graphic novels

A friend of mine turned me on to Steve Niles earlier this year with the release of the "Love Me Tenderloin" one-shot. I loved it and knew I'd have to snap up this trade paperback when it was released. This collection of the five-part "Criminal Macabre" (as well as the short "A Letter From B.S." that appeared in a Dark Horse anthology title) is another great story of Niles' detective hero. Cal McDonald is an old-fashioned hardboiled detective, with one major difference. McDonald sees monsters... everywhere. Vampires, werewolves, ghosts and ghouls are a normal part of his world, and when the monsters start disobeying the rules they've adhered to for centuries, something nasty is up.

This is a great detective/horror story with a wickedly healthy dose of dark comedy as well. Ben Templesmith's art style doesn't work quite as well here in Niles' more strictly horrific "30 Days of Night," but it still conveys the story well enough and creates a suitably creepy mood. All things told, this was a great graphic novel and I can't wait for whatever Niles has next.