It’s finally time to return to Hyde Street!
After nearly two months, Geoff Johns is back with issue #2 of Hyde Street, expanding this nightmarish little corner of the Ghost Machine universe even further.
Though I’m not usually a fan of the horror genre, Hyde Street completely hooked me with issue #1—and issue #2 is shaping up to be even better. This issue dives into the origins of Pranky the Scout, a truly chilling piece of nightmare fuel.
Without giving away too much (because you really need to pick this one up), I’ll just say that this series cranks the dial on “messed up” to eleven. In my review of the one-shot comic Devour, I described this universe as “messed up”, and Hyde Street #2 fully embraces that vibe. Pranky’s backstory as a bullied and abused scout elicits genuine sympathy—but the way he terrorizes his victims is absolutely unhinged.
A particularly striking visual detail is how Pranky collects Scout pins for each capture or murder he commits. His sash, filled with pins, becomes a gruesome testament to his creativity—and brutality.
This issue also offers some exciting world-building. We learn more about the enigmatic Scorekeeper, and an intriguing detail is revealed: after a certain number of captures, a killer can leave Hyde Street. But Pranky, who’s been haunting this nightmare realm since 1955, has no desire to leave. He loves it there.
At the end of the issue, we get a cool character profile page explaining Pranky a bit more! I always love when comics include these pages, it really helps flesh out these characters.
Ivan Reis once again delivers jaw-dropping artwork that perfectly captures the eerie, twisted atmosphere of Hyde Street. Every panel is meticulously crafted, pulling you deeper into this dark world and its brutal horrors.
I’m beyond excited for the upcoming festive-themed issue #3, set to release on December 25th. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend picking up this issue—along with issue #1 and the Hyde Street Devour one-shot. This series is shaping up to be the standout property of Ghost Machine, and it’s only getting started.
Checkout my other Ghost Machine Comics reviews!
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