Review by Ian Keogh

Derek Landy’s series of dark fantasy novels has been a spectacular success, with nine volumes of Skullduggery Pleasant completing the first arc and the sequel series so far running to a further six volumes. Landy’s never applied a strict chronological progression, which makes slotting in a graphic novel an easier task. However, Landy ensures Bad Magic can be enjoyed on its own merits by anyone who’s never read one of his novels.

Skullduggery Pleasant is a mystic whose true form is skeletal, although he’s able to disguise this. He and apprentice Valkyrie Cain travel around investigating and dealing with supernatural evil. A pleasing aspect is that Irish author Landy sets his series in Ireland, making use of what to many readers will be an exotic background. In this case it’s the small town of Termoncara where an unusually high number of murders have occurred over the years, yet the locals would prefer to brush matters under the carpet than carry out a proper investigation. Valkyrie’s arrival is the cause of immediate resentment, though.

Bad Magic is plotted as a procedural mystery, with one clue leading to the next. Landy supplies his leading characters with a nice line in sardonic dialogue, while artist P.J. Holden’s monster designs are imaginatively disturbing. The art on the whole, though, never approaches the potential. Holden tells the story efficiently, but without any great spark, and mixes caricatured people with those drawn more realistically.

Landy’s more creative, escalating the threat and exploiting the petty parochialism existing in most small towns resenting any incomers. However, there’s no subtlety about this, nor about the very random proclamations about sexual attraction, but then a town over-run by monsters urging folk to kill isn’t subtle either. All in all, though, this is more likely to appeal to readers already caught up in Landy’s universe than sell it to newcomers.