Hello, my friends. The haunting season is climbing towards its peak, decorations & costumes continue to get prepped and the familiar chill is slowly but surely returning to rattle us to our bones. As we progress our way through the eerie mist, allow me to keep you within the familiar California town as its horrific past continues to haunt it. On that note, I welcome you to the next entry of…
Over the first two issues, we’ve had a young woman who’s actually the daughter of Nick Castle and Elizabeth Solley returning to the town for the first time in years with her small podcast team. With the help of Andrew Wayne, they’re able to investigate the now-abandoned church along with the nearby monument called Devil’s Mark. As for Andy, he’s still living in the small area with a wife and daughter while his radio DJ mother is in a relationship with Father Malone’s former assistant. However, the central figure behind the history-based investigation has brought some familiar faces with him in order to once again bring some supernatural terror to the town. As for how things will unfold over this penultimate chapter, let us finally delve into that.
Published in May 2024, the duo of writer Steve Ekstrom and artist Marco Foderà continue to weave this legacy sequel in comic book form. With the town’s past once again returning to bring absolute dread in full force, let’s roll back in to this narrative and see what emerges this time around.
Issue 3 opens with Andrew arguing with his daughter Jamie that they have to wait this fog out until the morning before he suddenly gets a call on his cell phone. To his horror, Sheriff Brackett informs him of some horrific news before he says that he’ll be right over. Andy then tells his family and the podcast team that his mother Stevie has been found dead on the side of a road just outside of town along with the police not knowing where Bennett is. As Jamie hugs her daughter Casey over this horrific turn of events, Annie shares her condolences for their loss. Andrew then wants her and her team to stay put in order for them to keep an eye on his family, yet Castle says that she and her comrades have to return to the church. He tells her that it’s the last place that they should be at if those undead beings have truly returned to Antonio Bay, yet Travis says that they’re still sitting ducks by staying where they are. Kirk then mentions that he found a gold cross over at Devil’s Mark but dropped it during a panic and that they have to retrieve it, yet Andy refuses since he’s worried that bringing said item to his home will bring those beings here. Annie argues that if the gold cross is calling out to Captain Blake, then it could be what ultimately saves them. Andrew ultimately tells them that they can properly arm themselves with some guns from his basement which can help them in their task. From there, Castle mentions that she and her team saw something else. They couldn’t see well given the pouring rain, but they saw a man being dragged by someone who seemed to be carrying what looked like “his own head in his other hand”. Andy then realizes that it’s the late Father Patrick Malone and that maybe Captain Blake isn’t entirely behind all of this. From there, he tells the podcast team to be careful with their acquisition of the golden cross before also reminding them to have Jamie teach them the special knock so that they can swiftly get back inside.
Later, he arrives at the murder scene and meets up with the sheriff before telling him to get this area quickly wrapped up so that he can head home to barricade himself with his family. However, Brackett isn’t willing to abandon his post before Andrew admits that he and his mother didn’t share what they saw four decades ago for a reason. Meanwhile, Annie and company arrive at the church as Castle decides to keep the car running so that they can make a quick exit. Just then, they feel a haunting chill coming over them as Mathew and Pierce get a suspicious feeling that they’re not alone. Back in town, a pair of deputies (particularly Ryan) mention how the electric power within the surrounding area is out. Despite Ryan wanting to call in the sheriff, his fellow official says that they can handle a minor incident as they check out Stevie’s truck that’s crashed into a power line. Just then, they’re approached by the hooded figure as they demand for him to identify himself along with asking him if he witnessed the pickup truck’s crash. However, the man simply says that he’s “an old member of the community” who’s returned to take care of “some unfinished business” and that the person who drove it is behind them as several undead beings proceed to emerge from the fog. To the deputies’ surprise, the driver turns out to be the decapitated Father Malone. Ryan tries to call Brackett, but is only receiving static on his radio and that he describes it as “people moaning”. The hooded being says that they’re “the voices of the restless souls of Antonio Bay” before he sends the undead figures at the officials whom they quickly surround.
Over at Devil’s Mark, the team is having trouble relocating the gold cross as Kirk admits that he lost it due to it being dark and that he felt something breathing down his neck. Just then, Annie is able to spot it before they’re then met upon by Blake and his undead crew. They quickly surround Pierce and Matthew before they mutilate them as Castle picks up the gold cross and begins to flee. Suddenly, she runs into Captain Blake who simply tells her to “leave it”. From there, the undead figures proceed to lumber into town and slaughter any unfortunate person who’s still outside.
Over at the Wayne house, Jamie and Casey spot someone approaching them before they realize that it’s Andrew. As they head back inside, Jamie starts feeling woozy as she goes to rest on the couch while Casey tells her dad that her mother hasn’t been well since he left the house. Andrew then tells his wife to keep her ears open since they still need to have an escape plan that doesn’t draw unnecessary attention to them. His family then ask him what happened to his mother Stevie, yet Andy tells his daughter that they have to focus on caring for her mom along with themselves. Suddenly, they hear a loud THUD outside as he tells his baby girl to help her mother upstairs before he goes to investigate. He then heads outside with his shotgun as he discovers Sheriff Brackett who informs him that he just came from the police station after finishing up with Stevie’s corpse. In particular, he brings up that his newest deputies named Nathan and Ryan were just torn apart out in the street. Andrew then invites him inside in order to help his newly-sick wife into his truck before mentioning that the podcast group is over at Devil’s Mark. Just then, he turns around and suddenly notices that the sheriff has vanished before he’s then met upon by several undead beings as he proceeds to retaliate against them.
Back inside the house, Jamie and Casey are suddenly met upon by the hooded figure. Casey then fires a warning shot at him, yet the guy says that she’s his great-granddaughter and that he needs her mother in order for her “to fulfill her destiny”. From there, his undead minions proceed to subdue Casey before he captures the unconscious Jamie.
Just outside the house, Andy hears his daughter crying for help as he attempts to run back inside. However, he traveled far enough for his home to get lost in the fog before he suddenly trips, falls over and loses his gun. He soon discovers that he tripped over Lee’s severed head before he’s then met upon by the decapitated Father Malone. Suddenly, Annie drives in and rams her car into the undead priest before she informs him that her podcast team is now dead. She mentions that Blake’s crew were waiting for him at Devil’s Mark, but there were far-more undead beings there as well. Not only that, but Blake actually spoke to her and even sparred her life. She even noticed that he didn’t seem to have any control over those otherworldly figures that acted like wild animals, yet kept their distance from the undead captain. Andrew is rightfully baffled by all of this before he wonders why those creatures have returned, to which Castle says that she shares his uncertainty over all of this.
Just then, Casey runs out and informs her father that her mother was taken by a guy who claims to be her great-grandfather. Andy realizes that she’s talking about John Machen before Casey says that the opposing figures have just vanished within the fog. Andrew then has a good idea as to where they’ve gone to, specifically Mister Machen’s spot at Spivey Point. He then brings up how some “disturbing things” came up after John’s death and that what was discovered in his basement the day after the 1980-based incident alongside his corpse still spooks him. From there, Issue 3 ends with Andrew, Casey and Annie hopping into his truck in order for them to head out to the harbor since their only chance to reach Spivey Point ahead of Machen is by boat. Afterwards, the comic concludes with a police report from the Antonio Bay Police Department about the infamous incident from April 21, 1980. With it being reported by “T. Atkins” and prepared by “J. Curtis”, it mentions the recovery efforts the day after the supernatural incident where Andy volunteered and discovered John Machen dead within the basement of his house. Andrew then reported it to the official who was assigned to the block to help with recovery who’s named Sgt. Tom Atkins (named after the actor who portrayed Nick Castle in the movie). The sergeant then entered the basement as he discovered John’s corpse lying on his stomach and ascertained that Machen lost his life due to “natural causes from basic observable morbidities”. After some investigation, it was discovered that the basement had several strange items consisting of books & paraphernalia all about “occult and ritual sacrifices”. Not only that, but the cellar also had a hallowed out space within one of its walls that led towards a smaller, roughly constructed space filled with candles and occult symbols. Along with some markings on its walls, there’s also the word “Beleth” carved onto the dirt floor near a large pentagram. Another police report then brings up how several more on-site members of law enforcement were brought to said house to help process the crime scene. It then brings up a body that was discovered in an upstairs bedroom that was apparently stabbed 23 times by an undiscovered sharp object with the victim identified as Kristen Marie Schanowicz. Her personal effects were then discovered within a closet in the same room along with several small bags filled with the belongings of other missing people from the greater Antonio Bay area. There’s also some extra information, but they’re covered by a pair of photos covering the crime scene.
Overall, this was the biggest emotional knife-twist of the story. On first notice, it bummed me to discover that Stevie was ultimately killed off and has now gone the initial film along with this narrative not interacting with the majority of principal players from both cinematic & printed tales. As such, her son now stands as the only remaining connective tissue that this mini-series has with its 1980 source material aside from Captain Blake and the now-important Machen connection. In terms of Andrew, his past experience and fatherly care for his family has elevated him to a likable legacy character. He remains rational throughout the harrowing ordeal while demonstrating his sharpened skills behind the trigger of his shotgun, thus making him the most well-rounded character out of our main survivors. As for our two remaining principal players (aside from Jamie), Casey does have a little youthful rebelliousness within her that may not be too prominent within the story presented up to this point. Fortunately, she still presents herself as well-natured and helps her dad out once supernatural things start popping up. She hasn’t stood out too much thus far, but she’ll get her chance to do so within the upcoming final chapter. Finally, we have Annie. Unlike her mother Elizabeth who mainly stuck close to her father Nick once they came across each other and primarily hung around, her investigative efforts have obviously led to this narrative’s plot unfolding over the course of these issues. In terms of her personal growth, she kept her small podcast team focused on their assignment and provided them with some brave comfort especially during the two times that they ventured out to Devil’s Mark by their own selves. She didn’t get easily rattled like her now-deceased comrades ultimately became, but she’s also wise enough to know that they shouldn’t try to engage any supernatural figures given how those beings are armed with their short-range blades. Through her, she does make the discovery that Captain Blake is still involved but isn’t the main culprit of this ordeal. Via the reports & transcripts provided to us at the end of each book along with the in-narrative presentation, we’ve been slowly getting details of this particular Machen and his connection to the town. As for what he plans on doing with Jamie and how it’ll fit into his ultimate end goal, it should make for a bone-chilling conclusion. All-in-all, this penultimate chapter delivered its fare share of twists and turns that may be a little soul crushing to fans of the original film given Stevie’s ultimate fate here, but the stakes are properly raised to where they need to be thanks to good pacing, well-handled artwork and the familiar dread that longtime fans have come to expect from the cinematic film getting retooled into something that still fits while being its own hauntingly opposing force. In the end, it’s worth giving a read within the warmth of your home or out in the eerie chill. So, what does Machen hope to accomplish now that he’s captured Jamie? What kind of role do both Captain Blake and the beheaded Father Malone play in his scheme? Will Andrew, Casey & Annie be able to save her while also purging the town of this horrid curse once and for all? Come back next time as we bring this printed legacy sequel out of the ominous mist and towards its ultimate end.
The Fog (created by John Carpenter & Debra Hill) is owned by StudioCanal, Amazon MGM Studios, Sony Pictures Television, Lionsgate Films and Scream Factory.
