Mike Mignola pays tribute to Hammer horror in a Mr. Higgins Comes Home exclusive

By Oliver Sava | October 23, 2017 | 6:30pm

Aux News Comics

You can always count on Mike Mignola for horror stories with a spooky atmosphere and a sense of humor, and he consistently puts out new horror comics with artists that bring an unconventional visual sensibility to the genre. Mignola’s latest Dark Horse Comics graphic novel, Mr. Higgins Comes Home, partners him with artist Warwick Johnson-Cadwell for an homage to the classic horror movies of Hammer Film Productions, telling the tale of a man who longs for death after being turned into a werewolf. Before he can meet his end, though, Mr. Higgins needs to help a pair of vampire hunters take out a horde of monsters when they gather to re-dedicate themselves to the devil. This mission quickly goes to shit when the vampires prove more wily than expected. The beast within Mr. Higgins is unleashed, and the gentle old man becomes an unwitting instrument of destruction.

This exclusive preview of the newly released Mr. Higgins Comes Home recounts how the titular character reached his sorry present state, spotlighting Johnson-Cadwell’s talent for expressive characters and evocative environments. There’s a cartoonish quality to his characterizations that makes emotions especially clear, and his willingness to exaggerate facial expressions and body language heightens the intensity of the story. His coloring also reflects what the characters are feeling, with the neutral tones of Mr. Higgins’ introduction in a church reinforcing the emptiness inside him. When he thinks back to his time with his wife, there’s a rush of rich greens, but those are gradually drained as terror takes over and Mr. Higgins discovers the truth behind the noble couple that takes him and his wife into their home.