Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
The young and haunted Ryan Auster was totally right in not wanting to a stupid ghost-hunting show, because he isn’t prepared for the malevolent spirits about to make his life a living hell! The story follows Ryan’s twisted legacy as the son of famous paranormal experts, and how financial woes force him to take up a job that only spells more danger for him.
Also Read: The Tormented Issue #3 Review
Issue #4 of “The Tormented” by Chuck Austen (story) and Patrick Olliffe (art) begins with a small flashback revealing just how ‘tormented’ Ryan was as a little boy who could see grisly ghosts, and sort of explains why he hid his supernatural abilities from his parents, who were hugely disappointed with his lack of ‘powers’. The issue also finally reveals what happened with the La Llorona-style ghost who brutally massacres a couple having fun in their car at the end of “The Tormented” issue 2 and then starts ominously chanting Ryan’s name. That cliffhanger was pretty killer, but was completely forgotten in the last edition.
Twenty-five pages long, this chapter was a rollercoaster ride, featuring another surprise appearance from Ryan’s father, who turns out to be even more of an asshole after death. Ryan and his ghost-hunting crew are still at the haunted hospital, where Nurse Carstairs’ spirit takes on a grotesque form and threatens them with dangerous consequences. There’s a lot of blood, slight gore, and twists in this edition, and Patrick Olliffe’s art vividly captures all the surprising turns this horror tale takes.
This was a gripping penultimate issue, intriguingly bringing together several plot points of the story so far. Everybody’s life is in grave danger at this point, and I cannot wait to read the finale of “The Tormented.”
Rating: 4 on 5.
Read Next: What If We Were 2 Review – Nat, Marie, and Madness
Read Next: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Review (Short Audio Version Below)