From Image Comics, Michael Moreci, Steve Seeley, Brent Schoonover, and Joe Eisma.

 

It’s becoming tradition with Hoax Hunters that story arcs close out with stand alone issues, and with issue #9, that trend continues. This time though, the creative team behind this series – Michael Moreci & Steve Seeley – bring a wholly unique concept to the table: the flip book. In doing so, readers get a unique look at Hoax Hunters, through the lens of the camera and behind the scenes, like a making-of special from one of your favorite TV shows.

The story: our fearless Hunters stray from the path, and tackle something out of the ordinary; a haunted house. Sure, even the best episodes of Fact or Faked contain ghost hunts, but in this series, they leave it up to the reality TV “professionals.” While the cameras are rolling, the show becomes another hoax, officially hunted, but behind the scenes this house is something entirely different, as the second cover below indicates.

 

Fans of the show Supernatural will find a lot in common with this issue, especially if they’re fans of season 3’s episode, “Ghostfacers.” There is a particular panel with Jack throwing up a middle finger that will make you laugh. It’s particularly enriching to see how the crew edits certain bits together to manipulate the viewer into believing that the paranormal has taken hold! For instance, bad tacos can make for some great evidence of ghostly manipulation, and they can teach a great lesson as well: never puke on a poltergeist, it won’t end well for you. Well intentioned phone apps and rigged emf detectors also serve the team well, but the best tool in their arsenal is Murder, who’s too scared to enter the famed Laramie home.

This Hoax Hunters TV treatment is a rousing success, as the creative team run with this issue. As an additional stroke of brilliance, advertisements for other Image comics’ titles are placed inside as “commercial breaks” of sort. The art in this issue is taken over by Brent Schoonover (Mr. Murder Is Dead, Vincent Price Presents) from the titles regular artist, Axel Medellin. Schoonover does a great job tying panels from different parts of the book together. Many are crossovers, and some contain minor additions of “behind the scenes footage.” This issue alone encapsulates exactly what Hoax Hunters is, and in its definition, has the ability to become a fan favorite issue. Issue #9 continues the streak of creative brilliance that Moreci and Seeley bring to this series, and upholds Hoax Hunters as one of the best titles from Image’s line of comics.