Silver linings in an otherwise bleak future
Creative Staff:
Writer: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Artist: Robert Hack
Lettering: Jack Morelli
What They Say
Just in time for Part 2 of Netflix’s hit show Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, this special monster-sized 3-in-1 comic collects issues #6 – #8 of the acclaimed ongoing comic book series.
Harvey Award-winning writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Riverdale, Afterlife with Archie) and artist Robert Hack (Doctor Who, The X-Files) bring this dark re-imagining of Sabrina the Teenage Witch’s occult origin to spine-tingling life.
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is probably my favorite Western comic in recent memory. Blending fantastic art reminiscent of old horror movie posters, the series has done a fantastic job of weaving witch lore with pop culture horror tropes and somehow coming out all the better for it. Characters are downright awful as they betray each other, work for their own selfish desires, or simply lay others hanging in fates worse than death. And yet the sheer amount of grimdark edginess rings sincere–something most edgy re-imaginings fail to pull off.
Containing issues 6-8 of the series, Monster-Sized Chilling Adventures of Sabrina doesn’t cover much ground, yet is still able to properly frame the strengths of the series so consistently well. Opening with origin stories on Sabrina and Ambrose’s familiars, writer Aguirre-Sacasa doesn’t pull any punches. Getting a firsthand account of Nag and Nagaina as they originally started out as humans and finally getting caught up to the present time where they’ve clearly fallen from grace feels like a cautionary fairytale before Disney scrubbed them squeaky clean. To open with the two cobras absolutely tearing apart a poor random mouse only to clarify that they were once humans that were above such feral acts works perfectly for the issue. Likewise, hearing Salem and later Edward Spellman’s backstories of love, power, and betrayal give off the perfect amount of old-timey flair.
Finally continuing the series from where it left off in the previous volume, the final issue in this collection is equal parts contrived and promising for things to come. Not knowing the gravity of bringing Harvey back from the dead, Sabrina is confronted by her aunts and eventually has to fight them. And while it was interesting to see Sabrina’s powers come into their own, and Sabrina herself finding that she has a talent for necromancy, the fight itself feels too rushed, especially with how quickly it resolves itself. Having both Hilda and Zelda give up so easily on Sabrina and leaving her to clean up her own mess is equal parts in-character, but also oddly plot-convenient.
My only real complaint with this release is that it only contains three issues when on average these collections tend to have something closer to five. While the inclusion of some preliminary art does somewhat make up for this, I was still curious about the small issue count and came to realize that this collection already brings readers up to date with the series after a mere 8 issues total originally released between 2014 and 2017. Doing a quick search suggests that the creative team had issue 9 ready to be released some time in 2018, but that clearly never happened. So what’s the deal? Checking the back of this release, it’s clearly stated that this release was timed to come out alongside the (only vaguely related) Netflix Sabrina series, so I can only assume that the future of this comic is tied very closely with that live-action series’ success. Alternatively, maybe the publishers have just become so sidetracked balancing other grimdark re-imaginings and between Vampironica, and Jughead: The Hunger, Sabrina ended up getting the short straw.
Regardless, this continues to be a fantastic series in its own right, and I hope it’s able to continue its story from here on out sooner than later.
In Summary:
While the issues contained in Monster-Sized Chilling Adventures of Sabrina continue to breathe a unique flair of mature horror-themed life into the franchise, having the collection contain a mere three issues when the standard is closer to five is curious. That is, until you realize that the Netflix series is primed to return in April 2019 and the timing of new issues will probably be slave to the live-action series. It’s a shame, but this collection at least gives hope that the long-delayed issue 9 will be around the corner.
Grade: B
Age Rating: Teen
Released By: Archie Comics
Release Date: April 3, 2019
MSRP: $17.99
