Written by Evan Dorkin
Illustrated by Veronica Fish, Andy Fish
Published by Dark Horse Comics
Imagine if you would like that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy had a rundown American counterpart.
Welcome to the world of Blackwood.
This deluxe Library Edition collects the first two story arcs of the Blackwood series, “Orientation” and “The Mourning After.”
When four teenagers with haunted pasts enroll in Blackwood College as part of a scholarship program, they get far more than they bargained for. Blackwood is far more than it appears to be on its surface; instead of simply being an alternative college, Blackwood is a school that trains its students in the ways of the occult.
However, soon after learning the school’s true purpose, our protagonists are cursed by an undead dean, find helpful ghosts in the dorm, are tormented by a mischievous two-headed mummy chimp, plagued by a horde of insect mutants, and uncover an ancient evil that forces our young heroes to take a crash course in saving the world!
Dorkin’s writing is brilliant, and like any good horror comic book, he balances horror and comedy on razor’s edge.
A panel that just creeped you out will have a payback that makes you laugh your ass off later in the book, as our heroes have to find new and increasingly disgusting ways to overcome the odds.
Veronica Fish and Andy Fish’s art is a brilliant companion piece and breathes life into the undead world of Blackwood.
This book is fun from start to finish, and I’m sure this one that a streaming service will one day pick up and turn into a live-action series.
Blackwood is Deadly Class meets Harry Potter, and every page and panel is engaging; if you are looking for something new to read, be sure to enroll in Blackwood now.
The semester has just begun!
5 out of 5 stars.
