Would you be strong enough to sacrifice anything … to save your friends?
Creative Staff:
Writer: Dave Franchini
Artwork: Renzo Rodriguez
Colors: Jorge Cortes
Letters: Taylor Esposito
What They Say:
Will Ellen suffer the same fate as her mentor Michael Chase’s deceased wife, or will she rise to save her friends from the wicked spirits breaking through to our world?
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
The time has finally come to confront the past which Michael has been hiding and Ellen has been dreading to face, but after her trance, there is little choice. The ominous message scrawled with the word The Farm and GPS coordinates point to a decision, and even as Dr. Chase warns this is where he lost his wife Jenny, his student is still determined to go and confront her inner demons. When the team finally arrives in England, they are all confused as to the reason for this location, until Curtis explains the area is a hot spot for paranormal occurrences, with some locals even reporting it is a gateway to the underworld. But as they finally see the decrepit farmhouse and its surroundings, none reject the notion of this superstition, especially after they speak to the listless family who live in its confines. Although they grant permission to investigate, the warning of the house allowing such a probe is ominous, but it does not keep the team from going inside.
But as Ellen leads them through the interior, it is immediately apparent something does not want to be disturbed, and when the front door slams shut, that message becomes all too clear. After the spiritualist hears a disembodied voice does she know it is too late, only to watch her friends wraith in pain before collapsing, as Morgan pulls all of their essences out, connected by a thread which links them together. While the two entities struggle to gain dominance, it is clear who has the upper hand, but this malicious phantom will not allow for negotiation, even as each person suffers their own nightmare. This supposed childhood friend has an ulterior motive in mind, but can Ellen trust such a maleficence to keep its word … or does she have any choice?
In Summary:
While it may have been a long wait to finally grasp this finale, writer Dave Franchini does not disappoint with this gripping conclusion for the series, but still allows us hope for a continuation of future events. We have stood by in anxious anticipation to see Ellen become aware of her powers as the story progressed, follow Michael mentoring his student to grasp her true potential, allow Vera to research new leads for the team to investigate, watch as Ferg confronts suspects for more clues and smile as Curtis tried to debunk every case with his shallow judgment, but now everything comes to bear in this chilling culmination. However as the title advanced, the underlying presence of Morgan, Ellen’s childhood trauma, and Michael’s loss drove them forward, but as we saw during the progression of the narrative, events were revealed which showed the entirety of the team were affected by events which left a mark that connected them through a pact of suffering. Although most would turn inward to protect themselves from such mental anguish, this group instead chooses to face their pain, confront the demons and learn through suffering there is strength; but at the same time, there is still a frightened child hiding within afraid to come out. It is through this vulnerability by which they are challenged to an ultimate contest of wills, allowing for the past to oppress the present … in a brilliant effort by Franchini to hold the heroes hostage through their fears. You cannot but smile in the cleverness of this charade, knowing no one would ever leave their companions behind if they have an alternate way to release them. Though this scenario may seem obvious, the lack of hesitation is what makes this narrative all the more heartfelt and allows us to understand their strong bond, all while contemplating the end and how the repercussions will affect things to come.
And yet even with such an effectively poignant narrative, what we first notice is the open expressiveness of the characters, magnificently portrayed by Renzo Rodriguez’s hauntingly gruesome artistry. While some of the faces are comical via over exaggeration, what he excels in portraying is the ghoulish beauty of these pages, especially Morgan, giving her a tinge of fright by hiding the ghastly truth behind her hood, only allowing a hint of what is to come being exposed through that chilling smile and her extended bestial claws. However what makes these images all the more chilling is colorist Jorge Cortes’ wondrous command of ethereal tones which are grounded by the organic richness of the real world versus the spirit plane. Ordinary anchors the team, but once they are pulled into the taunter’s world, there is a mesmeric quality which you cannot resist, needing to pick out every secret which Rodriguez has hidden within his pages, nuances such as faces embedded into the floor are too many to list. And though the replayed memories may seem familiar, there are nightmarish influences from classic horror films which magnify the insanity, almost allowing you to hear the Psycho shower theme as you turn each page, adding more terror to the raging bonfire of this finale. This artistic team’s synergy is phenomenal, every panel a masterpiece unto itself, the creepiness building and combining to create a demonic ceremony which unravels your psyche, making you wonder if these pages are casting a spell of its own to doubt the reality of your own sanity. But it is the final pages which make you realize there is true humanity and heroism even within the darkest of places, the battle between Ellen and Morgan – even as she sees her friends suffering, there is no doubt as to what is the right choice. You can feel the raw terror, tenderness, unwavering determination and sheer willpower displayed on our heroine’s face, reigniting the faith in true saviors and protectors, allowing them to persevere in the darkness of nights and the most solemn of moments.
Spirit Hunters was a noble escapade into the ordinariness which surrounds us, never allowing one to know the truth behind what goes bump in the night. However as Ellen, Dr. Chase, Vera, Ferg, and Curtis show us, those brave enough to fight back can resist the pull of those monsters, until they start pushing back. And while I would have liked to see more of the secrets hidden therein exposed to the light, there is enough within the series to entice us to cross over for a peak, even as we may later regret it. The taunts of Morgan bring us close to the edge, and while we may teeter over the brink, we can rest securely knowing people like these will yank us back before the nightmare closes in all around us … capturing the foolhardy for an extended stay.
Grade: A-
Series Grade: A
Rating: T (for Teens)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: July 25, 2018
MSRP: $3.99
