DC House of Horror (2017)

Beyond the $9.99 price tag DC House of Horror fails to live up to its name.

Even with Keith Giffen plotting stories for Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Two-Face, Green Arrow, the Justice League, Harley Quinn and Shazam the book never delivers. The closest to creepy it comes are with the Two-Face and the Justice League tales. The rest seem to be more head scratchers that have the reader wishing for the half hour back they invested in the book.

Kudos to DC for remembering us at Halloween time, but time and money are better spent on something like the Giffen plotted and JM DeMatteis scripted Scooby Apocalypse: Scooby and Mystery Inc. meet Resident Evil. Woot woot.

What the…? 16

Unlike it’s predecessor six issues back, What The…? 16 is a true holiday issue – including a homage to Halloween 1991 and EC Comics.

The first three stories are dedicated to Christmas, each with a borrowed party favor from season’s past. First is Ock Around the Christmas Tree with Scott Lobdell penning the lyrical passage and Marie Severin adding enthusiastic pencils.

Sholly Fisch’s The Grinch Who Swiped Chanukah is a romp for both the sons of David and Gentiles with a healthy nod to Bill Finger for those who look close.

Someone to Watch Over Me by Barry Dutter and Keith Wilson reads like an extended Calvin and Hobbes Sunday strip.

Finally, Aaron Lopresti pulls a hat trick with writing, penciling and inking chores in …Are You Man Enough to Enter the House of Misery, an unapologetic homage to the EC horrors before the CCA came to power. It also marks the return of Forbish Man and a blatant raid on DC’s horror hosts. Maybe the gem of the book and that’s saying something.