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Published by: Dark Horse Comics
Released on: May 7, 2014
Writer: Alex De Campi
Artist: Gary Erskine
Cover: Dan Panosian
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In the conclusion to “Flesh Feast of the Devil Dollâ€, the field hockey camp girls, teamed with a group of local young men, fight off the nasty truck drivers under the control of the evil demon succubus thing that's been tearing up people at the truck stop. Centuries ago, a ritual opened up an unholy gate that wasn't closed and now the kids of today have to clean up the mess left by their forefathers.
After round one, the group regroups and hashes out a plan, but one of their ranks gets taken by the monster, forcing the girls to take the fight to the monster on its own ground. The very ground the field hockey playing area covers. That's where the demon spawned all that time ago (see the first issue) and that's where it needs to be defeated. New girl Renae, the ugly duckling unpopular type, steps up her game and works with Tina, who might have bitten off more than she can chew with this monster fighting. And the main battle could cost one of the girls an arm and a leg, but only either or if she's lucky. And once the kids get to the battleground, they find out the demon-thing has some friends. Some very old friends.
Per usual, Alex De Campi gives the readers something to look forward to. Part two of the tale lacks the sleaze of the first part, but it's super violent and satisfyingly gooey. It's a total cheese fest in the dialogue department and full of movie clichés, but told in a way that doesn't become self parody, or just someone making fun of crappy movies. The artwork is clean but detailed, with some glorious splatters moments, steering this tale far away from PG-13 territory. Gary Erskine's demon is one nasty creature and takes up a lot of space in the book, and thankfully never fails in maintaining its creep factor.
This is reportedly the last issue of the Grindhouse series. It is hard to imagine it will not continue in some form or another, as it's just way to fun to let it slip into obscurity, much like the movies to which she pays such wonderful homage. The back of the comic has a few fake movie posters that look like they would be great 2- or 3-part stories, and so there's no shortage of ideas...get cracking, Ms. De Campi. She has told four different stories over the 8 issues, all very different in genre subject but all with one thing in common: B-movie greatness. Maybe next she'll do up a nice sleazy 70s Euro sex comedy, or maybe a sexploitation hay romp, like the stuff Bethel Buckalew used to make. Yep, that was a shameless request.
Dark Horse: Don't let this title end. Please.
