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Dead Boy Detectives #5
Writer: Pornsak Pichetshote
Artists: Jeff Stokely, Craig Taillefer
Color Artist: Miquel Muerto
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Reviewed By Steve J. Ray
Summary
Sandman Universe: Dead Boy Detectives #5 brings us more thrills, scares, and deeply philosophical viewpoints on the deaths and “lives” of ghosts.
While on a case in L.A., ghost detectives Edwin Paine and Charles Rowland befriended three Thai spirits, Melvin, Tanya, and Jai.
While investigating the impossibility of these Thai ghosts even existing in America, their human mentor, Dom, was killed. Now malevolent Thai spirits have infected Charles, leaving his ghost-form slowly deteriorating.
Believing their only hope of undoing both horrors to be finding out who’d summoned the many Thai ghosts, the gang finally stumbled upon he person responsible, only for another ghost to bite and “kill” Jai.
Positives
There are so many. Whether you only know Charles and Edwin from this issue and the four preceding ones, or if you’ve followed their adventures for decades, writer Pornsak Pichetshote has you covered. With every chapter, we learn more about our heroes. In this issue alone, another element from Charles’ past is revealed.
The visuals by Jeff Stokely, Craig Taillefer, Miquel Muerto, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou continue to impress as much as the script does. The Krasue are terrifying, just as the more heroic protagonists are far more sympathetic and lovable, both in the way they act and speak, as well as in how they’re portrayed by the artists. Hassan’s lettering and Miquel’s colors deserve extra special mentions this month, particularly on the pages where Melvin and Charles encounter these monsters.
Oh, and our friends finally come face-to-face with Thessaly!
Charles’ condition is definitely cause for concern and, knowing Thessaly, I still believe that any fixes she may have for it, and for solving the problem of impossible Thai ghosts existing in America, may be worse than the problems themselves.
Negatives
This superb series only has one issue left.
Verdict
Sandman Universe: Dead Boy Detectives #5 delivers everything I love about comics. Great characters, next-level threats, humor, scares, and thrills. The fact that it also educates while it entertains is a huge bonus. While this is a brilliant horror series, it also sheds light on life, love, and the problems faced by the children of immigrants.
If you’ve been sleeping on this series, I highly recommend picking up the collected edition (out in November 2023).
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment
