Publisher: Action Lab Entertainment
Writer: Shawn Gabborin
Artist: Michela De Sacco
Colourist: Daniel Morales
Release date: OUT NOW!
Price: $3.99

Anthropomorphic puppets scare the bejabbers out of me. Ever since my Mum parked me in front of the TV to watch Torchy the Battery Boy I have found the idea of living puppets deeply disturbing. Even Pinocchio gives me the creeps. The Ed would like to mention he still has nightmares about the puppet show Pinky and Perky, oh and Pogles Wood, when ever the evil witch was on the screen (okay, stop-motion animation but close enough). So you are not alone.

So you can imagine that the idea of reading the Charles Band’s Puppet Master #6 did not fill me with joy. The Puppet Master horror film franchise has become a cult classic and its creator, Charles Brand, is widely credited with inventing the ‘straight through to video’ market.

The central premise of Charles Band’s Puppet Master #6, much like the movies, is a group of puppets have been animated by an Egyptian spell and each of the puppets has some murderous attribute. In Charles Band’s Puppet Master #6 said puppets inhabit the Bodega Bay Hotel and set about disposing of the occupants. The twist in the Charles Band’s Puppet Master series is the puppets have been released from the spell and given human form. Unfortunately, the human form puppets are now stalked by killer puppets. These are the breaks…

I regret to report Charles Band’s Puppet Master #6 has not changed my opinion regarding animated wood figures. The plotting by Shawn Gabborin confused me and the colouring by Daniel Morales rendered everything so dark that I could barely make out what was going on – but given my phobia, may be that is a good thing – but may be not for you.

If you like the original movie franchise you will no doubt enjoy Charles Band’s Puppet Master #6 but as for myself, I will just have to re-watch Pinocchio.

 

Reviewer: Steve Weller
Reviews Editor: Steve Hooker