Creepshow has gone super with a one-shot, and now a series with Super Creepshow, with #2 featuring two of comics’ biggest writers. After the first issue put a twist on Spider-Man and Flash, the second issue takes aim at a secret identity and vampires. It’s a combo that brings the gore, violence, and twists you expect from an anthology comic.
Kicking off the issue is Gerry Duggan and Scott Buoncristiano’s “The Creepshow Two-in-One,” which is an obvious play on the Marvel title of the same name. This is a fun play on the superhero genre, introducing a universe where The Keg is the most famous hero in all the land. The name seems to be because he has a beer belly, but his powers have nothing to do with drinking. Instead, he can fly and punch, sometimes so hard he accidentally makes villains go splat! Throw in another hero named The Scholar, and we have ourselves a fun little hero world.
The genius of this story comes from a twist revealed four pages in. I won’t spoil it here, but it’s a good mix of body horror and the bizarre. Duggan does a good job making the Keg unlikable while setting up a final showdown with the Scholar.
Buoncristiano’s art is great, giving a Minor Threats vibe to the heroes here, who are realistic yet a touch fantastical. His design of a third hero in the end is hilarious, especially its tiny penis. Yes, I’m keeping this vague so you check this story out!
The Keg, everybody.
Credit: Skybound
Next up, comics legend Marv Wolfman and Michele Rubini spin the tale titled “Be Careful What You Wish For.” Right off the bat, the story will sell you on Rubini’s detailed, realistic art. The story opens on two twenty-somethings watching TV, which sets up the fact that vampires are real in this universe. The nerdier of the two main characters seems to think he knows plenty about vampires, particularly how they can choose to be good or evil, like superheroes.
Soon, the other friend learns the hard way what it’s like meeting a vampire, which sets him on a quest to kill a head vampire, or stay a vampire himself. Rubini’s vampire design is great, making them more bat-like.
Like many anthology comics these days, the story feels a bit thin, jumping from one scene to the next, only to culminate in a surprise twist that you won’t care much about since the characters didn’t have enough time to be established. Also, maybe it’s just me, but one character is lying dead on the ground for three days with the front door wide open, and nobody noticed? An odd wrinkle.
Super Creepshow #2 leans into its anthology roots with a mix of sharp satire and classic horror, though the results are uneven. Gerry Duggan’s opener stands out with a clever twist and a warped superhero world that sticks with you. The second story has strong visuals and an intriguing premise, but it moves too quickly to fully land its emotional beats. There is still plenty of fun to be had, especially for readers who enjoy horror with a sense of humor, even if not every story hits the same level.
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