ADVANCE REVIEW: Count Crowley: Reluctant Midnight Monster Hunter #1

Count Crowley: Reluctant Midnight Monster Hunter is one of the most distinct comic titles to come along in a while. And its title ”“ quirky and descriptive ”“ is but one indicator of how unique (and uniquely good) this book actually is. Generally speaking, comic books that are auditioning for other media platforms (e.g. film/television) are not great comic books. Count Crowley doesn“t fall into this category. But it reads like the better (and darker) situation comedies of the contemporary moment. Written by David Dastmalchian with distinctive visuals provided by Lukas Ketner and Lauren Affe, Dark Horse Comics has once again proven its undeniable penchant for producing some of the most original stories in comics ”“ or in any medium.

Maybe it“s the fact that the first couple of times that readers encounter Count Crowley“s protagonist, Jerri Butler, she“s either swigging whiskey from the bottle or chugging wine from a box, but you will love her. Jerri is instantly authentic. And although who Count Crowley is remains a mystery through this first issue, it is clear who the star of the show (and the comic book) really is.

Jerri is Count Crowley ”“ at least since the original person who plays Count Crowley on the TV show within the comic book series has disappeared. And she is reluctant. The circumstances that lead her to the lead role as host of a TV show that premiers corny horror movies are part of the comedy that animates the series. Comics that are about TV shows aren“t necessarily new, but Count Crowley“s comedic pace and its subtle self-awareness as a noir, faux horror, dark comedy miniseries is irresistible.

But genre definitions don“t matter so much for this Dark Horse gem. Count Crowley is gruesome when it wants to be horrific, hilarious when it wants to be comedic, and cunning when it wants to be dark. It“s not the comic“s fault that you will experience it as if it is already fully realized in another medium. That“s just the consequence of a deliberately well-crafted and visually compelling story.

All of that said, Count Crowley still remains a mystery. What happened to the original Count Crowley? Why is the host of a TV show about whack horror movies doubling as a monster hunter? What happened to Jerri and her brother in Cleveland? These questions and many more will be answered in the months to come in Count Crowley: Reluctant Midnight Monster Hunter.

SCORE: 4.5/5

Writer:Â David Dastmalchian
Artist:Â Lukas Ketner

Colorist:Â Lauren Affe

Letterer:Â Frank Cvetkovic

Cover Artist:Â Lukas Ketner

Tune in to our interview with David HERE

Follow David on Twitter:Â @Dastmalchian
Instagram:Â @dastmalchian
Website:Â daviddastmalchian.com