In a battle of cops vs. slashers, plainly the slashers will win. But who can face down an army of slashers in their home neighborhood? Find out in Where Monsters Lie #3 from Dark Horse Comics!

WHERE MONSTERS LIE #3

Writer: Kyle Starks
Artist: Piotr Kowalski
Colorist: Vladimir Popov
Letterer: Joshua Reed
Editor: Daniel Chabon
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 5, 2023

Previously in Where Monsters Lie: Professor Puzzleman’s escapades draw the police to Wilmhurst along with Connor Hayes. We learn that Hayes has survived not one, but two, prior serial killer attacks. He wants to take care of them once and for all, and he brings Linus with him. At Wilmhurst, the police start searching, and the serial killers start killing them. Hayes talks with Zel. He has had his eye on her for some time. To his surprise, Zel also knows a lot about him. Linus finds an opportunity and looks for a place to lie low. Richard sees this as his big moment and brings out his flamethrower.

A DARKLY ZANY BLOODBATH

Where Monsters Lie #3 opens with Zel stalking away from Wilmhurst in flames with Wyatt in tow. She is cranky and orders Wyatt to set off the explosives so there is no evidence left behind. He will do it, but he wants to set Baphomutt free. Even a killer dog does not deserve to die trapped. They reach the gate, and a policeman orders them to turn back. Zel turns on her old lady persona, then pulls out a gun and shoots him.

Back in town, Richard is torching the place with his flamethrower while Packrat collects the ears of dead police until Connor Hayes spots him and shoots him. He next shoots Richard and admonishes the cops for not being more effective. This is not uncalled for; so far, they have not been able to hit the broad side of a barn. Franky attacks a cop, and Hayes grabs him and flings him into the fire. Connor Hayes, Final Girl turned serial serial-killer killer. Pearl is next to meet her end.

Hayes recognizes Saint Julian and chases him into the woods. Some of the remaining cops gather to discuss just how weird this all is. They haven’t seen anything yet. The guy with the teddy bear on his head comes out of his garage with his lawn mower, picks it up, and uses it to kill one of them. Then he dashes off.

For a moment, things quiet down. Linus thinks this may be a good time to move. He comes out of hiding and immediately runs into the cops who pull out their guns and order him to freeze. One of them accuses him of leading them into a trap. He reminds them that they made him come along. One of the cops wonders if they should shoot him, just to be safe. Linus asks if this is because he’s Black. Today has been crazy enough – do they really need to add that into the mix?

Then the enormous Baphomutt shows up and kills the cops. Linus runs; Baphomutt chases him. Linus dashes to the closest house, runs in, and shuts the door. He finds himself face-to-face with Professor Puzzleman. There are simply no good options in this community.

Hayes reaches a dark clearing in the woods. Saint Julian jumps out and kicks the gun out of his hands. Julian attacks with his knife and starts to monologue. He recognizes Hayes, whom he let survive before, and he is looking forward to terrorizing him even more. But this is an adult Hayes who has some training and knows how to stop a knife attack. But can it really be this easy?

SLASHER VS. SLASHER

Where Monsters Lie #3 has reached the point where everyone dies gruesomely at a prodigious rate. It is entertaining in a dark and twisted way. Richard, especially since he is dressed as a clown, seems absurdly gleeful as he uses the flamethrower indiscriminately on anything and anyone in his path. He does not know he is in any danger until it is too late, and we see the surprise on his face as he dies. When Hayes kills Franky, throwing him into the fire is not sufficient. The little animated man comes racing back until Hayes grabs him and dropkicks him further away.

Linus has been set up as the “Final Girl” for this story, and it is nice to have at least one sympathetic character among the pathological fiends and generic victims. The scene with him and the cops is as close as we get to realism. The irony of his surviving the serial killers only to die being shot by the cops is tangible since it feels so plausible. But he lives, if only to run into the clutches of another serial killer.

BOTTOM LINE: THE META APPROACH TO MURDER

Where Monsters Lie #3 is over the top in the finest tradition of slasher movies. It is not for everyone, but if that is your jam, the meta take on the genre definitely has its moments.

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