Horror and comic books used to go hand in hand, but then the superheroes took over. Now we have a comics market nearly flooded with the capes because that seems to be what most people want to read. This is a shame, because horror never died in the medium. There are still plenty of great horror comics coming out, that most people pass over because it’s not wearing a mask and beating up bank robbers.
We all know who Mike Migloa is, and if you don’t you should be ashamed of yourself. Mike is known for Hellboy, and I’m sure some people have said that should he venture away from his creation the results wouldn’t be as good.. But with Baltimore: The Plague Ships Mignola has truly cemented his place in the inner circle of horror comics icons.
I couldn’t put this comic down when I was reading it, I had to finish it. Mignola and Christopher Golden (the pair that penned the original novel Baltimore, or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire) have crafted such a fresh horror story here. Our titular character Lord Baltimore is a totally unique and different style of vampire hunter. He has so much life within him that he feels real.
There are qualities within this book that make horror great, and are absent from most things being produced now. Baltimore utilizes the tropes of early 20th century horror and makes them feel like an all knew creation. This comic doesn’t let you know what’s coming next, and it keeps you guessing even through the last panel. And while it doesn’t hold back the punches, it takes its time, too. There is more setup and proper groundwork in this than anything else in recent memory and is the most fun I’ve had reading a graphic novel in years.
I was a little concerned just looking at the cover for this comic because it looked like the typical Mignola style art. That’s not a bad thing, but certainly not a new brand anymore. Mignola only did the cover and Ben Stenbeck handled the art for the whole book, and my fears were quelled. Stenbeck took the principles of Mignola’s style and evolved it. The art in this book is as crisp and detailed as anything you will find on the shelf. Few people can draw the grotesque and make it look real and beautiful but Stenbeck does it like a pro.
Now we know that vampires are the big thing, with zombies being the close second, so we’re not getting rid of the trend any time soon. Some people seem to loathe the idea of vampires, they think they’ve seen it all. Well, these aren’t your girlfriend’s vampires, Bubba. Not only does this book give us a unique vision of vampires, but the incurable virus sweeping the world creates all manner of zombies, too. So, not only are you getting genuinely frightening vampires, but armies of the living dead that are some of the coolest looking zombies in comics.
I cannot spell it out more clearly, Baltimore: The Plague Ships is a near masterpiece. I can’t think of a genre movie, book, or comic from the past couple of years that was as entertaining as Baltimore. This should be the template for which horror comics are judged for years to come, and I’m eagerly anticipating any and all follow-ups.
