It might be well past Christmas, but Hyde Street #3 is looking to bring its unique brand of horror to the holiday. This terrifying tale centers on a petty thief who dons a Santa costume, breaking into people’s houses and stealing all their valuables. But he takes one wrong turn onto Hyde Street, and the timing couldn’t be worse. Mr. X-Ray and Pranky have set aside their rivalry to teach this thief a Christmas lesson he won’t forget.
Once again, Hyde Street #3 serves as a canvas for Ivan Reis and Danny Miki to cover with carnage. The best example is when the fake thief, having been corralled onto a sleigh, ends up kicking Mr. X-Ray off. The spectral salesman falls through the air, landing with a horrific thud – and Reis is quick to remind the reader that X-Ray isn’t quite human as he gets back up, his bones snapping back into place with horrific crunching. Pranky also continues to be creepy as hell, especially when he takes the form of a snowman and an elf. Not only does it keep with the Christmas theme, but Reis manages to keep Pranky’s signature smirk – and Miki’s inks add an extra touch of malevolence to his jet black eyes.
But the biggest surprise concerns another of Hyde Street’s residents, who makes his grand debut in a massive two page spread. It’s a big, explosive moment that calls back to Reis’ work on big superhero books like Green Lantern and Aquaman (a more direct Aquaman shoutout concerns the tank of “Pirahna People” in X-Ray’s office, which look a lot like the Trench). To say more about this character will spoil the surprise, but I am definitely excited for their story in the next issue.
Image Comics
Less exciting is how Johns continues to tiptoe around how Hyde Street works. While the idea of monsters punishing the innocent so that they can escape what’s essentially purgatory is a compelling idea, so far Johns has only scratched the surface of this potential. Compared to Geiger, which continues to unfurl the history of the Unknown War, and Rook: Exodus, which was a high-octane take on dystopia, it feels like Johns may be stretched a little too thin when it comes to this book.
The other half of it is that Hyde Street has hinted at a wide range of characters, but so far we’ve only seen Mr. X-Ray and Pranky. Each issue should be a spotlight on a certain resident – that’s what made The Twilight Zone work, as it never repeated a story. It’s clear Johns is pulling from Twilight Zone when it comes to Hyde Street; the narration continues to evoke Rod Serling. But he should also remember variety is what made that show a pop culture staple.
Hyde Street #3 delivers its own horrific take on the holidays, introducing a new character while continuing to inch forward with its macabre mystery. Even if it’s after Christmas, this issue might make readers think twice about looking under the tree when December rolls around this year.
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