Review by Frank Plowright

Back in the day Fred and Dolores hunted monsters. On undertaking the responsibility of bringing up children, they discarded their former activities for fear of the children becoming targets, and over the previous two volumes Steve Niles revealed how that affected their relationship, establishing domestic contentment is driven by adrenaline.

With everything back on track and a new child in the household, the monster hunting has resumed with Fred and Dolores guiding the next generation. Fred’s methods, though, are very much of the throwing the kids in at the deep end variety, and a solid opening chapter reveals their sink or swim capabilities. It’s deceptive, because if this volume establishes anything it’s what a capable bunch the extended Allen family are. Threats are well constructed as imposing and powerful, and then wiped aside.

As with Volume 2, artist Damien Worm is utterly integral to the creative success. You’ve seen the spooky gothic house in the swamps in countless comics and films, yet such is the skill Worm brings to his versions they prevent the page turning. They can be simple outlines with a single illuminated window or more fulsome depictions, yet they’re always striking. As seen on the sample art, so are the family pictures. Worm takes the standard Addams Family portrait and works it until it’s something infinitely more disturbing.

Although the previous two volumes pulled the family apart and then glued them back together, this is actually a better sample of the series, showing them in their full pomp. It ends with a slight cliffhanger, and having stuck with volume numbers to this point, Deadly Season follows. Alternatively, come October 2026 the entire series will be combined as a smaller sized IDW Classic Collection.