I’m a big fan of mob films. I can watch films like The Godfather, Goodfellas, New Jack City, and Casino, over and over. What you rarely is that genre mashed up with others. There have been attempts at comedy or romance but most films are pretty siloed in style. Old Haunts #1 is an interesting spin on the mob story as it attempts to deliver something new, a mob story with a horror twist.
Written by Ollie Masters and Rob Williams, Old Haunts #1 introduces us to three mobsters who have a literal pile of bodies underneath them. They have decided to get out of the business and move on. But, their past crime doesn’t want them to. It’s a take on the concept of one’s past coming back to haunt you.
The result is pretty decent, enough that I really want to see where it goes.
The story delivers a few cliches from the genre and Old Haunts #1 is mostly set up but there’s enough there to want to see more. The issue is, our three main characters are generally forgettable. They each have some minor things to set them apart but they generally blend away after reading. Not long after I’ve read the first issue and each character’s name is already forgotten.
It’s the character types that really stand out and that plays into the horror aspect. Instead of the “slut” we have one character who pays for sex. We still have the tough guy who’s surely going to die. Then there’s the nice guy who’s probably supposed to be the protagonist that we cheer for in hopes they survive and are happy. It’s not bad but you can see there’s a bit plug and play going on. Still, it works as a start setting up what’s to come.
The art by Laurence Campbell is pretty solid. With color by Lee Loughridge and lettering by Sal Cipriano, it relies heavily on shadows delivering a style that fits the noir/crime genre. Blues, reds, yellows, and purples, with a heavy dose of black pepper the panels giving the comic a very interesting look that befits the story. The characters are definitely different in their look and style, but run into that issue that they also don’t stand out. It’s not bad but also a comic that you’ll remember liking but nothing specific you can really pinpoint. The horror aspects though absolutely deliver a creepy vibe and go in a solid direction I want to see more of.
As an introduction, Old Haunts #1 is interesting and entertaining. It brings together two genres you don’t see mashed up often. It’s a good introduction that as a piece of the bigger story will be fine but on its own falls a little short. It lacks that little bit something special that really puts it over the top. But, like a horror film, that’s also not the point. This is the lull before the storm and we really want to see the scares from here. As a set up to that, it works quite well.
Story: Ollie Masters, Rob Williams Art: Laurence Campbell
Color: Lee Loughridge Letterer: Sal Cipriano
Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read
AWA Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: comiXology – Kindle – Zeus Comics
