Ice Cream Man #14 Review

by Nathan Koffler on August 28, 2019

Writer: W. Maxwell Prince
Artist: Martin Morazzo
Colorist: Chris O'Halloran
Letterer: Good Old Neon
Publisher: Image Comics


Ice Cream Man consistently contains some of the most unique forms of storytelling that I have ever seen in comic books. We've seen all kinds of interesting issues from this series and I'm surprised and happy that they have not run out of odd ideas. I'm always looking forward to new issues of Ice Cream Man because I am always positive it'll be original and entertaining. 

This fourteenth issue of the series uses crossword puzzles to tell the story of Earl and his wife Rita. Earl is stuck in crossword puzzles in his head which leads to the Ice Cream Man forcing Earl to get lost in a physical crossword puzzle of his life. Like all issues of this series, this one is very depressing and peculiar. I think that the writing often feels so powerful in this series because it uses actually horrible and sad realities to tell these stories.

It wouldn't be an issue of Ice Cream Man if you didn't spend most of the issue engrossed in the story while also wondering what the hell is actually going on. That isn't criticism because it's never confusing or hard to follow. Instead, it's shocking and strange, but in the best way possible. There's also plenty of creepiness within the issue as well, which is always helped by Martin Morazzo's illustrations, Chris O'Halloran's colors, and Good Ole Neon's letters. 

This series often uses the visuals to tell stories and this is one of those issues. The fact that every page looks like a comic book but also a crossword puzzle is absolutely brilliant. This also causes the issue to be somewhat disorienting, which is an incredible feature because it pulls you into Earl's own delusions. This is one of those issues where the artwork can almost make you feel as if the Ice Cream Man is also tinkering with your own reality. 

Once again, the horror and sadness of the Ice Cream Man series astonishes. Keeping to form, the writing and artwork are wonderful and create a terrible and exciting world that I constantly want to read about but never want to actually live in. 

Our Score:

10/10

A Look Inside