THE GRUNCH #1, from American Mythology on May 4th, 2022, begins the latest tale of cryptid horror when an Influencer video crew heads down to the Big Easy to capture a local legend with plenty of bite.
The Details
- Written By: S.A. Check, James Kuhoric
- Art By: Claudio Avella
- Colors By: Emmanuel Ordaz
- Letters By: Natalie Jane
- Cover Art By: Puis Calzada (cover A)
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: May 4, 2022
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Was It Good?
THE GRUNCH #1 is the latest cryptid-horror-based-on-local-legends from American Mythology, and we couldn’t be happier that somebody is keeping this particular subgenre of horror comics alive. How does this latest attempt at creature feature horror hold up? Not bad. It’s uneven with a mix of points that work and others that don’t. But, if you’re a die-hard creature feature lover, there’s something in here for you.
The Grunch is a real local legend in the New Orleans area. The origins of the story vary, but it’s abasically a tale about deformed, short beings living in secluded areas of the Bayou. They’re tied to everything from cannibalistic orgies to satanic rites and more. This inaugural issue doesn’t delve into the origins of the Grunch legend and instead picks up today with a reality show film crew ala Ghost Hunters looking for fame and fortune by capturing one of the titular creatures (on film or in a cage, preferably both).
Check and Kuhoric chose wisely when opting for a modern scenario instead of going back to the roots of the legend. That choice prevents nitpicking and invites an opportunity to evolve the Grunch into the modern era without running afoul of legend experts. The Grunch dialog (they do speak), also allows for a modern flair with jibes that elevates the amusement factor. Nothing says fun like being smack-talked by a tiny, demonic monster.
That said, the down point is the human cast. There’s nobody to like or hate in the whole bunch. You could make the case that creating jerks for the humans makes the deaths ironic or satisfying, but they’re annoying at best, not evil or loathsome. The humans aren’t bad enough to make their deaths satisfying, and they aren’t good enough for you to care what happens to them. They’re simply annoying enough to be okay with seeing them die. In short, there’s a lack of emotional investment.
Character work aside, the setup should make slasher film fans happy. It’s the classic “dopey teenagers and adults head out into the woods” trope, and it suits the material perfectly.
“What about the monsters?”, you wonder. They’re fine. Beyond being short, there’s not a lot of rigid detail from the true-life legends to adhere to here, so the art team takes liberties for dramatic effect. The monsters are toothy, impish, and they swarm once their prey is in sight. If you think their small stature makes them less horrific, it does not. If anything, small and fast makes them scarier.
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]
We begin with a Rod Serling-esque prologue showing a young couple “parking” near the New Orleans swamp for a little romance. Suddenly, their vehicle is attacked, and the narrator dims the lights just as the couple meets a toothy end. The narrator, Johnny Detour, uses the horrific reenactment to promote his upcoming trip to the Big Easy to film (and hopefully capture) the monster depicted in the vignette, the Grunch.
On the bus ride down to New Orleans, Detour gives a lovely lady sitting next to him a round of introductions to his crew. He explains who has what skillsets and their goal for the trip. When the bus arrives at their destination, Detour seeks out the local tour guide he contacted on the Internet to show him where and how to catch a Grunch. The tour guide looks less than trustworthy, but the group goes along, and they find themselves in the swamp as night falls.
The tour guide, Mr. Fistballer, splits the team up to watch a set of cages scattered throughout the area. It appears Fistballer is up to no good and has an agreement with the Grunch that could spell trouble for the film crew. We conclude the issue with a double-cross, a sign that the crew is not the first to be lured into the swamp, and survivors getting stuck like rats in a trap.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
THE GRUNCH #1 is a serviceable addition to American Mythology’s stable of creature characters. The monster designs are sufficiently scary, the story setup makes sense in a modern context, and the cliffhanger is rock solid. However, the human characters range from annoying to obnoxious, which gives you nothing to root for and nothing to truly hate, so their deaths/escapes lack satisfaction.
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