When reality isn’t the truth and lunacy teetering on the edge becomes fact … then start questioning yourself.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Billy Hanson
Pencils: Joe Sanchez Diaz
Colors: Marco Lesko
Letters: Fabio Amelia
What They Say:
It’s Halloween night and mysterious calls are flooding the local radio station of this small Illinois town. The calls had started out as playful pranks but quickly have escalated to strange and horrifying depictions of an alien invasion. Is this town really ground zero for Earth’s first true encounter with extraterrestrial life? Do they come in peace? Or is it just a well-thought-out hoax? Be sure to find out in this can’t miss issue!
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
Is it Halloween 1980 and two truckers are driving through the small town of Dover Springs, Texas trying to speed things up at a local truck stop before they finish off a long haul. To keep things interesting, they are listening to a local station, K-RAW with DJ Meredith in order to stay awake. However just as the song is getting good, Dale’s partner screams out as he sees a strange creature standing in the middle of the road, almost causing the 18 wheeler to jackknife due to the sudden stop. Even if it is the night for Trick or Treating, this kind of practical joke is not something one wants to pull against a vehicle which can barely stop in time when at speed. Now determined to teach this prankster a lesson for pulling such a dangerous stunt, Larry pulls out a gun and proceeds to where he saw the man fall, but all he finds is pain and misery. There is nothing his friend can do when he sees the result except run without turning back.
As Meredith finishes the first set of songs before her first break and opens the lines for calls, station manager Mark warns her she had better be prepared for a long night. However as she brews up a fresh pot, Mark bursts into the break room and alerts her to a call they just received – about a guy talking about monsters and his friend getting killed. Skeptical as to the veracity due to the special night, Meredith picks up the phone off air and listens to Dale relate his story, wondering why he is calling a radio station instead of the police. When he states no one is answering 911, all he thought to do was try to warn as many people as possible to avoid the same fate as Larry. Still questioning if this guy is crazy, Mark simply asks her to try calling the cops herself, but all which answers is a dead line. Wondering if this is all an elaborate joke, more calls start coming with similar stories – of people being taken away or being killed. With no other choice, she gets back on the air, taking more hysterical calls and still questioning if she is doing the right thing.
In Summary:
When I first heard the title of the story and read the contents therein, you of course think of the famous radio broadcast by Orson Welles of a similar event. Even if writer Billy Hanson does try to modernize the tale by setting it before the widespread use of the internet, which would have debunked any panic, the narrative still does have some genuine momentum by allowing panic to strike the populace and bury any truth. As each step monopolizes upon the previous and any hope to strike down lies is nullified by the holiday, the progression works to bring us a charming story of paranoia gone wild, reminiscent of happening within the Twilight Zone. The simplicity of the setting also helps into thinking this is nothing more than a prank, a rural town with nothing to do on that special night, which allows mischief to run rampant. However even with this re-imagining of a classic scare tactic, the originality still escapes the story since it uses the same build up and finishes with an ending which tries to invalidate any lunacy caused by Halloween, all to ensure a questionable conclusion to fit this new transition.
While we have many versions H. G. Wells’ popular book of alien invasion, this graphic translation is kept low key by the skeptical nature of Halloween and the rural setting. Artist Joe Sanchez Diaz keeps his illustrations simple and organic, allowing the reader to settle into the story, without alerting them to the underlying meaning or arousing too much suspicion as to what follows. The muted colors by Marco Lesko also helps to defuse any stress, only signalling there might actually be trouble being roused in the background by the skillful use of neon blues to signal an otherworldly force working to keep things quiet. This combination slowly builds up the tension, with everything focusing on Meredith, her reactions becoming the narrative and allowing her to set the pace of the story. And while everything still feel familiar, Diaz and Lesko still manage to keep us guessing until the very end.
Although this narrative may fit within the realm of the Grimm Tales of Terror series, when you compare it to past tales for shock factor or simply leaving a lasting impression, this issue sadly falls short. Perhaps it is the combination of familiar stories elements and understated artwork which fails to make an impact, but whichever the reason, it is mediocre at best. The expectation of Halloween’s mischief may also play a role, but all in all, it is disappointing to see this type of story revealed within a title which is known for its horror and not ending with a bad taste in our mouths.
Grade: B
Rating: T (for Teens)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: December 20, 2017
MSRP: $3.99
