Halloween is inching closer, so naturally it’s time for another series of Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter, courtesy of AHOY Comics. Snifter of Blood delivers, as these series always do. Kicking off this series is Paul Cornell and Russ Braun’s adaptation of The Black Cat titled ‘The Black Dog.’ After that is Dean Motter’s ‘Atlas Shrugged.’ On top of that, however, are three prose short stories, ‘Werewolf Hangover,’ ‘Finally,’ and ‘Deep Cover,’ by Brendan Mallory, Matthew Sharpe and Reed Beebe respectively. As if that’s not enough, there’s even a puzzle by Scott Morse. AHOY is kicking the series off with a bang.
The Good
Those who have been following the Snifters for a while now know just what a treat this series is for fans of Poe’s stories. Cornell and Braun’s ‘The Black Dog’ captures the source material well while adding a healthy serving of humor. One of the great things about the series is that its adaptations don’t require an understanding of the source material to be funny. Sure, there is another layer of enjoyment for fans of Poe, but even if you don’t consider yourself a fan, this is an engaging comic. Who doesn’t love a dog?
Anthologies like the Snifter are great because each part complements the other. On a month to month basis, the changing stories and creators combine for an entertaining series, but within the issue itself the variety creates a feeling that few other comics can compete with. Motter’s ‘Atlas Shrugged’ offers some laughs too for example, but in a different way to ‘The Black Dog.’
When you factor in the prose, the variety only strengthens. Mallory’s ‘Werewolf Hangover’ is as readable as it is funny. Again, it’s a different kind of humor to the previous pieces. Sharpe and Beebe’s shorts round out the frankly ridiculous amount of content for the price.
Extra points need to go to the word search puzzle. It’s 2020 and there’s a comic on the shelves with a word search in it.
The Bad
If the large section on positives didn’t give it away, there’s not much to complain about in this issue. With anthology comics, there’s always the chance that not every piece will be to everyone’s tastes. In fairness that could be argued as another positive since with variety like this issue there’s bound to be something for everyone, but that’s beside the point.
Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Blood gives readers more of the laughs and frights they’ve come to expect from the tongue-in-cheek anthology. Whether you are a fan of Poe or not, there’s something for everyone in this series that gives readers much more to sink their teeth into than the average comic.
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