Krampus! #4by Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 7 Krampus is captured by Doc Holiday and taken before the mastermind behind all the trouble: Mos Gurila. Mos Gurila explains his history (which Krampus missed due to being imprisoned) and his plan. He frees Krampus from the bomb, and Krampus makes a choice ....Doc Holiday's singing horse is awesome. I already liked the skeleton with horse-body outline around it, but having it sing is even better -- annoying but better. The horse is on a pop music kick, and I have to agree with Krampus on wanting it to stop (I don't recognize the lyrics, but readers who listen to pop should, and there are credits for the songs at the front of this issue). I'm glad that Doc is just doing a job and hasn't picked sides; I have hope, based on a few things in this issue, that he might be called upon to help later on. One thing I love about this comic is learning more about the "Santa" and "Winter" figures from around the world. Mos Gurila looks like he should be on the cover of a romance novel with that long hair and chiseled abs, but this is the look he was really introduced with to the Romanian people when the Communist rule took over. This story has him as a soldier, which makes sense. His desire for revenge is at odds with his desire to be the one, true Santa, so I'm curious how this will be resolved and what Krampus will do. Krampus makes a choice at the end of this issue, but it doesn't seem like he's fully committed. Part of me wishes to see Krampus more like his old self, but I've grown fond of him doing something that doesn't cast him as the "bad guy." His violent nature helps keep him in a middle ground, which I like, and I hope to see a bit more fighting now that his bomb has been removed. The traitor names for the reindeer is a fun touch, and I like that one of the Santas comments how that's "really driving home the whole 'traitor' thing." I'm confused about Stutgaard. Did Doc knock him out somehow? Why did Stutgaard go to the Santas when he awoke instead of sniffing out Krampus' trail? I like that the recaps continue to be in poem format like "Twas the Night Before Christmas." There are four pages of letters and replies at the end of this issue, which seems a little excessive, but one does contain some fun name suggestions. The story has reached a critical point, and I can't wait to see how things unfold from here. Written: September 1, 2015
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