Haunt Vol. 1 – Review

by Robert Kirkman (writer), Ryan Ottley (Pencils)

You know what’s cool? Robert Kirkman. You know what’s not cool? Taking two characters you’ve created, mashing them together, and calling it “new.” You know what’s just ugly? Not even doing the pencils on the new thing you’ve “created” but claiming top billing anyway. In other words, F-You Todd McFarlane.  Just pony up and suck the blue cock of doom you has been. Because Haunt could have really been something awesome if it weren’t for the fact that it’s a blatant mash-up of Spawn and Venom. And you know what? Since it basically is Venom, it could have made a really good Marvel Knights or Max series. Venom binds to a wayward priest seeking to avenge his brother? This entire plot could have been done with the symbiote— you know, since it already was.

So before I go all Lewis Black on this, I think it’s best for everyone if I pull back a little bit and break this down ignoring Spenom, or Vawn—however you want it. I find myself really liking this despite how angry the superpower concept makes me. A big reason—and maybe the only reason—why this is still enjoyable is Robert Kirkman’s story. The Venom aspect really didn’t interfere with the story. In fact, it proves even further that there was room for something actually new instead of the same symbiotic goo suit we’ve already seen.  Haunt, above anything else, is about two estranged brothers forced to reconcile and violently impale wrongdoers as they do. There’s Daniel and Kurt. Daniel is a priest who hates his life and sleeps with the same prostitute three times a week like clockwork. In fact, the first panel is the prostitute he frequents. Kurt is the saint of the two. Loving husband and special agent who saves his victims and brings justice to the people who do great evil. He’s Captain America holding a baby running through a minefield. And halfway through the first issue, he’s dead. But his soul becomes tethered to Daniel, his brother, and we begin to learn about their relationship. Kurt stole Daniel’s girl and then married her. Not a very brotherly thing to do. Oh, and about Kurt being a saint…well, turns out that he cheated on his wife—the girl of Daniel’s heart—numerous times and was going to scam the government and run away with some broad. Kirkman’s character play is amazing. He seesaws the likability of his character John McCain does with his principles. The more you read the more you’re just not sure what to make of Kurt or Daniel. At first Daniel is a punk, but by the end he’s got much more of a soul than Kurt—after all, Daniel must have decided to become a priest for a reason. Truly, forgetting the Vawn issue, this is an incredible story.