My Bloody Valentine

Published:  April 9th, 2013
Grimm Fairy Tales Presents: Sleepy Hollow
By: Dan Wickline
Zenescope Entertainment
ISBN-13:  9781937068813

A legend is about to become all-too real! When a prank goes deadly wrong, those responsible will learn the truth behind the legend as the Headless Horseman returns to exact a horrifying vengeance none will never forget! From the writer of Salem's Daughter: The Haunting comes a tale of horror and terror that will leave you on the edge of your seats. Hold on to your hats...and your head!

Review

 

     This story is yet another version of the ever infamous American folk-tale, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving.  In this one, it was fiction but based upon true events involving the ancestor of the protagonist.  A soldier was led out to a ditch and beheaded by some traitors from his regiment.  He became the headless horseman.  The horseman's descendant is Craig, an avid history student at the local college, who is kidnapped by the basketball team who want him to give the answers to a test so one of the players can keep his scholarship.  When Craig refuses, they tie him to what they think are abandoned train tracks.  So of course he gets beheaded by an oncoming train.  The team covers up the incident, but when they begin to be picked off one-by-one, in brutal beheadings they're forced to admit that maybe The Legend of Sleepy Hollow isn't such a legend after all.  I absolutely LOVED the historical aspect of this that explained the 'true' story of Ichabod Crane and Brom von Brunt.  It was a plausible story of what the truth could be, if Sleepy Hollow was based on some factual events/people.  And the artwork for those panels was wonderful, with just the right combination of creepy and colorful.  The plot set in the present day was very clichéd and predictable.  Not necessarily in a bad way, but also not in a really good way either.  It was a very horror movie of the month story.  The main character is betrayed by people close to him and comes back for revenger a killer with powers from Hell itself.  I did enjoy it all the same, but the ending left me feeling very ambivalent in general.  I prefer to be wowed by a book, rather than to just like it in an 'okay' way.  The artwork throughout was very well done and even though there was a lot of violence and gore (almost gratuitous) but with a Headless Horseman as the killer that's no surprise.  Plus the author has written for the 30 Days of Night series.  Enough said right there.  Overall, a graphic novel/comic that had great potential and I feel that it only partially achieved what it was capable of.  A fun quick read, but don't be expecting a complicated or involved plotline.  All the same, I'd recommend it for any Sleepy Hollow fan. 

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published April 9th, 2013.*