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Criminal Macabre: The Complete Cal McDonald Stories

Cal McDonald is one of my favorite comic book characters. But it wasn't until a few years ago that I found out that Cal got his start in prose fiction. Since then, I've searched conventions and online for Cal's original prose adventures, collecting a few, but never getting all of them. It's great to see Dark Horse recognize an interest for Cal's original stories is out there. This book seemingly was meant for fans who can't get enough of the pill-popping, drug-addled, monster-fighting, multiple-fractured, heavily-stitched and bandaged paranormal detective. Fans like me.

So the completist in me is satisfied. I now have all of the Cal McDonald stories in prose and comic book form. Yay, me.

So how is the book?

It's pretty darn good. Personally, I prefer the comics. I think Steve Niles has developed quite a bit as a writer since these stories were first written. Sure Cal is still addicted to all sorts of drugs, apathetic as hell, and fully willing to jump into paranormal cases that others would never do. But the Cal in the comics is an offspring from this prose character. Niles has the character down now in his monthly Criminal Macabre series at Dark Horse. It is still nevertheless interesting to read Cal's first stories (although some of them were adapted to comics later) and it was equally satisfying to look at the stories in this book and see how much Niles has evolved as a writer.

That said, I don't want to mislead people in saying that this isn't quality reading. It was actually a lot of fun. There are some writers that are in love with the word. And there are other writers that see a movie in their head and get it down on paper. There's a literal and action based sense to the stories. Niles does a great job of mapping out cinematic action. I could see these stories unfold on screen or across a series of panels. Niles is one of those visual writers.

Although Guns Drugs and Monsters and Savage Membrane are both great reads, I found myself having the most fun with the shorter stories. The last short story in particular (All My Bloody Things) is a blast. The book ends with this strong story about a human monster who captures people and becomes their worst nightmare. This cannibalistic tale not only exemplifies Cal's complex character, but it has an intensity and an immediacy about it that makes it much more effective than the longer stories.

Throughout this book, you'll encounter ghouls, vampires, werewolves, cannibals, and just about every other type of beastie imaginable. And it's all met with Cal's sharp tongue and numbed senses. Niles has created a character that is timeless, distinct, and able to crossover from books to comics and, hopefully, film. If you're a fan of the current Criminal Macabre Cal McDonald Mysteries, you won't want to miss this collection. It's short on bells and whistles. I'd have liked a bit of insight from Niles into the character in an intro or something. But the stories were strong enough to make me forget about any hesitation I would have in recommending this book. (Ambush Bug)