PUBLISHERS WEEKLY -- Since the dawn of civilization, aGreat Evil has plagued humanity" begins the not particularly originalopening to this fast-paced horror series. Fortunately, Walker (The Life ofFrederick Douglass) and Brown pump life into a familiar good vs. evil formulawith a well-crafted, vividly illustrated setting. In 1920s Harlem, the Sangeryefamily carries on its generations-old work of fighting jinoo, evil spirits thatperiodically erupt into the mortal world. When humans start turning into jinoo,the Sangeryes' mission becomes more complicated, as rival demonologists andpossessed humans present new obstacles. Historical fiction mixes withsupernatural horror, producing a hybrid fantasy world of voodoo spells, madscience, monster Klansmen, and Jazz Age demon hunters wielding steampunkversions of Ghostbusters proton packs. The dynamic, richly colored art, with itsexpressive characters and imaginative monster designs, elevates the predictableplot. Above all, it's the background details that sing, from meticulously drawnHarlem streets to cluttered rooms filled with period detail.

Comics fans willlook forward to future volumes of this energetic dark fantasy that effectivelymixes thrills and scares.