Horror is all the rage in comics these days, but Super Creepshow does it a little differently with clever twists on superheroes. It’s a series that allows some of comics’ best creators to play with tropes Marvel and DC would never let them do, which is very much the case with Super Creepshow #5. This month, Ram V and Riccardo Burchielli team up for a tale about a comics superfan, while Christian Ward and Fabio Veras take a spin with a sorcerer who is quite supreme. Or is he?
First up, “Superfan” by Ram V and Burchielli opens on the Creep, introducing us to the world of comics and superheroes. The idea of being a hero is quite fantastical, but we soon learn that a hero of amazing power is real in this universe, though they have been gone for so long. Our main character is a big fan of this character, and can’t handle younger readers in the comic shop who don’t appreciate the hero as he does.
Soon, we’re in his apartment, which is a shrine to this hero, called Kilonova. This hero has similarities to Firestorm, which is a nice connection if you’re a fan. It’s here that the story takes a turn, with a face-to-face with the hero this superfan loves.
In true Ram V fashion, we soon learn about the alternate lives of our superfan and how each one turns quite evil. In some ways, I was reminded of M. Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable by this tale, which culminates in a dark twist that even a superfan can plot. The only downside of this story is how little time is spent developing its superfan main character. A few more pages delving into who he is could have made the twists land better.
Epic opening page!
Credit: Skybound
Next, Ward and Veras take on “Everyone Loves the Phantom Professor,” who is quite clearly a stand-in for Doctor Strange. This story is a delight, opening with the Phantom Professor taking on a many-eyed creature with tentacles. Watching on TV are a mom and daughter, both of whom are big fans. Just as he imprisons the creature, however, the daughter disappears. A coincidence? I think not!
This leads to the mother going to the Phantom Professor for help, who swiftly says no. Something is clearly up, and the mom finds a group of parents who have also lost kids. As you might expect, something is connecting the missing children and the Phantom Stranger, with the parents doing their own investigating, and the result being quite dark. While the horror is only relegated to a page or two, if you’re a parent, it’ll hit hard. There’s also a fun twist at the end, which further amplifies how you might feel about Doctor Strange!
Super Creepshow #5 continues the anthology’s winning formula by twisting recognizable superhero concepts into eerie, thought-provoking horror tales. Ram V and Riccardo Burchielli craft a psychological story about obsession that builds toward a satisfying payoff, while Christian Ward and Fabio Veras tap into every parent’s worst nightmare with a supernatural mystery that lingers long after the final page. As with previous issues, the anthology thrives by giving top-tier creators room to experiment with ideas that feel both familiar and refreshingly unsettling.
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