Image Comic’s Ghost Machine has released a variety of titles, from the anti-heroes of Geiger and Redcoat to the dystopian Rook: Exodus. Now it’s time to sprint into a world of horror with Hyde Street #1. Hyde Street #1 takes place on the titular street, which is home to a collection of characters with their own spooky secrets. Pranky is a seemingly ordinary boy scout whose angelic face hides a wellspring of malice. Dr. Ego conducts gruesome experiments on anyone who enters his clinic. And then there’s the mysterious Mr. X-Ray, known for his distinctive X-ray glasses. He wants a way out of Hyde Street, but it might involve throwing a few innocent souls into the darkness.
If you’re reading this and thinking, “Wait, this sounds like The Twilight Zone,” or “Wait, this sounds like a modern update of EC Comics,” then you’re right. Ghost Machine architect Geoff Johns clearly had a wide range of influence on the shaping of Hyde Street, but The Zone towers above them all. Is the child of the devil more than he looks? A place where the laws of reality are overturned? It was all depicted in The Twilight Zone. Even Mr. X Ray bears an uncanny resemblance to Rod Stewart.
I don’t mind this because “The Twilight Zone” is without a doubt one of the greatest TV shows of all time, but there is very little about “Hyde Street #1” that is scary. Most of its pages are devoted to Mr. . Perhaps future issues will delve deeper into the mystery, but unlike previous Ghost Machine titles, Hyde Street lacks the hook that keeps me coming back. Part of the reason may be that Johns is spreading himself a bit too much with four separate titles. Some of that may also be due to the influence of other horror comics (particularly Image Horror’s title Killadelphia ) that were able to deliver thrills and chills in their debut issue.
image comic
The real horror comes from Ivan Reis and Danny Miki. The duo have previously dabbled in horror with Aquaman and Blackest Night, but their film Hyde Street #1 is straight up horror. Let’s take a look at the first page. It begins with an innocent scene in which Plunky helps an old woman cross the street. However, there is a moment when his face changes from an innocent child to a demonic one. His eyes turn black and his smile becomes snake-like.
Another bizarre image shows Mr. X-Ray without his glasses. True to form, his eyes are endless spirals, rendered blood-red by colorist Brad Anderson, but the panels are pushed in one after the other, filling the entire double-page spread with blood. It becomes nothing more than a swirl of red and pure white. For lack of the right words, it creates a hypnotic effect that draws the reader in.
Hyde Street #1 is a pretty solid debut, and while the story takes a while to get going, it does incorporate some scary imagery. Perhaps future issues, including the upcoming one-shot “Devour,” will delve further into the mysteries of this world, but if “Hyde Street” wants to build a new readership, it needs to work on the story. There will be.
“Hyde Street” #1 evokes ghosts from other stories
Hyde Street #1
Hyde Street #1 is a pretty solid debut, with the story taking a while to get going and the gruesome imagery becoming its trademark. Perhaps future issues, including the upcoming one-shot “Devour,” will delve further into the mysteries of this world, but if “Hyde Street” wants to build a new readership, it needs to work on the story. There will be.
Ivan Reis hones the horror elements of his DC films and delivers some truly chilling visuals.
An opening sequence that will forever linger in your nightmares.
There are some interesting characters, but one that really stands out is Plunky.
The story feels a little too reminiscent of The Twilight Zone.
Unlike other Ghost Machine titles, this one feels more like a setup than a complete story.
