Review: Weird Detective [2017]

Weird Detective [2017]

by Fred van Lente, Guiu Vilanova, Mauricio Wallace, Josan Gonzalez [cover by Francesco Francavilla]

Dark Horse Comics

153 pages

From the solicitation: "The streets of New York have been plagued by a pattern of crimes too weird and bizarre for the average detective.

Lurking in the evidence are shadows of loathsome horrors from beyond space and time, seeking to usher unimaginable evil of the Old Ones.

And the only man capable of fighting against the unspeakable terrors isn't a man at all. Detective Sebastián Greene is one of them -- it takes a monster to catch a monster.

New York Time's [sic] best-selling author, Fred van Lente, and artist Guiu Vilanove are on the case for Weird Detective, a Lovecraftian mystery tale. "

When murders, disappearances, and unknown horrors strike, there is only one man we can depend on: Sebastian Greene, Minor Crimes Division. He's a serious detective with no sense of humor and just a faint understanding of our way of life. He's Canadian, you see [or at least that's what everyone in his department thinks!].

The truth is, he's got a secret that keeps him from understanding humor, has him taking everything literally, and makes others around him more than a bit uncomfortable.

His investigative tactics are bizzarre and unconventional. His interrogation skills are unnerving. Oh, and he talks to cats.
The story begins with some strange crimes dotted around town that become increasingly more serious and sinister - eventually leading to the truth: a cosmic threat that can destroy humanity... but the thing that can save the world can also be the thing that destroys him!

This book satisfies readers who crave gruesome deaths [like a person being sucked dry like an "empt[ied] juice box"], cultists, fish creatures, and tentacles.

There are A LOT of tentacles. And it doesn't leave out solid mystery and monstrous horror; at times it does feel like all hope is lost, and the fact that we're cheering for a monster does strike at some points throughout the story, making for that uncomfortable feeling that you get when you cheer for someone like Scarface.

But we know this detective didn't get his scar from eating too much pineapple.

Fred van Lente [Comic Book History of Comics, Marvel Zombies] teams up with great artists to weave a bizarre tale that tickles our need for mystery and tickles our funnybone. The art is top notch, and the colors are bright yet dark - a literal representation of the darkly humorous story that it depicts.

Individual issues have great covers that unfortunately don't make it into the trade paperback, but they can be found online. These feature the chapter names [which are also missing from the trade paperback], with hilariously punny tiles like "The 911 Call of Cthulhu".

I have to say that this is my favorite Lovecraftian comic, and I have read it four times because it's just that good. The title character is, well, weird - but he's lovable and hilarious - and I wish they'd make follow-ups to this amazing title. Unsurprisingly, I give it a very solid 5 out of 5.

The trade paperback and individual issues can be found at local comic shops [look in the bargain bins!], on Amazon.com, eBay.com, and on Kindle and Comixology.com in digital format.