Writer: Hans Rodionoff & Adam F. Goldberg
Penciler: Eamon Winkle
Inker: Eamon Winkle & Ivan Dadov
Colorist: Robert Nugent
Letterer: Kirsten Fitzner Denton
Cover Art: Zach Howard & Nelson Daniel
Like the game, Halloween: The Game Comic #1 gives us an exciting look at what precedes the beloved movie. I really enjoy the movie, so I loved experiencing it as a comic. I think Michael Myers does well in comic books. The tension and kills translate well. I had no expectations except to see Michael Myers and Dr. Loomis, and I was very happy with how they were showcased.
SPOILERS AHEAD
The Inmates Are Running (Out Of) The Asylum
This issue opens in Smith’s Grove Sanitarium, where we see that someone let the inmates out of the building. Michael stands out in the courtyard alone. Two orderlies try to get Michael back inside. Michael deals with them in a vicious fashion. He strangles one orderly, crushing his windpipe, and breaks the nose of the other. Although Michael’s already done his damage at Smith’s Grove, he’s still going to make his presence felt.
Takes A Monster To Know A Monster
As Dr. Loomis and a nurse arrive at the sea of escaped inmates, Loomis chases who he thinks is Michael. That’s a key aspect of these characters and this story, which I’m glad is still prevalent in this comic. There is an argument to be made that Loomis is as mad as Michael. It’s something I thoroughly enjoy about the older Halloween films. Back to the nurse, she hides in her station wagon until Michael, whom she doesn’t expect, gives her a scare. His hand smashing the window is seared into my brain. It is such a cool scene. I am so happy they captured that moment from the movie. She’s horrified and goes to Loomis. Michael, then, gets in the car and drives off. We close out the scene with Loomis saying, “He’s gone! He’s gone from here! The evil is gone”. I really enjoy the relationship between Loomis and Michael. To Loomis, Michael is not human. He is evil. I could get ahead of myself and talk about his monologue about Michael, but this snippet of characterization is good enough.
No One Can Contain The Darkness
The biggest moment in this issue is the reveal that Michael was behind the outbreak. The orderly who was left to survive with just a broken nose told Loomis everything. Michael planned everything by jamming the lock to the courtyard door, baiting one orderly by playing “innocent,” then stealing the keys to escape. This is important for many reasons. One of which is to show that Michael is very aware. I mean, he was locked away for almost two decades, and he knows how to drive. This is where I get a bit confused about the kill count (I’m sure James from Dead Meat can help me out). One orderly (Nico) is in the medical wing, full of Thorazine, with a crushed windpipe. I think that is the first attack we saw.
A second orderly (Ray) is left in the rain and presumed dead. The last orderly, with a broken nose, is left to deal with everything. I like how Loomis reacts to Nico being alive. He replies to what happened to Nico with “Only because Michael wanted it that way”. I did not expect people to be giving Loomis the business this early. The orderly, rightfully, challenges how much discretion Loomis had for the orderlies about what Michael was capable of. Again, I really enjoy the dynamic between Loomis and Michael. Loomis knows exactly what kind of evil Michael is. I’m also glad Loomis is getting pushback for him.
The Shape Stalks
We catch up with Michael driving that nurse’s station wagon. A group of bikers passes him on the road, with one giving him the finger. I don’t know how much you know about Michael Myers, but that is more than enough cause for him to kill, lol. Michael follows them to The Rabbit in Red Lounge. He baits them outside by shining the car’s high beams at the window. Even with a broken beer bottle, the bikers don’t stand a chance. Michael takes the broken beer bottle and cuts both of their throats. He cuts the power to the lounge and draws out two people who were busy making out in another room. The woman gets out first as we see the man, tipsy on tequila shots, stumble upon the aftermath of Michael’s massacre. The open area is littered with dead bodies. The man sees Michael, draped in shadow, and hightails it out of the lounge.
The “Face” Of Evil
One thing I love about the art is that Michael’s face is not revealed. It is hidden under his hair and/or in shadow. Winkle and Dadov (and Nugent) do an incredible job with the art. Michael’s presence is definitely in these pages. My favorite scene is in the lounge near the end. The man walks out into the open area of the lounge to hopefully find answers about the power going out, but all he is met with is the chaos that Michael brought that night. That panel of just Michael draped in shadow is my favorite in this book. Winkle draws Michael so well. He captures The Shape perfectly! For those who don’t understand, “The Shape” is what the writer/director of Halloween calls Michael in the script. As I said before, his presence is felt in the pages of this book. Winkle and Dadov do a wonderful job with the inks, which add to Michael's mystique.
Final Thoughts
Halloween: The Game Comic #1 is an entertaining alternative if video games aren’t your thing. This book is proof that comic books are the best storytelling medium, with another pre-existing IP told through the pages of a comic book. The story of Halloween translates very well. The good thing about this is that you can experience this story in so many different mediums. You don’t need to be a fan of either the movie or the game to understand this. The beauty of the story is in the unknown.