It’s safe to say at this point Oni Press’ EC Comics label has been a huge success. The return of horror tales under the line as well as new fantasy anthology comic Cruel Kingdom have put it over the top. Problem is, with expectations now set at a certain point, can this weeks Cruel Kingdom #4 keep us satisfied? In a word: yes.
Three tales of the fantasy variety are contained in this issue from some regulars in the new era of EC Comics. Joining in on the fun is comics legend Greg Pak who helps round out another great installment for the series.
Kicking things off is “Headmistress” by Pak, PJ Holden and John McCrea. The story opens with a sister leaving her younger brother behind. He’s upset and crying and she slaps him saying he has to be strong. That’s important to the story. The tale delves into Heavy Metal style alien violence as the sister joins the headmistress who accepts only the strong. The battle eventually ends for the sister in the most surprising way, leading to a fun full page splash that promises more violence. It’s an exciting opener with great art.
The headmistress knows how to cut them down.
Credit: Oni Press
Next up is “What You Wish For” by J. Holtham and Caitlin Yarsky which is a twist on Cinderella. The visuals have a storybook Disney feel that suits the story. We’ve got Cinderella, her evil sisters and even a fairy godmother. Things turn for the worst at one point leading to some horrific horror visuals.
This tale starts way too slowly, however, with six pages recounting the Cinderella story when we already know how it goes. The three or so pages of gore nearly make up for the padded tale.
The last story is “Ye Shall Be Healed” by Ben H. Winters and Brian Level. Right at the start a young boy is trampled and then saved by a sage. The saving requires great torture and pain for the boy, but he’s brought back as good as new. That is if you don’t count the revenge he seeks. The final few pages come fast and quick, but reveal a boy hellbent on paying it forward.Considering the star of Satan one can presume what went wrong.
With another set of eerie and twisted fables, Cruel Kingdom #4 continues to prove that Oni Press’ EC Comics revival is firing on all cylinders. While some stories struggle with pacing, the issue as a whole delivers an exciting mix of brutal, clever, and visually striking fantasy horror, making it a must-read for fans of the genre.
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