COVER OF DARKNESS #2 – Review

COVER OF DARKNESS #2, from Source Point Press on February 23rd, 2022, finds our supernatural family on the run from a pack of werewolves. Meanwhile, a betrayal in Ancient Egypt bears bitter fruit.

The Details

• Written By: George Michail, Chris Cam
• Art By: M.J. Hiblen
• Colors By: M.J. Hiblen
• Letters By: Nikki Powers
• Cover Art By: M.J. Hiblen
• Cover Price: $1.99 (digital)
• Release Date: February 23, 2022

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Was It Good?

COVER OF DARKNESS #2 takes what worked so well from issue #1, changes the focus slightly, and delivers a bigger world of monsters. In short, issue #2 did exactly what it’s supposed to do – make everything feel bigger and epic.

Source Point Press continues to establish itself as one of the better (best?) horror comics publishers on the market, particularly because Source Point isn’t afraid (*heh*) to get scary, gory, and outright wild. This comic is yet another example of keeping good old-fashioned horror in the spotlight because it gives you monsters that are vicious looking and acting, real stakes with characters (both good and evil) dying and no shortage of gore when needed.

The story shifts focus to a different character by keeping the narrative structure the same and swapping out Dracula’s origin with the Mummy’s (Pharaoh Ramsey’s) origin. The swap isn’t confusing and we see in a brief scene that the origins establish a character’s background before introducing them into the present. Michail and Cam do an excellent job of keeping the current action and drama moving while interweaving the origin stories so that you feel like your getting two stories in one comic without a drop in pacing or jarring transitions. The structure, plotting, and pacing of this comic are excellent.

Beyond the excellent structure, the comic’s story is equally interesting character work. We learned in the last issue why Vlad Dracul is so dangerous. Here, we learn why the Mummy is a malignant force. In both cases, Michail and Cam wisely develop each monster as damaged or malignant people and then evolve into something worse. Also, the “heroes” of our story are shown to be flawed which makes them relatable and establishes the foundation for conflict down the road. There are no saints in this comic, and in a way, that makes this cast of monsters more human.

Regarding the art, this is a monster comic so the monsters have to come off as scary and intimidating. On that point, Hiblen succeeds. Hiblen nails the overall physicality of the monsters and makes them scarier with malignant anger through the eyes. The lines are sketchy and rough, but that style works for this material. The colors are a little sloppy-looking in some spots, but that sloppiness helps to underscore the roughness of characters when they’re getting ripped apart. In all, this is a very satisfying art.

The one nitpick on the art is a single scene involving a vampire and a child where it felt like the art holds back. It could have been a creative decision to let readers’ imagination make the scene more dreadful, but that mild hint in what should be a monstrous scene missed an opportunity to create a truly horrifying moment. Again, it’s a nitpick but it sticks out.

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]

If you’re not sure how or why a family is running from werewolves in a dark forest, first read our COVER OF DARKNESS #1 review.

We begin with Luna, Maria, Jericho (in lion form), Janus (in gorilla form), and Thalassa’s sister running from a werewolf ambush in the forest. The fight is desperate and brutal with casualties on both sides. Eventually, a wounded Janus and Jericho make a run for it with Tahlassa’s sister. The head werewolf commands his pack to focus on retrieving the girl.

Millennia earlier, we see cruel Pharaoh Ramsey raising taxes and enslaving his people to build a pyramid temple in honor of the sun god Ra. The people’s oppression is growing along with the rumbles of rebellion. Eventually, the Pharaoh’s cruelty is repaid, but Ra decides to rewards his servant’s loyalty with life and power to destroy his enemies.

Now, the werewolves catch up to survivors and the alpha offers them a choice. We conclude the issue with the werewolves visiting their master, a plea for help, and an unnatural circus coming to town.

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