FOUR GATHERED ON CHRISTMAS EVE
Written by Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Becky Cloonan, and James Harren
Artwork by James Harren, Mike Mignola, and Eric Powell
Letters by Comiccraft and Richard Starkings
Colors by Dave Stewart
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In 1843 London on Christmas Eve four people (with the authors' names) gather for their annual telling of stories.
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In "The Eyes of the Primordial Dark" two would be astronauts take off for Mars in an airship.
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But partway there it's revealed that sinister occult things were done so that this old-fashioned ship could survive the trip through space to Mars, and eyes stare out from the darkness and shadows within to cause madness in the two explorers over the hundreds of days the trip is taking.
In "The Kelpie" the cautionary tale (in poetic prose) of the spirit of a villain who committed suicide in a stream beneath a bridge looking for shelter...and another life to drag under.
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In "The Night of the Jabberwock" an old man tries to remember if he hunted down and slayed the monster from the Lewis Carroll story. And in "The Gift of Major Courtenay" a man welcomes his friend returned from the orient who refuses to go inside for anything - fearing the consummation of a curse that has followed him back.
None of these stories are Christmas-y, but the wraparound story of the four storytellers (who don't really seem to like each other at all) is a fun spoof of gothic Victorian Era literature. It all comes to a very strange conclusion as these people reach their limits with one another. Otherwise, the stories are top notch, short, and effective. Recommended.
Written by Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Becky Cloonan, and James Harren
Artwork by James Harren, Mike Mignola, and Eric Powell
Letters by Comiccraft and Richard Starkings
Colors by Dave Stewart
In 1843 London on Christmas Eve four people (with the authors' names) gather for their annual telling of stories.
In "The Eyes of the Primordial Dark" two would be astronauts take off for Mars in an airship.
But partway there it's revealed that sinister occult things were done so that this old-fashioned ship could survive the trip through space to Mars, and eyes stare out from the darkness and shadows within to cause madness in the two explorers over the hundreds of days the trip is taking.
In "The Kelpie" the cautionary tale (in poetic prose) of the spirit of a villain who committed suicide in a stream beneath a bridge looking for shelter...and another life to drag under.
In "The Night of the Jabberwock" an old man tries to remember if he hunted down and slayed the monster from the Lewis Carroll story. And in "The Gift of Major Courtenay" a man welcomes his friend returned from the orient who refuses to go inside for anything - fearing the consummation of a curse that has followed him back.
None of these stories are Christmas-y, but the wraparound story of the four storytellers (who don't really seem to like each other at all) is a fun spoof of gothic Victorian Era literature. It all comes to a very strange conclusion as these people reach their limits with one another. Otherwise, the stories are top notch, short, and effective. Recommended.
statistics: Posted by Tomatto — 3:06 AM - Today — Replies 0 — Views 237