Pound for pound, EC Cruel Universe is one of the best blind buys on the comics shelf today, thanks to its high-quality curation. Packed with three tales, the chances one will be a hit with you are high, and in Ec Cruel Universe 2 #8, you can count all three as worthy of your time and interest.
Kicking things off is “Blackout” by Melissa Flores and Kano. Set in a fairly familiar but futuristic future, the story focuses on a couple who live in a high-tech mansion. Protected by fences and a door like those in a bank vault, the couple is kept from what is outside, but inside, they’re not very happy. In fact, Crystal wants out of the relationship, and she’s sick of her husband’s relationship with the AI. The tension rises, however, when the lights go out.
Flores does a great job with the dialogue, drawing you into Josh and Crystal’s dysfunction. Kano’s striking layouts pace the story well and draw you into their near-dark argument, which culminates in tragedy and a shocking twist.
Next up is “Clinical Trial” by Mike Carey and Daniel Gete about a sociopathic lab technician who can’t get a girlfriend. He does some research, which leads him to belittle and control the next woman he sees, and it surprisingly works. He’s a real bastard, conveyed well through a third party via captions. One can see this type of guy exists in our world, but by the end, there is justice.
That justice comes by way of monstrous results, with a great monster designed by Gete. It’s another twist in a series of twists, but the final panel is a powerful one.
Last but not least is “Puppy Lake” by Jeff Jensen and Lukas Ketner. The story focuses on AI downloading itself into mechanical bodies to pursue an understanding of love. They view taking in a dog as a means to an end, leading them to fawn over the animal. The story hinges on a twist, but it works well because your expectations are flipped. This tale is a bit of a spiritual successor to Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s We3.
EC Cruel Universe #8 is another reminder why this series is such a reliable blind buy. Each creative team delivers a tight, focused sci-fi horror tale that builds toward a payoff worth the ride. Flores and Kano craft a claustrophobic domestic meltdown with sharp pacing and a cruel sting at the end. Carey and Gete deliver the most viscerally satisfying arc, culminating in a monster reveal that feels earned and wickedly appropriate. Jensen and Ketner close things out with a story that toys with empathy and artificial love, flipping expectations in a way that lingers. Even if some of the structural beats feel familiar, the execution across the board is strong enough to make this issue an easy recommendation for horror fans looking for compact, effective storytelling.
