Last time I read Chip, which was a humorous comic about a very small gargoyle that did nothing but make me feel good. But, because gargoyles are supposed to be scary, I felt like reading a horror story this week. The need for a good, creepy story led me to WITCH DOCTOR VOL. 1: UNDER THE KNIFE, written by Brandon Seifert, illustrated by Lukas Ketner, published by Image.

(See all volumes of this series in our TPBs & Graphic Novels category!)

Vincent Morrow is a doctor. He isn’t your ordinary doctor, he’s more of a supernatural doctor whose job is to prevent bad, evil things from getting out of control and causing the apocalypse. Morrow captures demons possessing children, vampires, cuckoo fairies and vampires all in an effort to develop vaccines that will protect the world from them. Typically his vaccines include dissection of the monster involved but how else can a doctor learn if not by dissection?

Image is known for bringing lots of creator owned projects to the market but this is one of the best that I have seen in a long time. Seifert and Ketner manage to avoid so many of the typical traps that befall new creators it is amazing. Witch Doctor is a cross between House and Fringe with none of the limitations of television. 

Writer Brandon Seifert has created a highly likable character in Vincent Morrow. Morrow has all the elements you expect from off kilter heroes these days. He is brilliant to the point of having trouble talking and relating to people. He is snotty and ultra confident even when he shouldn’t be. He is likable even when he isn’t. But beyond the main character Seifert manages to quickly build a believable world, back story, subplots and supporting cast in the span of five issues. The story points aren’t drawn out, the subplots get a page or two every issue to keep the intrigue building, and best of all, he does it in a natural way that makes sense. Finally, Seifert incorporates all elements of monster movies into a doctor type setting. When Morrow is looking at a captured fish man, the discussion about how “Creature from the Black Lagoon”’s lungs serve different purposes on land and water makes perfect sense. That mixture of hooky science and doctor lingo makes for a wildly entertaining read.

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