Refrigerator Full of Heads #1 Review
Written by: Rio Youers
Drawn by: Tom Fowler
Colors by: Bill Crabtree
Lettered by: Andworld Design
Publisher: DC Comics/Hill House Comics
October is always such a fun month for comics and DC has been doing such a great job of leaning into it this year, especially with their Black Label and Hill House Comics imprints. Refrigerator Full of Heads kicks off the resurgence of Hill House titles with another horrifying trip to Brody Island.
While this series will benefit from knowledge of the previous title, Basketful of Heads, new readers will be able to follow along and are more than likely going to search for the last installment to get that horror fix while they wait for the next issue. Youers sets the story with a flashback to 1983, where readers learn of the Dagger of Fenrir and its recent theft. The story then jumps to the present of July 1984 where a couple, Calvin and Arlene, are vacationing on Brody Island. Youers has readers introduced to the island through the lens of these newcomers to the island and get a great sense of the community of the island through Gerry. I enjoyed Youers’ description of the setting through the conversation between Gerry and the Marshall’s; it subdued the paranormal suspense and replaced it with the everyday tension between communities of the island. It was an excellent way of offering readers a sense of security before diving back into the supernatural elements.
And boy are the supernatural elements on fire this first issue, for those new to the book, they’ll get their first glimpse at the horrific magic that these mystical weapons are capable of. And Fowler, Crabtree and Andworld Design are absolute experts at displaying these unnatural elements and gore of the book. From the opening pages we get so much detail to the surroundings and the violence, even when not directly on page. Expressions say so much in this book, there’s a page where a woman witnesses the execution of her family and in a few panels it’s so easy to read the decision these murderers have come to and the following panel is just an exterior view of the home and the sounds of their actions. It’s a pretty gruesome book. This chapter has an even flow, with some hard transitions but they work well with the dialogue.
This book is great, I’m excited to continue the exploration of these weapons and Brody Island and see how the refrigerator portion of the title will come into play. If you’re collecting horror titles to enjoy throughout this month, be sure to add this to your horde.
Drawn by: Tom Fowler
Colors by: Bill Crabtree
Lettered by: Andworld Design
Publisher: DC Comics/Hill House Comics
October is always such a fun month for comics and DC has been doing such a great job of leaning into it this year, especially with their Black Label and Hill House Comics imprints. Refrigerator Full of Heads kicks off the resurgence of Hill House titles with another horrifying trip to Brody Island.
While this series will benefit from knowledge of the previous title, Basketful of Heads, new readers will be able to follow along and are more than likely going to search for the last installment to get that horror fix while they wait for the next issue. Youers sets the story with a flashback to 1983, where readers learn of the Dagger of Fenrir and its recent theft. The story then jumps to the present of July 1984 where a couple, Calvin and Arlene, are vacationing on Brody Island. Youers has readers introduced to the island through the lens of these newcomers to the island and get a great sense of the community of the island through Gerry. I enjoyed Youers’ description of the setting through the conversation between Gerry and the Marshall’s; it subdued the paranormal suspense and replaced it with the everyday tension between communities of the island. It was an excellent way of offering readers a sense of security before diving back into the supernatural elements.
And boy are the supernatural elements on fire this first issue, for those new to the book, they’ll get their first glimpse at the horrific magic that these mystical weapons are capable of. And Fowler, Crabtree and Andworld Design are absolute experts at displaying these unnatural elements and gore of the book. From the opening pages we get so much detail to the surroundings and the violence, even when not directly on page. Expressions say so much in this book, there’s a page where a woman witnesses the execution of her family and in a few panels it’s so easy to read the decision these murderers have come to and the following panel is just an exterior view of the home and the sounds of their actions. It’s a pretty gruesome book. This chapter has an even flow, with some hard transitions but they work well with the dialogue.
This book is great, I’m excited to continue the exploration of these weapons and Brody Island and see how the refrigerator portion of the title will come into play. If you’re collecting horror titles to enjoy throughout this month, be sure to add this to your horde.
A Look Inside
