Haunted City #1
Written by Chap Taylor, Peter Johnson
Illustrated by Michael Ryan
Colored by Kelsey Shannon, Beth Sotelo
Letters by Josh Reed
Aspen Comics
Release Date: October 12, 2011
Cover Price: $3.50

Paranormal comics usually aren’t my bag, but this one seemed different. A crooked cop, a Celtic goddess and children dying. Haunted City #1 brings all that to the story and a bit more. Best of all, not only is it a comic series but it will apparently transition into a feature film, a television show, and a video game.

The story is just getting started, obviously, but Chap Taylor and Peter Johnson spin one hell of an interesting tale. Secret police, female rabbis, drug dealers. A very populated first comic. And that’s not even including all the ghosts…it seems New York is an undead haven! The comic actually describes it as “the biggest haunted house in the world.” Even the bold lines of Michael Ryan‘s art is perfect for this series.

I don’t read a lot of Aspen Comics‘ publications, but if this is any indication of the skill levels at work, I’m going to have to start! I loved the quick turns in the plot, the dark feeling of oppression, and the humanization of the characters. I felt immediately drawn into the story and really hate that I have to wait for the next one to arrive. Hands down, I will recommend this series. It was a quick read, lots to take in but worth every second. I read it twice, I liked it so much. Go grab this one folks, it’s a good one.

And since this is the first comic I’ve reviewed from this company, let me add: R.I.P. Michael Turner. You are missed, sir.