Hoax Hunters #0
Story by Michael Moreci and Steve Seeley
Art by JM Ringuet
Inks by John Lucas
Cover by Steve Seeley
Image Comics
Release Date: March 21, 2012
Cover Price: $2.99

There’s a lot to be said about Hoax Hunters. I could easily fall into the comparison trap. You know, the one where the guys in the comic book store says “It’s Buffy meets Scooby-Doo meets Mad Men!”, but I’m not a big fan of that. Things need to be judged and sold on their own merit. That said, this comic does take a few modern day pop culture staples, and turns them on their ears.

Writers Steve Seeley and Michael Moreci have taken something that I normally would gloss over on the comic racks and turned it into something that I can’t wait to read. Without going too deep into spoiler territory, the Hoax Hunters is a group that goes out and investigates, let’s just say, suspicious activities.

The characters really shine throughout Hoax Hunters #0, as you immediately know who they are and what they’re about, yet there’s a hint of mystery about all of them. One of the things that impressed me most about this issue was the lack of gratuitous violence and gore.

This genre of comic would normally lend itself to gut-spilling, entrails-dragging gore, but Moreci and Seeley build actual SUSPENSE and MYSTERY that make the book enjoyable and not a cheap blood and guts fest. Now THAT’S effective writing. Another thing that I liked was, even though this is an issue 0, which would normally have a last page leading directly into the first issue, this one is a one-and-done story. Yes, there is a little something that’s going to carry over into issue #1, but the bulk of the story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Over all, a VERY well written issue.

JM Ringuet is new to me. I’m not sure what he’s done before, so I can’t say that I’m a huge fan, BUT, and most importantly, his art really works for this book. He sets a great mood for this comic, and without that mood, the book would be a lot less enjoyable. He also is a competent artist in the fact that he can do action as well as talking head panels and make them both look good. Also, his “supernatural” stuff is totally believable in the context of the book. It fits right in like it’s part of the same universe.

You should definitely pick this comic up and add the series to your pull list. I get a REALLY strong feeling that it’s going to go the distance. I don’t see this one falling into the Image “start strong and then never come out again” category. It’s, naturally, a perfect jumping-on point for new readers and this is a perfect comic to give to people that don’t read comics. It’s a totally different genre and unlike any book that I’ve read in quite a while. It’s a refreshing change of pace from superhero books and just different enough from the other independent books out there. I give Hoax Hunters my highest recommendation.