Krampus! #5by Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 7 Krampus realizes the true goal of Mos Gurila and decides to stop him. He manages to hold off Mos Gurila and the sugarplum faries until reinforcements arrive.This is the final issue of Krampus!, and it leaves me quite satisfied. The loose ends are tied up, though it's not a happy ending for everyone. I'm happy that Krampus put himself in the "gray" area by making the "right" choices on things, but also getting to punish like he enjoys, and I'm happy that he ends up free. There's also a doozy of a twist and set-up for a "season 2" at the end, which I would very much like to read! Love the design of that last character, and the last line, given the circumstances, sends chills down the spine. This issue contains a massive fight scene with lots of blood and death (mostly sugarplum faries), though it's not gory. Even when Mos Gurila gets his arm ripped off, it just kind of comes off and there's no real gore. The lack of sound effects is quite noticeable with all the hitting, shooting, biting, and even exploding. Doc Holiday redeemed himself by realizing (thanks to his horse) that he needed to get involved after all. The sugarplum faries make a great enemy; they are scary-looking, ferocious, and numerous. And yes, there is an elves versus faries part of the fight. The creators saved some of the more unusual Santas for this last issue. These particular Santas make me wonder how much creative liberty they've taken with them, but, regardless, it adds a little something extra to the big fight. I liked how Stutgaard is so in tune with Krampus and is able to help. He comes off as just a big, dumb dog through the series (including this issue), but his role is actually a critical one and his actions (smart) are at odds with his demeanor (dumb). It was a balance, though, as he doesn't want to outshine Krampus (ala Rudolph / Santa). Overall, this is a fun series that presents an unusual yet realistic (and non-scary) look at Krampus. It's also rich in Santa and Winter lore, though it doesn't explore the roots of those characters. This five issue mini-series is a good first act, but it very much feels like it was just setting the stage and introducing the characters before starting into the second act, which may not happen. Written: December 14, 2015
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