horror comic

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “Choujin X” Vol. 11. by Sui Ishida

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

As the Yamato Mori attacks the Tower of Mourning, Zora’s forces launch a powerful counterattack.

Continuing the battle, this volume has some cool art, especially as various characters show off new abilities. The splash pages are fantastic, and (no spoilers) what we learn about what it will mean if Zora is killed? Very interesting. It was a little disappointing that wasn’t the focus of the rest of the volume, but there is a LOT going on; plenty of enemies and some character work to get through. It’s alright that it doesn’t move forward much plot-wise since what we see is intriguing and entertaining. 3.5 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “Something is Killing the Children” Vol. 8, by James Tynion IV & Werther Dell’Edera

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

This volume is an anthology, gathering different stories to explore Erica’s past.

Watching Erica work never gets old. I love how action-packed this volume is. It makes the quiet moments that much more impactful. Despite the volume being promoted as for even new readers, I think it does you a disservice to read this without the context of the previous volumes, especially given how volume seven ended. You might be annoyed that volume eight doesn’t jump right in to where seven left off, but I think these stories give some great insight into Erica’s training and her dynamic with the organization. She’s an awesome character, and this volume just lets her do her thing. 4.5 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “Something is Killing the Children” Vol. 7, by James Tynion IV & Werther Dell’Edera

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

After barely surviving the Duplicitype. Erica has to face the deeply unstable Cutter. With the situation dire, Cecilia shows up to help Erica defeat the creature wearing her face.

Oof, Erica just can’t catch a break. Even when I’m mentally prepared for things to go bad, I wasn’t prepared for how bad this got. I was hoping for a more positive outcome… What a downer. Scary, gripping, and amazingly drawn, but a downer. It can easily be summed up in this exchange:

Cutter: It doesn’t matter. You still lose.

Erica: Yeah. I’m fucking used to it.

I hear this series got picked up by Blumhouse, and I hope they do it justice. 4 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “After God” Vol. 7, by Sumi Eno

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Tokinaga is ordered back after making a deal with Alura to save Waka’s life.

Waka and Tokinaga also go on a date, and it turns out as well as anything does in this comic. Is it me, or is all this getting too complicated? There are so many people keeping so many secrets from all these different people, there are like three plot threads going on, I feel like I need a series rundown to organize everything for me. It’s hard to describe without spoiling a bunch of stuff. I’m probably gonna have to go back and re-read this. 3 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “Choujin X” Vol. 10, by Sui Ishida

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

After the raid on the poppy fields, Yamato Mori has a chance for a final showdown with Zora, but it is in her tower, giving her the advantage.

Seeing the fruits of all this training is so well done. The fight scenes are well done, and the use of the various abilities on both sides are so awesome. Since a good chunk of this is set up and hitting a few emotional beats before the battle begins, it’s all just getting started by the time the volume ends. I hope all this buildup pays off, especially after the last volume of Dark Gathering impressed me so much. 3 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “Dark Gathering” Vol. 16, by Kenichi Kondō

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Yayoi’s plan (Operation Bellflower Regicide) reaches its final stage. Now, the graduates must to their part to weaken and destroy the god to save Ai.

Even though this volume stops to expound or flashback a lot, this battle does not disappoint. I actually started to feel bad for some of the spirits that didn’t make it. We’ve spent so much time with them at this point that it was a shame that some necessary sacrifices were inevitable in the fight. It’s amazing to see everything Yayoi has experienced and fought for coming together in a fantastically illustrated battle. This was so satisfying, even though it’s clearly not over. 4.5 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “I’m the Grim Reaper” Vol. 3, by Graveweaver

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

As a result of interrupting an attempted robbery, Scarlet is revealed to be a reaper in order to save Chase’s life. They cut a deal, but Satan – as he says – always gets what he wants.

This volume dives heavily into the morals of what makes a sinner worthy of reaping, which kinda shows why Chase is marked. Even with his backstory, he’s a bit too keen on knocking people off. No wonder his ass got fired. This brought to mind The Good Place and what standards send souls where they need to go. Yeah, Scarlet has to kill at least one sinner to save herself from being sent to hell, but Chase’s “we’re gonna cleanse the world of evil” spiel is dangerous. They still make a great team and the battles are well done. 4 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “Manhole” Vol. 1, by Tetsuya Tsutsui

(Image Source)

*This book is recommended for mature audiences.

After a sick naked man collapses in the street, the police try to track down where he came from, leading to a blood trail coming from the sewers. Meanwhile, whatever he was afflicted with seems to be spreading.

The parasite/virus is gross. If you don’t like body horror, skip this. It’s not a bad opener to a plague/zombie/infected type story but it’s pretty typical. The infection is slowly spreading, an investigation, creepy source of all the chaos; pretty standard for the genre. The two cops on the case. Nao and Ken, are the gruff experienced one, contrasted with the plucky newbie. The art can really get your stomach churning, showing postules, the parasite squelching under the skin, close-ups of bugs and blood… I am waiting for something to make this stand out from the rest. 3 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “Moan” by Junji Ito

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

This is a collection of short stories:

  • Supernatural Transfer Student – The “Supernatural Club” in a school invites the strange new kid to join them
  • Moan – A mother becomes obsessed with cleaning to the point that it corrupts the home
  • Blood Orb Grave – After a car accident, a couple ends up in a village where the residents are obsessed with blood
  • Flesh Colored Mystery – A woman is attacked with a strange substance
  • Near Miss – A flight suddenly goes missing and the desperate search to find it
  • Under the Ground – The graduating class of 1974 has its 20-year reunion, unearthing a time capsule but one classmate can’t let go of the past

None of these stories went where I thought they would, and that didn’t always work for me. They’re not BAD by any means, and a wild twist is preferable to something blandly predictable. I have to admit though, I was left confused more than scared most of the time. 3.9 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “After God” Vol. 6, by Sumi Eno

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

After Waka was kidnapped by Volov – who is demanding something from Alura – she attempts to escape only for Alura to awaken against Waka’s will.

Alura’s design is amazing. A real eldritch nightmare and gave me a real feeling of wrong, and is so very disconcerting. Overall, the volume is WILD but also sad. A LOT of plot points happen, and it balances the serious moments with some wackiness very well. It’s a total package, showcasing the best of this series: the horror, the action, great characters, and some amazing art. I honestly didn’t see things going the way they are and it’s been so much fun to read. 5 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.