Reading a Christmassy comic in February feels weird, but also good – particularly when said comic is weird, but also good. And regardless of the season, it’s hard to turn down an opportunity to hang out with so charming a curmudgeon as Krampus.
Written by Brian Joines
Illustrated by Dean KotzHunting through the desert for an unmarked grave, the Krampus is stalked by a notorious historical figure, reborn into the world of Sugar Plum Fairies and flying reindeer.
When we catch up with Krampus this issue, he’s continuing his investigations into the whereabouts of Saint Nick’s bones by dropping in on a rave. His incredulity is about as funny as you’d expect, setting us up nicely for a varied issue.
Krampus is just about the most unlikely PI ever, and the central appeal of this story is still very much about watching Krampus be his cranky self while trying to figure things out. That said, we are starting to build up a nice cast of characters to stand alongside him, with the most intriguing of these so far being Doc Holiday. Brought back to life by a “cosmic clerical error”, and hired to capture Krampus, he’s a deadpan foil to Krampus during their fight scene, and presents an opportunity for Krampus to come up with spot-on historical-trivia trash talk. You know, as you do.
Joines really does excel at this kind of larger-than-life character work, with the dialogue between the various Santas bringing even more personality to the issue. (Be sure to check out the back cover, which provides a visual index for identifying them. There are many!) Happily, our final-page-reveal seems to be pointing toward more investigations in this quarter, and while the conspiracy is far from coming clear, it’s being parsed out in just the right sized doses, keeping the intrigue running high and casting a spotlight on this diverse group.
Another part of what’s made “Krampus!” so striking as a story is all the different settings it inhabits. This issue starts us off in Ibiza, then whisks us off to the Sonoran Desert, with Dean Kotz’s inflected lines getting lots of atmosphere and texture out of each location in turn. This is another full-to-the-brim issue with a lot happening on each page, but Kotz packs the action in alongside scene-setting details without sacrificing clarity. All the while, Ron Riley’s colours are fairly standard, keeping to the brighter end of the spectrum but presenting an interesting, buttery mix of tones for the desert scene.
What’s most impressive in Kotz’s work is how lovable Krampus still manages to come across, all without seeming buffoonish or losing his monstrous qualities. Kotz pushes the gnarled, demonic look when it comes to Krampus’s face – it’s usually the most shadowed-in and cross-hatched element on a page – and in amongst all the texturing, that face gets a lot of humanity across. It’s a neat trick: Krampus is at once that most otherworldly, and the most compelling figure in any given situation, and this dichotomy matches up beautifully with the frankness and cynicism of his dialogue.
“Krampus!” has been charming from the get-go, and it’s certainly keeping up the charm, presenting a twisting, various story that breathes new life into an iconic character and transcends seasonal appeal. If you’re at all partial to keeping a cranky perspective on things, this continues to be a light and engaging read that will warm the cockles of your two-size-too-small heart.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – Buy
