HYDE STREET #9 – New Comic Review

Hyde Street #9, by Image Comics on 9/24/25, lures readers down an eerie boulevard of strange souls and problematic surgeons when we learn the disturbing origin of Doctor Ego.

Credits:

• Writer: Geoff Johns
• Artist: Francis Portela
• Colorist: Brad Anderson
• Letterer: Rob Leigh
• Cover Artist: Ivan Reis, Danny Miki, Brad Anderson (cover A)
• Publisher: Image Comics
• Release Date: September 24, 2025
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Page Count: 36
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

Analysis of HYDE STREET #9:

First Impressions:

There’s a creeping sense of discomfort throughout this comic, as if Hyde Street itself is tightening its grip. Doctor Ego’s origin feels fascinating but the art slips, failing to keep pace with past issues. The book walks a fine line between stylishly grotesque and annoyingly inconsistent.

Recap:

In Hyde Street #8, Pranky, the world’s most dangerous kid scout, teamed up with his longtime rival Mr. X-Ray to survive Doctor Ego’s nightmarish operating room. Their uneasy alliance revealed new cracks between residents competing for escape and introduced the Scorekeeper’s monstrous mechanics. The dark, witty tale saw Pranky transformed by a cursed mask while Mr. X-Ray risked everything to keep his soul-count rising, setting the stage for even stranger confrontations

Plot Analysis:

The comic opens with a chilling prologue, outlining the rules of Hyde Street: only the wicked and cruel are drawn here, facing not mere death, but something worse. The story dives into the past of Doctor Eugene Ego, a surgeon whose work began in the silent shadows of his Pasadena childhood. Haunted by his father’s disgrace and the tragic loss of his mother on the operating table, Eugene’s path is set. He learns to see flaws everywhere, sowing the seeds of his twisted medical ambitions.

As years pass, Ego becomes notorious for “fixing” what others considered unfixable, operating outside medical norms and earning both gratitude and horror among his clientele. He’s expelled from prestigious schools, dogged by malpractice lawsuits, yet finds perverse freedom when Hyde Street offers him sanctuary. The contract signed in blood grants him unchecked power, letting his ethics dissolve in the pursuit of perfection for the Scorekeeper.

Within Hyde Street, Doctor Ego is joined by the eerily calm Nurses Dee and Doe, victims-turned-assistants whose “gratitude” for his kindness masks hidden scars. Ego’s rare glimmer of compassion appears only for accidental victims, but his war with morality remains mostly internal. Throughout the issue, patients beg for impossible transformations, unwittingly lining up for the Scorekeeper’s harvest under Ego’s sharp gaze and sharper knives.

The comic closes by teasing new threats and alliances on Hyde Street, swirling around Doctor Ego’s ever-busy practice. Unnatural bargains are struck and fresh souls drawn ever closer to their doom, as the fate of each wretched resident grows bleaker.

Story

Geoff Johns continues to weave Hyde Street’s mythology with his usual style: layered, specific, and loaded with biting social critique. Doctor Ego’s origin is impeccably detailed, exploring both family trauma and the cold allure of plastic surgery. Dialogue remains pointed and sardonic, though the story’s emotional weight sometimes gets lost in the mechanistic march of the Scorekeeper’s contract.

Art

Francis Portela’s guest art takes a noticeable dip from Ivan Reis’s dynamic lines of past issues. Faces look flat and sterile, robbing Hyde Street of its previous visceral intensity. Backgrounds lack the rich, oppressive atmosphere that defined the series, missing the spark that made Ivan Reis’s work disturbing and magnetic.

Characters

Doctor Ego emerges as both monster and tragic figure. His formative years shaped by a broken home and an unhinged sense of flawlessness. The nurses circle him like satellites, their backstories suitably grim but succinct. Supporting residents make memorable cameos, though their presence is mainly functional rather than fresh.

Positives

The real standout is Doctor Ego’s origin: a precise examination of inherited obsession and medical horror. Johns wrings unexpected sympathy from Ego’s twisted upbringing, anchoring the character in real dread. The comic’s willingness to blend surgical detail with supernatural terror elevates both tone and tension.

Negatives

The art quality stutters under Francis Portela’s brush, with character expressions feeling lifeless and compositions drained of dramatic impact. Story pacing slips near the middle as too many plot snippets vie for attention, creating clutter rather than intrigue. Missed opportunities abound for emotional resonance as the focus leans too hard on plot mechanics.

Art Samples:

Final Thoughts:

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HYDE STREET #9 takes clinic horror to new heights with a villain worth every nightmare, but guest artist Francis Portela scalps the atmosphere like a novice with a butter knife. Johns’ script cuts deep, yet the visuals limp noticeably, making this trip down Hyde Street more patience than pleasure. Consider this comic a necessary but flawed prescription. Best taken with a stiff drink and low expectations

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