It’s another month and another instalment of the fantastic Snifter of Terror by “Edgar Allan Poe” by way of AHOY Comics. There are frights, there are laughs and just about everything in between. This month’s edition opens with Carol Lay’s adaptation of ‘The Purloined Letter.’ Afterwards we get the ‘Pickle’s Pantry’ by Mariah McCourt and Soo Lee. Onwards we get to an inventive reimagining of ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde’ by comics stars Paul Cornell and Steve Yeowell. The amusing ‘Superhero Horoscopes’ by John Ficarra and Richard Williams rounds us out before another edition of ‘Poe and the Black Cat’ by Hunt Emerson ends the issue. A lot of content as per usual from AHOY.
The Good
Where to even begin? Carol Lay’s version of The Purloined Letter captures the tone of Snifter of Terror perfectly. It’s funny in places and downright disturbing in others. Readers can point to it and say “this is why I read this book.” What’s more impressive is that Lay contributes both script and artwork for the story. There’s even one scene which, without spoilers, may be the most unsettling thing the series has shown so far.
Cornell and Yeowell’s Strange and Hyde story is also amazing. This month’s issue really showcases what can be done with reimagining a story. Both main comics in the issue are adapted from fairly well-known short stories and yet they still manage to feel incredibly fresh and new. Also as a comics fan it’s hard not to be excited to see something by Paul Cornell and Steve Yeowell.
Not much can be said about the Pickle’s Pantry yet, but it definitely builds interest for Ash & Thorn releasing April 1 (although we’ll see about that…)
Superhero Horoscopes are great. It’s an alarmingly fresh idea by Ficarra. The illustration from Richard Williams is also fantastic.
The Bad
As is often the case, there isn’t much to critique. The two comics pieces are genuine standouts that set the bar really high for an AHOY issue, let alone a Snifter of Terror issue. If anything however, the inclusion of Pickle’s Pantry, while amusing, is too short. It serves as a decent advert for the new series from AHOY which, given the current climate, likely won’t be in shops anytime soon. Again, it’s not that it is a bad inclusion. It’s just not up to the rest of the pretty great additions of the issue.
The Verdict
In these frankly terrifying times, a little bit of horror and humor ironically quells the mind. Snifter of Terror #6 is no exception. If you need a break from reality, this is a book worth reading.
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