Welcome to Hoxford

by Ben Templesmith

I've long enjoyed Templesmith's work on books like Fell, Dead Space and the 30 Days of Night series (where his art is much better than the writing), but I wasn't too familiar with his written work.  His 30 Days of Night: Red Snow book didn't really work out for me, but I could see enough there to know that it was worth giving him another shot with this book.  And I'm pleased that I did.

Welcome to Hoxford is a twisted little piece of work.  Hoxford Correctional Facility and Mental Institution is a privately run (by a Russian corporation) institute of last resort for incurably insane violent offenders.  The men that are sent to this place are to remain there for the rest of their lives.  They are given no visitors, and the American government has basically washed its hands of them.  What no one knows is that it is a front for a group of werewolves who have immigrated to America.

Our hero (if that term can apply in any possible way) is Raymond Delgado, an insane murderer with delusions of godhood.  His fellow inmates include cannibals, pedophiles, and necrophiliacs.  So basically, it's not a very nice comic.  Instead, it's a gloriously deranged story where horrible people get what's coming to them from more horrible creatures, at least until Raymond starts to fight back.

As usual, Templesmith's art is terrific, if you like his style.  I think I need to track down some of his other solo work now, as I definitely want to read more.