Editorial note: In the interest of full disclosure, “Project: Cryptid” co-writer Matt Ligeti is a former Multiversity Comics reviewer.
The 8th issue of “Project: Cryptid” by Ahoy Comics takes the old fashioned and under utilized approach of giving various monstrous creatures getting their moment in the spotlight within a short story. This issue features The New Jersey Devil followed by Florida Man, who each bring more comedy than horror in their respective short stories. The Jersey Devil attempts to sue the ice hockey team with the same name for copyright infringement, hiring a dodgy lawyer willing to work pro bono. The Florida Man (canonically related to the Appalachian Bigfoot) attempts to enter society with less than perfect results.
Written by David Bennet and Matt Ligeti
Illustrated by Steve Ellis and Steve Yeowell
Colored by Steve Ellis and Andy Troy
Lettered by Rob SteenMore mythical creatures of the modern world! Matt Ligeti (Comic Book Yeti) and Steve Yeowell take us to Florida, where the sun is hot, the air is humid, and the people—well, they aren’t always what they seem. Deron Bennett and Steve Ellis travel to deep New Jersey, where we discover that someone has to be the Devil’s advocate. The Jersey Devil, that is!
The premise of “Project: Cryptid” is simple and enticing. Cryptids are defined as animals that cryptozoologists theorize may exist somewhere in the wild. In the context of this comic, each creative team is given the opportunity to explore animals and monsters in folklore with a more humorous lens. Every page has at least one good joke and most pages end on a punchline that elicits genuine laughter. Seeing the Jersey Devil menacing above a diner with a recently patched up roof before puncturing another hole in the roof is a very funny way to introduce him and the local diner he frequents. Similarly, the well intentioned Florida Man having mishaps that lead to death, destruction, and overall carnage make the newspaper headlines all the funnier when we see his kind hearted nature.
Something that I will say that works in the comic’s favour is that David Bennet and Matt Ligeti craft scripts that leave plenty of room for their artists to deliver humor through effective panel layouts and visual gags. One small example is the lawyer who the Jersey Devil hires has a business card with prior occupations crossed out before having lawyer at the very bottom. A joke like this is carried through the narrative and accentuated in the narrative when appropriate.
Steve Ellis does not make the Jersey Devil look silly or playful despite the humorous tone of the issue. Instead he looks powerful, angry, and rather menacing which effectively contrasts the comedic moments from the very first page. Choosing to make him a bit of a crank also allows him to project humor into his angry outbursts. Steve Yeowell and Andy Troy make Florida Man as not scary as possible, implying that he is merely a Sasquatch that shaved off his hair with an electric razor. The violent moments of ‘Florida Man: Passion of The Skunk Ape’ feel more like a flower pot has been broken than a man has died, much like how the most outlandish Florida Man stories sound surreal to the point of being absurd.
Another aspect working in the comic’s favour is the contrasts these two short stories bring to one another. The Jersey Devil and Florida man have vastly different color pallets due to one taking place during the night in the Northeast and the other during the day in the Everglades. The cryptids themselves also contrast one another with The Jersey Devil being cantankerous but somewhat assimilated and Florida Man being well intentioned but destructive.
In many ways, comics that focus on comedy are the easiest to review in that they live or die based on how funny they are. In other ways, they are very difficult as comedy is so subjective and hard to critique. Despite impactful sight gags and playful dialogue, both ‘Devil’s Advocate’ and ‘Florida Man: Passion of The Skunk Ape’ fell short on their final punchline, encouraging me to forget the funnier moments in both stories.
Final Verdict: 6.5 – Great ideas with strong comedy that lack compelling conclusions.
