Written by Juanita ‘Obi-Juan’ Bonner  If you’ve been following along with my recaps of Joe Hill’s Limited Comic Series and the journey into Christmasland, you know that we left Charlie Manx’s origin story and drove straight into a new tale. One that introduces a group of… ahem… colorful (LOL!) prisoners and their guards, now dependent on Manx for transportation. Yeah, I’m sure that will turn out just fine… LOL! If you’re new to our ride, don’t worry, you can always catch up on Volume 1 and 2, and all things Christmasland, via our NOS4A2 Collections page right here. Now, like an excited child on Christmas, let’s unwrap Volume 3 – Chapter 2: Dark Passage… shall we? Beginning with the story within the story, the first two pages gives us another flashback to 1988 for our sympathetic protagonist, Chess Llewellyn. In a backstory that has yet to be fully revealed, the former teacher, is seen holding his sickly son in the hallway of a private hospital in Doublecross, CA as he demands help for his care. Unfortunately, due to his teaching benefits not yet in full swing and a very unsympathetic doctor and nurse, Chess is turned away… and quite rudely, I might add!! As we turn the page to the present (1989) we pick up where Volume 2 left off. Chess, now a prisoner sentenced to seven years, has landed in a botched escape, and along with the two guards, is forced by Denis Sykes (a former Carny turned thief) and Dewey Hansom (a former Actor turned rapist **GROSS!**) to climb into Manx’s Wraith. Seems Dewey has known Manx for a decade and kept him from prosecution by the DA by not ratting him out. He uses this leverage to threaten Manx for help, to which Manx promptly complies. The banter between the two is telling as Manx slyly calls Dewey on his threats then says, “Don’t fret for a moment, Dewey! You are an old friend and you asked if I could give you a hand! Of course, I can… and I trust one day you’ll do the same for me!” Um… yeah… I’m sure Manx has more in mind than just a hand… LOL!! He smooths things over further by giving Dewey his favorite pair of sunglasses – heart shaped, red colored, bejeweled eyesores even worse than his porn-guy ones in Volume 1 – and off they go. But not before drugging the guards and throwing Agnes (my new favorite!!) in the trunk while placing Kevin up front with Manx. Up front in the Wraith right next to Charlie… YIKES!! On the road, Sykes asks Dewey for the details behind his relationship with Manx. Dewey recounts when he was a big-time screen agent where a meeting with a “Mom, fresh from the green pastures of New Jersey, [that] wanted her six-year-old to be on TV” ended very badly. A one panel flashback shows a distraught Dewey sitting at the end of a bed where a woman wearing some sort of mask lies motionless as her terrified son looks on in the doorway. Dewey says, “Christ, I was high. I was high and she was kinky. I don’t know what happened. It was an accident.” In a panic, he remembered hearing about a man who could make problems disappear. No memory of how he got the calling card, adorned with candy canes (of course!!), Dewey called the number. In exchange for Manx’s help, Dewey gave him the child. WHOA!! Upon hearing this, Chess, the grieving father, pipes up with anger asking what happened to the child. Manx gleefully interrupts to reassure them the boy is alive and well and happier than ever in Christmasland. Visions from Volume 1 of Manx’s sharp toothed offspring come to mind as I ponder on the term “Happy” and shiver just a bit… LOL!! Dewey, surprised that Manx still refers to the boy as a six-year-old says, “You mean he used to be a six-year-old… he must be going on fourteen by now.” NOPE Dewey! He’s still 6 and he’s just aching to play!! As the journey continues, we see a line of cars being shuffled one-by-one through a police blockade. Geez, for a moment, I completely forgot about the fact these prisoners escaped in a chaotic DOC van rollover, killing one civilian accomplice (R.I.P. Moon Boy… LOL!!) and severely injuring the guard Kevin in the process. Not to mention, they have yet to cross over to Charlie’s Inscape – Christmasland. It’s almost like being in the Wraith with them, I too, a new passenger, am crossing over as well. WHOA… eerie AF, am I right? Nearing the road block, with just a few words, Charlie further explains his relationship with Dewey. Seems ‘Ol Dewey often came across many children in need and Manx was all too delighted to assist. YUK!! Makes complete sense though. Saving children is Charlie’s excuse for what he turns them in to and a man like Dewey will forego asking too many questions if the outcome suits him above all else. The whole thing turns my stomach, which, I conclude, is exactly what Joe Hill was going for when he decided to write about a soul sucking Wraith that’s tied to a psychopathic murderer created by childhood horrors of his own. It’s deliciously evil with every layer and I LOVE IT!!  As the Wraith slows for the impasse, Sykes raises his gun and says, “Buckle up boys. We’ve got law ahead. However, as a lawman approaches, Manx tells them not to worry. Huh??? And in another one panel shot, we see Manx, perched at the wheel, with a sly grin as a police officer waves the Wraith along. All the passengers, including the drugged guard Kevin in the front seat, appear as small children. The whole sequence immediately conjures memories of a previous panel where, in reference to Manx, Dewey says, “No one is better at making people disappear. He’s the fuckin’ Houdini of the highway.” I guess that statement is multifaceted, eh!?! And speaking of multifaceted, as the road continues, the next two pages hit us with another one of Chess’s flashbacks. Teary eyed and frantic, Chess is driving while his son, who we learn is named Adam, is curled up on the back seat in pain. Adam brings up the balloons tied with messages they let go back in Volume 2. He’s asking how many it would take to help him float away. Chess, in an effort to distract Adam, and likely himself, from the pain, tells the boy about Delirium 101 a “Special gas” with “More lifting power than air or helium.” Chess continues to sooth his son with the strength of Delirium 101, but the final panel shows a glassy eyed Adam who’s seemingly passed on mid conversation. Informative yet terribly sad at the same time, I now fully understand Chess’s plight and wanna fight for him amongst these murderers, rapists and thieves. **SIGH**
Shaken awake by Sykes, both Chess and myself come back to the present where it’s now snowing in May. Hmmm, have we crossed over to Manx’s Inscape yet?? Just so we’re sure, Sykes shows Chess that reaching towards the front seat places his arms in an invisible void as he states, “Hey Llewellyn, you ever seen anything as amazing as that?” Looking out the window, Chess says, “You bet. Right out there.” A full page panel reveals a snowy road winding through a candy cane forest. Complete with a mountainous starry sky, evil looking prancing deer, moving snowmen and a giant walking teddy bear. Finally, there are 3 huge child letter blocks that spell out DIE. Yep… we’re definitely in the Inscape… LOL!! As Dewey and the prison guard Kevin sleep, Sykes, Chess and Manx discuss how this all must be a dream. Chess stands up to Manx telling him if he finds missing kids in Christmasland, he’ll “Gladly expose the place.” Oh bless your wittle heart Llewellyn!! You have no idea what’s coming… LOL!! Charlie strikes back telling Chess his son would’ve been better off in Christmasland and that he’d still be alive. WHOA… that’s a low blow!! He also lets them in on the Inscape secret by saying, “You need a special ride to find the roads into Christmasland – The roads in and the roads out. You need a ride that is itself like a dream made real. A ride like the Wraith! And no one drives this car but me!” YIKES!! I absolutely love that we knew this from the beginning, but having Charlie explain it still sends chills down my spine. RIGHT!?! Falling back sleep, Manx wakes them once they’ve reached the heart of Christmasland. Dewey is lost in the realization of a fully functioning amusement park while Chess thinks what he had seen and heard before was a dream all his own. We now find out that Sykes had the same dream. WHOA!! Manx beckons for them to get out of the car. He even lets poor Agnes out of the trunk. All the while, we see shadows moving closer as Charlie, in reference to his children, say, “I just know they can’t wait to show you their favorite games!” With Kevin still asleep in the front seat, we see a smiling Manx and four very confused passengers looking dead ahead at the shadows approaching. The final full page panel reveals a group of bloody spiked teeth child monsters led by, of course, a sword wielding Millie Manx. The huge Christmas tree behind them is adorned with lit candles and severed heads. You know… your average Christmas decorations… LOL. THE END!! WOW…can you envision a game of Scissors for the Drifter?? I sure can!! Well, that’s it for now kids. I truly hope you enjoy this volume AND my recap. The cover, seen at the top of the page, is my personal favorite of all seven as it gives one of the biggest glimpses into Christmasland. Perched on a cliff with nothing but static below and topped with the very Charliesque Man in the Moon, the illustration is fantastic and disturbing at the same time. Inside, the artwork keeps form with Volume 2 and its predominantly dark landscapes eased with pops of color. Even Chess’ flashbacks are darker than before as his memories have now moved passed simpler times and into a parent’s worst nightmare. For me, there is always more to dissect and though this recap is fairly thorough, not all is discussed – leaving plenty of dialogue and visuals for the reader to discover. And with four more comics to review, we have many more evil surprises ahead before these devilishly delicious prequels come to an end. Next week, Volume 4 – Chapter 3: Fastball. Until then… remember Charlie’s thoughts on youth: ”Nothing keeps a person youthful like happiness. Innocent fun is as good a pickling a fellow.” *Wink* ‘The Wraith: Welcome to Christmasland’ – Volume 3 – ‘Chapter 2: Dark Passage’ IDW Publishing; Jan 2014 – Author: Joe Hill; Illustrations: Charles Paul Wilson III; Colors: Jay Fotos; Letters: Shawn Lee and Robbie Robbins; Edits: Chris Ryall
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