Dark Ride has been an excellent example of fun ideas — like a horror theme park mixed with one of those murder mystery parties. That mystery has certainly been heating up in the second story arc as the mysterious father figure, once only seen in flashbacks and shadows, emerges to show his true face. Now that he’s back, what better way to show his true colors than through a family dinner?
Dark Ride #7 opens, like many issues in this series, with a flashback. This time, we get a little more insight into our main character’s mother, who was seemingly murdered by the father and maybe even entrapped at the park. A lover of horror, we get to see her share some memories with her kids when they’re circa ten years old. Just as we think things are turning around and the mom will continue to be better, her health falters, and the kids are rushed away in an instant.
This opening scene continues to show how writer Josh Williamson sprinkles details expertly so that the reader can then form their own takes on what’s really happening. At the very least, we know the dad is up to something, backed up by his actions in this issue. The horror always seems to be lingering around every corner as well. which only enhances the tension throughout the issue.
After an interesting explanation of what Club 666 is, the book delves into the dinner scene with the father and kids. Artist Andrei Bressan has designed quite a creepy dad here, as he’s a bit crazed with his hair and a demeanor that’s all over the place. Stern and seemingly reasonable, he switches to cruel and vindictive. Never overtly evil, the work of Bressan and color artist Adriano Lucas instead reveal something truly evil with his behavior, red eyes, and in one moment, the shadow he casts. Also, props to the details in the hair on these characters. It looks great.
The flashback is wholesome…and sad!
Credit: Image
If you’re worried the dinner scene will be too slow, don’t worry, as things escalate rather dramatically. The sound effects are masterfully placed in this scene, with a “KRAK” placed in between two characters, or a “KRASH” placed on a panel border. The letters from Pat Brosseau are always clean and easy to read, with plenty of white space in the word balloons.
My only reservation with this issue, and the series at-large, is the lingering mystery that never really amounts to much in terms of actual answers. For instance, the flashback in this latest issue seems to hint at what we already know, or at the very least, that the dad did something truly awful. The lingering threat surrounding our heroes remains, but what it truly means, and even the father’s goals, remain unclear. Does he want his kids to take over, or is he testing them as if playing with an insect?
Ultimately, this issue lives and dies through the actions and emotions of the characters. That goes for Halloween and Sam, who clearly look up to their father but rarely see him. There’s a lot to look forward to after this issue, from the father coming out and verbally attacking Sam’s new friend as well as the actions of Sam to put his daughter in danger seemingly.
It’s all about family drama in Dark Ride #7, which leads to a new threat for Sam alongside the sudden resurfacing of his father. The past and present collide in a strong chapter that utilizes a key flashback and a lot of dysfunction at the dinner table.
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