Dark Ride was one of my favorite new series of 2023, thanks in part to its celebration of amusement parks and horror. It’s also a family story, making sacrifices, and maybe even a bit of a wink toward the history of the Disney parks. Joshua Williamson and Andrei Bressan’s maxiseries end this week with Dark Ride #12, and it’s honestly anyone’s guess who will come out of this alive.
It all comes down to this, and given the opening of the issue, it’s all about Sam and his sister Halloween’s rivalry to be daddy’s favorite. A key flashback shows Sam always wanted to take over the park, but Halloween won’t let him stand in her way. The story then cuts to a giant devil in the style of the park’s mascot screaming about Hell inside the park. Onlookers think it’s all part of the show, but only Sam, his Sister, and their father know the truth.
Ultimately, this issue comes down to who wants it more, Sam or Halloween, and whether they’re willing to do what is necessary to keep the giant Hell demon happy. It’s certainly worn out its use of the father, so someone must rise!
Beautiful early scene.
Credit: Image
Bressan dazzles the reader in a few different ways, such as an awesome double-page layout of the family moments at the park, which perfectly summarizes how they got here. At one point, there’s also an epic new Halloween look and a grisly undead body for the horror hounds to ogle. This has always been a good-looking book, but Bressan goes above and beyond with shocking page-turning moments. He doesn’t disappoint in that regard here.
Adriano Lucas’s colors are well down, especially in crowd scenes. He adds depth and nice details to crowds, as well as gross-looking blood when a few characters are burned to death. Blood throughout has a viscosity and proper color that’ll make you cringe.
As far as conclusions go, there are some fairly obvious things that occur, as well as some surprises. The story wraps up almost too neatly for my tastes, but it won’t leave you wanting either. The opening isn’t all that revealing, nor is the end result of the father, but you can’t argue it works. The final page might be the biggest, suggesting a new kind of Hell will rise. It’ll give you a giggle and make some sense in the process.
Dark Ride #12 ends on its terms, splashing readers with horrific images and a tight little bow to satisfy fans who want a definitive ending.
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