Spooky season comes to Gotham…a bit later than usual, but that’s comic book scheduling for you. I’ll be honest: with two features by people who aren’t primarily comic book writers, I’m a bit wary of what to expect with this comic. But hey, reviewing an anthology with two stories is probably going to be easier than the regular five-story feature that is The Brave and the Bold. So, let’s check out what’s on offer.

Living Doll

The first story on offer is by LaToya Morgan, who has written two comic series before (Dark Blood and Creed: The Next Round) but is probably better known for being the writer/ producer on multiple TV series like Shameless, Turn: Washington's Spies, and The Walking Dead. The story is about two teenagers (?) breaking into a TV set and ending up encountering a prop that’s a little too lifelike. And since this is meant to be a “Gotham” story, you can narrow down your potential choices of which Gotham villain the prop is.

So, this is basically a teen slasher movie with Scarface instead of Chucky. I could complain about Scarface’s portrayal here, but this is a story playing by its own rules and is definitely not beholden to continuity (there’s a reference to Arnold Wesker's first appearance in the comics, including the issue number). It is entertaining, if a bit predictable (yes, that includes the twist at the end), with serviceable art by Tom Derenick and Walt Barna, the latter of whom have already collaborated with Morgan on Dark Blood. Personally, I’ve never been a huge fan of these slasher-type stories, as the “crimes” committed by the victims are often not deserving of the sheer levels of torture they go through. But there is a fandom for these stories, and I think this is a decent enough version.

Score: 7/10

Superstitious Lot

Our second and final story comes from TV personality and self-proclaimed “paranormal journalist” Aaron Sagers, teaming up with Vertigo veteran artist Ryan Kelly (think Lucifer). Oswald Cobblepot is being haunted by g-g-ghosts and he’s hired a paranormal investigator to do something about it.  

If that screams self-insert OC character to you, let me make it even more clear. Mr. Stacks - completely new character do not steal - remains cool as a cucumber (or a corpse if you’re feeling morbid) throughout all the events of the comics, completely unfazed by the threats of the Penguin and his goons or by Batman’s presence. He’s even able to notice when Batman sneaks up behind him, which must make him a good detective, right?

However, the biggest issue I have with this story is that it didn’t know where to end. Mr. Stacks (I refuse to call him by his nickname, Dr. Spooky) reveals that Oswald is haunted by the ghosts of the people he’s killed. But instead of ending the story there, Stacks seemingly takes the ghosts away and spends a few more pages sassing at the Penguin and Batman. This completely unnecessary addendum is stuck to the story like a vestigial tail and takes the story from passable to an audition to have Sagers’ character be a part of the DC Universe.

Now, I’ll soften a bit and say that it is possible that editorial might have stepped in and asked him to change the ending and add a scene with Batman, who only shows up for two panels in this entire comic. But, considering this is one of many gimmick comics that DC is publishing, which most people will forget exists in a month, it seems unlikely that would be the case.

Score: 4/10

Recommended If

• You are a fan of the creators involved and their work
• You want to see the Penguin squirm
• The Bat nipples joke hasn’t gotten old for you

Overall

DC Horror Presents… fails to get a reaction out of me, let alone chill me to the bone. The stories are mildly entertaining at best and reek of DC wanting to bring talent from outside the industry who have some name recognition in other fields of entertainment. The art is only serviceable and fails to elevate the story beyond its basic visuals. I’m not really sure what the sales numbers of these types of series are to justify constantly publishing them, but I guess “good enough” is an acceptable metric.

Score: 5.5/10