Ghosts and Witches and Bigfoot, Oh My! Hector Plasm #1 Review

By Daniel Schwartz

Reviewer | Pastrami Nation

Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Benito Cereno
Artist: Derek Hunter

When I first saw this comic available for review, I jumped at it. The title alone had me anticipating a fun and sarcastic supernatural adventure, and it did not disappoint! 

After doing a little research, I found that Hector Plasm has been around for over 20 years. His stories started in the back pages of Invincible comics in the early 2000s. The character’s unique take on fighting the paranormal has garnered a cult following, leading to Image giving him his own series.

Written by Benito Cereno, Hector Plasm #1 follows the titular Benandante (a person who can see ghosts and detect witches) as he travels to the Pacific Northwest. After dispatching a spirit that was shooting residents with its “ghost gun”, Hector gets drawn into a murder mystery with all signs pointing to the famous Sasquatch. While Hector is not a believer in the Yeti phenomenon, he is finagled into taking the case and trying to track down the legendary creature.

Benito Cereno tells a fun tale of the supernatural. Hector is really humorous (He kicks open a door marked Don’t Open Witch Inside”, thus freeing the witch. When the witch flies off, he shrugs his shoulders and remarks “Well, I don’t know what I was expecting”) with a perfect combination of sarcasm and mystery. The first issue is masterfully crafted, mixing the whimsical and dark elements in a way that keeps the comedic elements while driving the murder mystery forward.

The artwork for this issue is excellent. Derek Hunter’s style fits the tone of the series perfectly. Readers can tell they are in for a fast-paced and humorous adventure that takes them from the ghost-gun toting apparition to Bigfoot gutting residents of the town of Monkey Ridge.

Rating 5 out of 5 Pastrami Nations. Sarcasm is my second language, and Hector Plasm speaks it fluently!