THE DEAD TAKE THE A TRAIN

A freelance spellcaster is in love with drugs and on the run from a primeval evil in midtown Manhattan. What could go wrong?

Everything old is new again in this comically horrific team-up between prolific Malaysian horror writer Khaw and Kadrey, taking a brief and well-deserved break from his popular Sandman Slim series. Whether it’s the ancient, squelchy things hunting our heroes or the novel voice Khaw brings to the genre’s blood-and-one-liners schtick, this adults-only episode may not be for everyone, but it’s certainly something memorable. When we meet nearly-30 Julie Crews, she’s already tied up in exorcising a demon at a bachelorette party before retiring to her squalid apartment for Korean street food, vodka, and drugs. We’re soon introduced to the book’s New York City underground, where Lovecraftian horrors control Wall Street, things older than humans still walk the Earth, and people like Julie use magic to regulate funkiness. The book’s complicating events don’t take long to stir things up. First, Julie’s ex Tyler, a corporate bootlicker, hires her as part of his plan to get promoted by sucking up to his firm’s…patron?—an eldritch horror called The Mother Who Eats that would make Pinhead wet himself. Secondly, Julie’s best friend, Sarah, shows up at her door, the victim of domestic abuse. Bloodshed ensues, natch, but there’s some good stuff among the overstuffed plot, not least the Wick-ian worldbuilding the authors employ to lurid effectiveness. Tyler is saddled with Annabeth Fall, an ice queen from his firm’s security division with cutthroat ambition and a low tolerance for his bullshit, while Sarah’s violent ex Dan nearly kills Julie. Meanwhile, on Julie’s side, we meet her prehistoric landlady, St. Joan, and her “guy in the chair,” Dead Air, who join her reluctant crusade to kill an angel, kiss the girl, and end this spooky bullshit once and for all.

An enchanting introduction to a magical bitch on wheels, to be continued.