What is most surprising about this hugely enjoyable and entertaining story is that they have not done it before. Frank Martin has found a new way to tell a story about Lovecraftish monsters that is, in retrospect, so obvious that remarkably, he is the first. It is a tribute to his insightful imagination that he has had the idea and is so successful in telling it.
Two plumbers are called to a rather creepy and battered house to fix a problem with the water supply in the basement. Naturally, there is more in the basement than pipes and the two find themselves in considerable trouble. The story unfolds unexpectedly with sharp humour and smart reveals.
Frank Martin does not short the reader with the monsters in the basement. There are plenty and they are all wanting blood. As they should. The magic in the story is the plumbers. They are far from standard heroes. The way they respond to the changing circumstances is a joy. Frank Martin has strongly developed them as individuals and the interplay between them gives the story humour and edge.
JC Grande’s art is expressive and engaging. The details of the different locations are clear and give a strong sense of physical weight that is necessary to ground the story. The cast move through the context naturally and the action set pieces are delivered with confidence.
Eugen Betivu’s colour choices are sound. The art uses dark tones without being dark; the details are all clear and the colours add depth and weight to the art.
Pipe Creepers threads the needle between comedy and horror with confident ease. It feels like an updated version of the EC stories. It captures the same atmosphere without being trapped by it. Superb work.
