POP-UP #2, from Blood Moon Comics on 5/24/23, finds Diane, Beth, and Shawn scrambling to get the pop-up museum of horrors ready in time for the grand opening, but as the witching hour approaches, the exhibits have other plans.
The Details
- Written by: Jon Clark
- Art by: Matthieu Pereira
- Colors by: Jon Clark
- Letters by: April Brown
- Cover art by: Jon Clark
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: May 24, 2023
Is It Good?
We’re going to start this review with a baseball analogy. When a pitcher pitches the ball toward home plate, you have the wind-up and then the pitch. The wind-up is that buildup of energy as the pitcher pulls his arm back in anticipation of hurtling the ball forward with as much energy as possible. POP-UP #2 is the wind-up. Yes, that’s a good thing.
When last we left the obsessively-determined Diane, her daughter Beth, and Beth’s partner, Shawn, they were busy unpacking the creepy and disturbing exhibits for Diane’s pop-up museum venture. Through brief flashbacks and narration, we saw how each exhibit had a gruesome backstory to earn its place in the museum. Now, the trio scrambles to get all exhibits unpacked and in place before opening day, but as the night wears on, the exhibits begin to take on a life of their own.
The key to this issue’s success is Jon Clark’s ability to generate escalating creepiness as the exhibits make noises and movements that are easily explained away at first but take on impossible-to-explain proportions as the night progresses. Dolls tick and shift, probably due to poor placement or weak joints. However, when the dolls magically move locations, turn heads, or speak with batteries too old to still work, you know you’re in trouble. Clark times the occurrences perfectly to develop a sense of momentum that instinctively leads you to believe bad things are about to happen. In short, Clark builds palpable anticipation that puts you on the edge of your seat.
Clark’s boiling anticipation is elevated further by Matthieu Pereira’s creepy artwork. Admittedly, Perreira’s style is not anywhere close to being considered “refined” or “polished,” but the loose, rough linework gives the story a dirty look that enhances the malevolent atmosphere of the museum. Evil is unclean, so rough, dirty lines add an air of evil, and it works well here.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our POP-UP #1 review to find out where Diane acquired some of her unusual exhibits.
We begin with Diane, Beth, and Shawn unpacking the lifesized mannequins for the museum. Shawn is creeped out by the burned, disheveled look of the mannequins, but Diane believes their damaged appearance makes them perfect for greeting visitors at the front door.
As Diane ruthlessly attacks the unpacking and placement work late into the night, Beth and Shawn secretly discuss their plans to move away. Beth doesn’t believe the time is right to tell her mother, so Shawn continues the unpacking to help get Diane past the grand opening.
Shawn begins the tiring work of unpacking and displaying the dolls used in ritual possession, and he notices one doll refuses to stay in the place and position he sets it after he turns his back. We conclude the issue with an escalation of evil, lights out, and entrapment.
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Final Thoughts
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POP-UP #2 turns the creepy idea of a pop-up museum of horrors into a runaway train of evil. The story builds momentum with every page turn, like a crash you know is coming but can’t turn your head to ignore. The rough art style may not be to everyone’s taste, but it suits this story well.
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