The Creators – Justin Richards – Writer, Val Halvorson – Artist, Rebecca Nalty – Colours, Buddy Beaudoin – Letters

The Players – Podcaster/Apprentice, The Hopton Valley Killer

The Story – Sometimes, bad things happen to good people, and sometimes, they grow up to make the worst decisions.

The Take – Capturing their audience’s attention from the very first page, co-creators Justin Richards and Val Halvorson present readers with a unique concept in their new book, The Slasher’s Apprentice. One can guess by the title alone what it might be but it is the person who becomes the apprentice which is where it gets really interesting and it begins with some brutal murders. It is a tragedy that was not supposed to have any survivors and yet, there was. A young girl would live through that night, the next day, and the next. She would grow up to host a podcast called The Knife Life, a show about serial killers and it is not something she does simply because she is a survivor. She also does not do it because of fascination. It is something more than that, something deeper and when all is said and done in this first issue, the title of the book comes into effect. Suffice it to say, this was an extremely captivating story with some very evocative artwork courtesy of Halvorson. It reads like a movie, almost like it could be an offshoot of Scream but without the comedy. Richards relates his tale in a very straightforward manner and yet, even given the ending, one has to wonder if it is sincere or if it is a ruse. Is this young woman going to do what the title suggests or is it simply a way to get close to the killer, to catch the predator who killed her parents or will it go even further and will she do to him what he has done to many. There are several paths to take and so far, there are few clues to go on, yet that is another reason why this story turned out to be as good as it is. As for the Hopton Valley Killer, there is little backstory given on the villain other than he has been killing for years, since 1974 in fact and has one hundred and twenty-five kills to his name, though that number could be more. Why anyone would want to associate with a killer such as HVK is unknown but there has to be a reason, as previously stated, and getting there will be a lot of fun. Released by Mad Cave Studios, The Slasher’s Apprentice is another win for the company. For those who have not picked it up as of yet, they should do so. It will not disappoint.

Worth It? – Yes.