9-21-25 — Christina Critiques (Graphic Novels and more)

ONE FRIGHT ONLY

By: Patrick Tumblety

Release: 9/21/25 and 10/4/25

Page count: 180

KU: Yes      Hoopla: No

Synopsis: David is just trying to bring in some extra money to pay the bills and not get caught up in a shenanigan infused blood fest. Unfortunately, jobs are scarce and the shenanigans are aplenty.

First line: “Elise doesn’t understand the appeal of Halloween.”

Favorite line: “You just saved Halloween.” “I did?” [redacted] picks his head back up. “Yeah, buddy. You are the new Pumpkin King.”

Thoughts: Need the perfect scary but not overly gory spooky season read? This is for you! There is so much going on that the pacing never lets up; we are learning about the characters, their motivations, and/or how they are trying to just stay alive. Family - both blood and those that are freely chosen - is such a prevalent theme. How far would you go to protect your family? Would you stand at the fires of Hell? Read ONE FRIGHT ONLY to see if David would.

Rating: 5/5

Other recommendations: COME OUT AND PLAY

Pre-order it here: https://a.co/d/67imFSL

HOWLING OF THE UNFORTUNATE DEAD

By: John Baltisberger

Release: 9/15/25

Page count: 139

KU: No          Hoopla: No

Synopsis: Dodz is tasked, very much unwillingly, to lead a band of extremely un merry men (and women) in search of a relic that is causing a bit of a ruckus. But the journey isn’t the worst part, it’s the company he keeps that may be the end of him.

First line: “The little tavern in Postek was dirty.”

Favorite line: “Neither brother was a beacon of selfless sacrifice.”

Thoughts: Another superb installment in this series. The wit and banter between characters in HOWLING may be the best he has written yet (minus one story I’ve read but cannot speak about… just yet). The characters are so gotdamn well written that the reader feels like they are traveling with them. This may be short, but it is mighty. I did, in fact, jump in his DMs and cuss him because the next one isn’t available yet. A Top Five of 2025 for me for sure.

Note: you do not need to read the first one to understand what is happening. It’s helpful but not necessary.

Rating: 6/5

Other recommendations: WHISPERS OF THE DEAD SAINT, UNCLEAN VERSES

Find it here: https://a.co/d/2SHsweM

EARLY REVIEW

MOAN

By: Junji Ito

Release: 10/7/25

Page count: 272

KU: No      Hoopla: No

Synopsis: Six stories that are, by far, Ito’s creepiest to date. The illustrations alone will cause nightmares for weeks.

First line: “Supernatural phenomena do in fact exist.”

Favorite line: “If you won’t give it to me, I’ll pull it off of you!”

Thoughts: Ito is like a fine wine; he keeps getting better with age. While the stories are becoming more of the focal point in his latest collections, this one takes the cake for most disturbing with regard to story AND illustrations. Eyeball plants? Check. Bloodberries? Double check. An homage to Hellraiser? Definitely. I thought ALLEYS was his best, but MOAN shows he has so much more for us. And I for one, enjoy every disturbing, disgusting page.

Rating: 5/5

Other recommendations: ALLEYS, TOMIE

Pre-order it here: https://a.co/d/5jC2oq2

H.P. LOVECRAFT: THE HOUNDS AND OTHER STORIES

By: Gou Tanabe

Release: 7/25/17

Page count: 184

KU: No        Hoopla: Yes

Synopsis: Three of Lovecraft’s most notable stories in one manga to scare you into madness.

First line: “I am Karl Heinrich, Graf Von Altberg - Ehrenstein, in command of U-29.”

Favorite line: “40 days on patrol…! I’m going to kiss the first dirt I see…!”

Thoughts: The way Tanabe sucks the reader in with these stories, I can never get tired of. He forces the reader to become a part of the story and let me tell you, it is unnerving. I know I harp on them, but the illustrations are so damn engaging. He can make you feel claustrophobic, like you have blood on you, or face to face with your greatest fear.

Rating: 4.5/5

Other recommendations: THE COLOUR OF SPACE, THE CALL OF CTHULU.

Find it here: https://a.co/d/7a6j6tI

BENEATH THE TREES WHERE NOBODY SEES: Rites of Passage

By: Patrick Hovarth

Release: 7/9/25

Page count: 32

KU: No       Hoopla: Yes

Synopsis: Monica Brewer is looking for her missing brother. The cops are only running into dead ends but one message from a stranger could put her on her own missing poster.

First line: “Daniel Brewer… white duck, male… missing since September twenty-nine, nineteen eighty-six.”

Favorite line: “Now go bug some other precinct.”

Thoughts: God, I love this series! The last volume was so smartly done. A Dexter meets Richard Scary rollercoaster of gore. This is only issue one, but the reader can already tell this is going to be a wild ride.

Rating: 4.5/5

Other recommendations: BENEATH THE TREES WHERE NOBODY SEES

Find it here: https://a.co/d/0HbWV1v