Comic Review: Ice Cream Man #19

Ice Cream Man #19

Image Comics

Writer: W. Maxwell Prince

Artists: Chris O’Halloran and Martín Morazzo

This series has been one of my favorites since it started in 2018; it bends the comic book genre, creates its own unique atmosphere, and consistently delivers compelling stories. If you’re unfamiliar with Ice Cream Man, it is a bunch of one-off macabre stories with a very vague overarching plot involving an ice cream man. Don’t worry about that last part, it only sometimes comes up and is rarely relevant. The important part is knowing that with each issue you’re getting into a sad, heartfelt, and engaging, one-shot story. Issue #19 continues that trend with another unique twist on the comic book format. In a Marvel or DC title, this would be the saddest in the series, however, in the context of Ice Cream Man, it’s actually one of the less heavy issues.

The A cover by Chris O’Halloran and Martín Morazzo set up the premise of this issue; it is a step-by-step guide on becoming a better ghost. The pages age made up of a six-panel grid with text on top of each box containing a step. There are three sections, each ranging from 35 to 53 steps. I won’t go into what each of the three sections is but they’re all clearly connect. While spoiling it wouldn’t ruin anything, it might make reading it a little less fun. For better or worse, the basic story of the issue is something Ice Cream Man has done in the past. The issue is still a great read the only completely new thing offered is the how-to guide format. Without that, this issue probably would have been a pretty generic Ice Cream Man comic.

Anyone following Ice Cream Man knows what to expect from the artwork. Everything has realistic proportions and they aren’t always the most flattering, something that can be refreshing in a comic book. The obvious difference about this book is Chris O’Halloran’s coloring. From the second you open the book everything is in black and white, making the book drabber and more sorrowful. The white space of each page is a neutral grey to fit the tone. The coloring makes the issue feel more like a real guide you might find in a newspaper or a low budget pamphlet. Most of the text is written in sans-serif text above each panel. You’re only treated to Good Old Neon’s regular in-panel lettering once every couple of pages. That decision intentionally brings you out of the book, reminding you that you are just an observer in this story.

Ice Cream Man #19 might not be the best issue in the series but it still has plenty to offer. The unique storytelling vehicle makes the book engaging even if the plot is just a new take on something they have done before. If you’re a fan of the series then you should pick this issue up. If you’re new then you might want to check out an older one first.