You probably have a favorite cryptid.
Perhaps it comes from one of the great legends or ancient myths. Like the Minotaur or the Hydra. A creature that has been talked about for centuries. Or maybe it’s a more recent urban legend. A bogeyman who crashes at night and eats livestock, or who warns stragglers not to cross bridges late at night, as catastrophe may soon occur. Like Chupacabra and Mothman. Or maybe you like your cute and cuddly descriptions of supposedly extinct or misunderstood animals that come to us in the form of the Loch Ness Monster or unicorns.
But what if they were all real?
“You know how it goes, Regan. Assignments are given from above. They throw the ball, we go get it.”
And what if there’s a group that tries to make you think it’s all just fiction? That’s Michael Moresi, Steve Seeley, JM Ringuette, Axel Medellin, Emilio Raiso, Charo Solis, That’s what Rosario Costanzo, Jim Campbell and other hoax hunters tried to do. A motley mix of The X-Files and reality TV, a motley team of eccentric people work to debunk the paranormal for the general public. Ostensibly to keep cryptids safe. Because it always works.
There’s an interesting balance here between an ongoing story and some single-issue stories. I think I prefer character-driven, self-contained stories, but the real heart of this series is in the opening arc. The Hoax Hunters team itself is largely horror-inspired, with a once-possessed woman (basically a grown-up Regan McNeill, even the same name) and an undead scientist confronting other paranormal phenomena. . But there’s also an interesting way in which this presents layers of intrigue. Yes, about cover-up, but also about the larger purpose of interdimensional warfare. And about the history between Jack, the leader of the field team, and his father.
Much of the art in the first collection is by Axel Medellin. His style in the first four issues reminds me a bit of a combination of John McCrea and Darick Robertson, but much looser. I focus on the simple shapes and shadows of people and the designs of living things. The details on the monsters, especially those that transcend dimensions, really stand out. This contrasts with the angular, scratchy style of JM Ringuet in issue #0 and the rounded, washed, textured artwork of Emilio Laiso and Rosario Costanza in issue #5.
And great lettering from Jim Campbell. Aside from the unique black-and-white inverted speech bubbles on some of the creatures, I really like the way Campbell presents the “weak voice” here. Change the case and size and express it with swaying speech bubbles.
“We live by controlling information. If you have something in your head that gives you an advantage, you need to use it. End of story.”
“Hoax Hunters – Volume 1: Murder, Death, and the Devil” by Moresi, Seeley, Ringuette, Medellin, Raiso, Solis, Costanza, and Campbell is a wonderful blend of horror, science fiction, and a touch of satire. It attracts many people. Ghost Hunters type reality TV show. The story tells a fascinating, original mystery adventure filled with layers of intrigue, family drama, and supernatural madness.
Image has released three volumes. Then, the “second season” up to Heavy Metal will continue for five issues. Unfortunately, I don’t think the story was ultimately resolved, but what we got was very satisfying.
Classic Comics Encyclopedia: Hoax Hunters – BOOK ONE
Hoax Hunter – Volume 1: Murder, Death, and the Devil
Screenplay: Michael Moresi & Steve Seeley
Artist: JM Ringuet (#0), Axel Medellin (#1-4) & Emilio Laiso (#5)
Flat & Color Assistant: Charo Solis (#3 & 4)
Colorist: Rosario Costanzo (#5)
Author: Jim Campbell
Publisher: Image Comics
Release date: December 5, 2012
Read the past works of the classic manga encyclopedia!
Something like this:
Like loading…
