{"id":23047,"date":"2016-10-31T21:34:50","date_gmt":"2016-11-01T01:34:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/?p=23047"},"modified":"2016-10-31T23:15:53","modified_gmt":"2016-11-01T03:15:53","slug":"trick-r-treat-days-of-the-dead-paperback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/2016\/10\/31\/trick-r-treat-days-of-the-dead-paperback\/","title":{"rendered":"Trick \u2018r Treat: Days of the Dead (Paperback)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"trtdotd\"<\/a>For folks<\/span> that did<\/span>n’t know<\/span> if \u201cTrick<\/span> r<\/span> Treat\u201d would end<\/span> up as a one and done horror<\/span> classic<\/span>, or end<\/span> up becoming<\/span> a full<\/span> fledged <\/span>dynasty, creator<\/span> Michael Dougherty is<\/span> nice<\/span> enough<\/span> to team up with Legendary Pictures to deliver<\/span> \u201cDays<\/span> of the Dead.\u201d Michael Dougherty pens<\/span> the introduction<\/span> to \u201cDays<\/span> of the Dead,\u201d where still<\/span> uncertain if a sequel<\/span> would ever<\/span> blossom<\/span> back<\/span> in 2015, helped<\/span> build<\/span> this anthology to keep<\/span> Sam alive<\/span> in our hearts<\/span>. \u201cDays<\/span> of the Dead\u201d is<\/span> a mid-quel ripped<\/span> directly<\/span> out of the \u201cTrick<\/span> r<\/span> Treat\u201d universe<\/span>, the graphic<\/span> novel unfolds five stories<\/span> involving<\/span> Halloween and Autumn that tries<\/span> to recapture<\/span> the spirit<\/span> of the original film<\/span>. With the mid-quel being<\/span> a graphic<\/span> novel, Dougherty side<\/span> steps<\/span> the interconnected<\/span> story<\/span> format<\/span> from the film<\/span> and bonds the tales mainly<\/span> through our beloved Sam.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

This is<\/span>n’t a graphic<\/span> novel that explains<\/span> who or what Sam is<\/span>, thankfully<\/span>. Dougherty and co. keep<\/span> Sam primarily<\/span> mysterious<\/span> and enigmatic<\/span>. Maybe<\/span> he’s a spirit<\/span>, maybe<\/span> he’s an Autumnal God, maybe<\/span> he’s the manifestation<\/span> of Halloween, we never<\/span> really<\/span> find<\/span> out. All we do<\/span> get<\/span> to understand<\/span> is<\/span> that Sam is<\/span> embedded<\/span> in the holiday<\/span> whether we know<\/span> it or not<\/span>. \u201cSeed<\/span>\u201d from artist Fiona Staples and writer<\/span> Jose Villarrubia is<\/span> a nice<\/span> dip<\/span> in to the romance<\/span> pool<\/span> about a young<\/span> man named Thomas<\/span> who falls<\/span> in love<\/span> with Bridig, a woman<\/span> suspected<\/span> of being<\/span> a witch<\/span>. Doomed<\/span> to be<\/span> executed<\/span>, Bridig falls<\/span> for Thomas, and the two try<\/span> their damndest to preserve<\/span> their love<\/span>. Sam<\/span> is<\/span> always<\/span> in the background<\/span> in this opening<\/span> segment<\/span>, as the story<\/span> creatively injects<\/span> romanticism<\/span> to the idea of the pumpkin. \u201cCorn<\/span> Maiden\u201d from Stephen Byrne is<\/span> a great<\/span> story<\/span> about a group<\/span> of pioneers<\/span> looking<\/span> to build<\/span> a railroad<\/span> right<\/span> through a very<\/span> defiant<\/span> Native American village<\/span>.<\/p>\n

When the man<\/span> in charge<\/span> realizes his head<\/span> strong<\/span> daughter<\/span> has<\/span> been<\/span> accepted<\/span> in to the tribe<\/span>, he does<\/span> whatever it takes<\/span> to ensure<\/span> the plans<\/span> for the railroad<\/span> go<\/span> ahead<\/span>. But when she’s introduced<\/span> to the ancient and wrathful<\/span> Autumn spirit<\/span>, as guided<\/span> by Sam, she unleashes<\/span> Halloween hell<\/span>. This is<\/span> a very<\/span> striking<\/span> and magical<\/span> short<\/span> with excellent art<\/span> and a damn good<\/span> final<\/span> scene<\/span>; as well<\/span> there<\/span> are<\/span> some fun<\/span> Easter Eggs introduced,<\/span> including<\/span> Sam’s iconic jagged<\/span> lollipop<\/span>. \u201cEchoes<\/span>\u201d from Stuart Sayger and Guy Major is<\/span> the weakest<\/span> of the short<\/span> stories<\/span>, as it takes<\/span> the path<\/span> of a Neo-Noir, and sets<\/span> the tale<\/span> in 1950’s Los Angeles during Halloween. P.I. Jake Perkins is<\/span> still<\/span> grieving<\/span> the death<\/span> of his wife and son<\/span>, and is<\/span> hired<\/span> to find<\/span> a missing young<\/span> girl<\/span> who is<\/span> suspected<\/span> of hanging<\/span> around witches<\/span>. Being<\/span> given<\/span> an Owl pendant<\/span> by the victim<\/span>‘s desperate sister<\/span>, Jake is<\/span> sucked<\/span> in to a bigger<\/span> plot<\/span> involving<\/span> a serial<\/span> killer<\/span>, political corruption,<\/span> and a journey<\/span> in to his own<\/span> personal hell<\/span>. It’s a fairly<\/span> boring<\/span> and forgettable segment<\/span> I could have<\/span> done<\/span> without.<\/p>\n

Finally<\/span>, \u201cMonster<\/span> Mash\u201d is<\/span> the best<\/span> of the bunch<\/span>, and it’s not<\/span> hard<\/span> to figure<\/span> out why it dons<\/span> the cover<\/span> of the graphic<\/span> novel. With excellent art<\/span> by Zid and Riccardo Rullo, we meet<\/span> James and Rory, two friends<\/span> who go trick<\/span> or treating<\/span> for one last<\/span> time<\/span>. After causing<\/span> a prank<\/span>, they’re chastised<\/span> by their small<\/span> town<\/span> led<\/span> by a local priest, who happens to be<\/span> the abusive<\/span> father<\/span> of young<\/span> Rory. After Rory defies his father<\/span>, the town<\/span> is<\/span> attacked<\/span> by a horde<\/span> of monsters<\/span>, and the boys<\/span> survive<\/span> by putting<\/span> on their masks<\/span> fooling<\/span> the predators<\/span>. They’re accidentally<\/span> pulled<\/span> in to the Halloween dimension<\/span> as they help stage<\/span> a siege<\/span> on the small<\/span> town<\/span> led<\/span> by Sam, murdering<\/span> people<\/span> and collecting<\/span> candy<\/span>.<\/p>\n

But as Rory and James begin<\/span> taking<\/span> on the literal<\/span> form<\/span> of the monsters<\/span> they’re masquerading as, they have<\/span> to figure<\/span> out if they want<\/span> to celebrate<\/span> Halloween forever or accept<\/span> growing up and moving on<\/span>. The story<\/span> is<\/span> shockingly sweet<\/span>, with <\/span>a bittersweet<\/span> theme of<\/span> growing<\/span> up and getting rid of childhood traditions. Furthermore, \u201cMonster<\/span> Mash\u201d gives<\/span> Sam even<\/span> more sentience<\/span>, as he’s literally the ring<\/span> leader in the violent Halloween siege<\/span> on the town<\/span>. All in all, \u201cDays<\/span> of the Dead\u201d is<\/span> a mixed<\/span> bag<\/span>, but a very<\/span> entertaining<\/span> and ambitious<\/span> Halloween anthology. Is<\/span> it as<\/span> good<\/span> as the original movie<\/span>? No. Is<\/span> it a worthy<\/span> companion<\/span> to the lore Dougherty creates<\/span>? I’d recommend<\/span> it. If I wanted<\/span> the whole<\/span> \u201cTrick<\/span> r<\/span> Treat\u201d experience, I’d gladly<\/span> buy<\/span> this alongside the movie<\/span>.<\/p>\n