A HAUNTING ON MARS #2, by Scout Comics on 1/10/24, cranks up the creeps and deepens the mystery when Cass finds the Emmeric compound was used to merge technology and the occult.
The Details
- Written by: Zach Chapman
- Art by: Ruairi Coleman
- Colors by: Ruairi Coleman
- Cover art by: Ruairi Coleman
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: January 10, 2024
Is A HAUNTING ON MARS #2 Good?
Now we’re cooking with ectoplasm. A HAUNTING ON MARS #2 takes readers into the bowels of an abandoned compound on Mars where the owner was involved in shady experiments. Mixing cyber-gore and traditional haunted house spookiness, Zach Chapman’s second issue improves on issue #1 on almost every level.
When last we left the crew of the Deschutes Corporation’s covert scout mission, their landing got off to a bumpy start after their ship crashed. After fighting through irradiated mutant dogs and automated gun turrets, the crew entered Emmeric’s compound. Now, the team of soldiers and sensitives map out the building while Morgan, the team leader, searches for the secret treasure of the mission. Unfortunately, the split team finds more than abandoned rooms and outdated tech stalking the halls.
In the last issue, we likened the tone and aesthetic to John Carpenter’s Ghost Of Mars (2001). This time, the tone shifts from violence on the Angry Red Planet to gory techno scares more in line with Event Horizon (1997). To be clear, the comic isn’t replicating those films, but you get a reminiscent tone and feel as a frame of reference.
What’s great about A HAUNTING ON MARS #2? Zach Chapman’s script finally justifies the title. Issue #2 feels like a true blue haunted house story set on Mars with disturbing visions, unsettling discoveries, and a haunting presence that lingers just out of sight.
What’s not so great about A HAUNTING ON MARS #2? The downpoint of issue #1 was the lack of setup, specifically around the reason for the ship crashing and the strangely obsessive “need to know” secrecy about the team’s mission. In issue #2, those unanswered questions persist and grow as even Morgan’s right-hand man gets the runaround when asking about the team’s true mission. We suspect the excessive secrecy was intended to build mystery, but it tips too far toward frustration.
How’s the art? Ruairi Coleman had the chance to flex creative muscles with spooky imagery, unsettling discoveries, and more, and Coleman delivers. Blending technology with traditional haunted house aesthetics is no simple task, but Coleman pulls it off.
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What’s A HAUNTING ON MARS #2 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our A HAUNTING ON MARS #1 review to find out how Cass got drafted.
We begin with a brief flashback to Emmeric standing in the yard of his Mar compound. Irradiated colonists charge the shielded gates for shelter as Emmeric gleefully orders the automated gun turrets to open fire.
Now, Morgan orders the team to split up to map the compound. Cass is surprised to see there’s still power and strangely evasive code running through the building. Morgan explains the long-abandoned building is powered by a reactor buried deep within the adjoining mountain.
We conclude the issue with real bodies, imagined bodies, recordings, and a safe.
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Final Thoughts
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A HAUNTING ON MARS #2 transitions the miniseries from a foreboding space adventure to a classic haunted house tale with creepy imagery, jump scares, and mystery. Chapman’s script amps up the traditional haunted house scares in a sci-fi setting, and Coleman successfully merges techno-gore with traditional haunted house imagery.
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