Ectokid #1 Review

Title:	Ectokid
Contributors:	Clive Barker James Robison Steve Skroce
Publisher:	Marvel
Issue #:	1
Year:	2005 - 2006
Pages:	32 Pages
Age Rating:	16+ (Language, Violence, Adult Themes)
Story Grade:	D
Art Grade:	B

Ectokid #1 is the story of Dex Mungo, a young thief in New Orleans, who was born as the result of his mother copulating with a ghost. And from there the comic goes downhill. This comic isn't for younger audiences as it does involve witchcraft, sexual themes and of course the concept that a woman could get pregnant from sex with a ghost.

James Robison is telling the story of Dex being hunted by the Augustine brothers, who have been possessed by a violent, murderous ghost of witch that died during the reign of Louis the XIV. The witch wants Dex captured for a reason that is not explained in this book, but might have been in one of the other 9 issues that this title ran for.

As far as how much input Clive Barker actually had into this story I do not know. But based on other non-graphic novel books of his I've read, Hell Raiser, Hell Bound Heart and Sacrament to name a few, I would have to guess he didn't have much input into the story outside of coming up with the concept.

Ectokid #1 is obscure, cheesy 90s fluff that, like many other comic books in the 90s, was simply churned out, slapped with a popular name at the time, in this case Clive Barker, and pushed out to the masses in hope to generate sales.

Steve Skroce did a fair job on the artwork, but the script was so bendy, twisty that while the artwork made sense to the script, the script itself was a mess.

One of the most challenging aspects that Dex faces is that he phases in and out between the plane of existence and the plane of the supernatural and many times these transitions were difficult to follow, again not an issue with Skroce's art, but an issue with the pulp nature of the script.

All in all I grade this book a C. The script really hurts the story, while the art is above average.


Until next time... Make sure that's ectoplasm kids, we wouldn't want you getting preggers.