titles:
Autumnal; Wytches; Severed; The Wake; Something is Killing the Children; Harrow County; Ice Cream Man