Review – The Thrilling Adventure Hour Presents: Beyond Belief #1 (Image)

Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Ben Acker & Ben Blacker
Art: Phil Hester
Release date: 22nd April, 2015

Turn the spooky up to 11 folks, it’s the Thrilling Adventure Hour presenting Beyond Belief. This is the first issue based on the stage show slash podcast, in the style of old time radio.

In this issue we meet Frank and Sadie Doyle. Ghost Hunters andm by the sounds of it, part time alcoholics. Mind you, if I could see ghosts and hear voices I would turn to the drink as well. Joking! Frank and Sadie are the toast of the upper crust and regulars on the society pages. Two toffs, who wouldn’t say no to a martini and a ruddy good ghost hunt.

The first of the two story arcs focuses on the house of Frank and Sadie’s good friend who, having just moved in, discovers that it is haunted by devilish dollies. Enter the quaffing ghostbusters. Adventure ensues and the cause of the haunting is discovered and dealt with. Hurrah! The story ends with the set up for issue #2. The second story arc tells the story of how Frank and Sadie first meet, fall in love and discover their spooky abilities.

I really wanted to love this comic. The characters of Frank and Sadie are fantastic, no doubt about it. Acker and Blacker really write them well and obviously love them a great deal. Both the story arcs are entertaining and it looks good. I just couldn’t shake the feeling that it would be so much better if I was to see it performed on stage or screen. I’m just not sure it translates that well to the page. Maybe I just need a gin?

Beyond Belief #1 is a jolly good supernatural romp but loses a little something in translation to the page. Just one more thing before I go…does anyone have any tonic?