A LEGACY OF VIOLENCE #8, from Mad Cave Studios on 8/9/23, finds Nick and Cayce uncovering a larger conspiracy surrounding the serial killer’s actions.
The Details
- Written by: Cullen Bunn
- Art by: Andrea Mutti
- Colors by: Andrea Mutti
- Letters by: Rus Wooton
- Cover art by: Andrea Mutti
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: August 9, 2023
Is It Good?
A LEGACY OF VIOLENCE #8 is one of the better issues in the series, and simultaneously one of the more frustrating issues in the series. Both statements can be true for different reasons.
Cullen Bunn’s latest chapter in his “serial killer with Nazi origins terrorizing a Town” story finds Nick and Cayce getting closer to some hidden truth in separate investigations. Nick learns the hospital head doctors are somehow involved in the killings, while Cayce learns from Dr. Patel that the killer’s presence is not an accident or random.
In isolation, Bunn’s latest entry in the series is good news. Rather than relying on mood and atmosphere to carry an already glacially-paced story, Bunn drops clues indicating something bigger is happening. There aren’t a lot of clues but enough to point to a bigger picture taking shape.
That said, this comic ups the frustration and dissatisfaction level because Bunn FINALLY starts to make tangible progress on the plot before announcing (on the last page) the series is going on hiatus until next year. Talk about a momentum killer. Cullen Bunn is proving to be one of the top writers in horror comics, but the pacing in this series is a black mark on Bunn’s solid record.
What’s great about this issue? Nick and Cayce receive hints of a grander conspiracy in the works, but each clue is earned through violence and madness through the supporting characters. You can feel the stability of the cast starting to unravel, and that instability creates a sinking feeling like a roller coaster cresting a big drop.
What’s not so great about his issue? Oy! The pacing. We’ve said enough about it, but it’s the pacing.
How’s the art? Andrea Mutti takes full opportunity to add mutant body horror on top of the bloody, gory horror, and it looks great. Still-living bodies are surgically altered and reformed in horrific ways, adding to the atmosphere of craziness.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our A LEGACY OF VIOLENCE #7 review to find out how many doctors met a gruesome end.
We begin with Cayce visiting Dr. Patel in his office. Patel seems lethargic and unresponsive as he mumbles regrets about offering the town to “them.” Cayce urgently tries to get Patel to clarify but doesn’t see the scalpel in his hand until it’s too late.
Elsewhere, Nick combs through the bloodstained records looking for clues. A local arrives to clean up the dismembered body, grumbling about the doctors and the mess they helped create. Nick overhears the grumbling and insists on knowing more. The local agrees to take Nick to the only person to escape the hospital unharmed.
We conclude the issue with a hidden drawer, a dangerous lineup, and a single job opening.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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A LEGACY OF VIOLENCE #8 is a creepy, grotesque entry in the horror series that finally drops clues about a larger conspiracy. Bunn’s atmospheric writing and Mutti’s gory art hit all the right notes in each scene. Unfortunately, the badly needed momentum created by this issue is immediately squashed by news of a hiatus until 2024.
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