Museum of Terror Recommended

Publisher
Dark Horse
Country of origin
Japan
Year
1987

Museum of Terror Volume 3

By David Rasmussen
23rd Dec 06

In Japan, once upon a time at least when this review counts, Halloween was celebrated every month of the year… and no it’s not because of the return of tentacle rape hentai.
Ever wanted a lot of Japanese horror for a nice amount of money? Well for $15 you can pick up this rather thick volume of horror entitled “Museum of Terror”, selected pieces of reprinted works of one Junji Ito from 1987 to 1990 mostly from Monthly Halloween but also a few from different specials.
There’s an even dozen so let’s randomly browse 4 for this review.

The title story, “The Long Hair in the Attic” is about Chiemi Amano, a beautiful girl with long flowing hair who apparently needs to take a restraining order out on her own hair since, after she breaks up with her ex-boyfriend and finds out (after a couple of bad things) that her hair has become sentient. Bad hair day.

Monks are scary people, if you don’t believe me check out “Unbearable maze” to see for yourself!

In “Village of the Sirens” things start so quietly… and end in a way that is usually seen as the opening sequence of a 1st Person Survival Horror shooter as the world goes to heck in a handbasket. Find out why though don’t expect anyone to make the tie-in shooter anytime soon.

Shh! There’s “A Deserter in the House”… don’t wake it, though, there are some deserters that should remain missing, like this “one”.

Wow. That was short… two more.

The kind of logic you won’t see on an episode of Jeopardy, “The Devil’s Logic” seems to involve less about answering in the form of a question as it does going out building diving… without a bungee cord or parachute. Now we’re just missing the crowd of rude people shrieking “Jump Jump Jump Jump”.

Guess what? In “Heart of a Father” it seems that, surprise surprise, daddy doesn’t know best! Wow.
At first it looks like such a normal “horror”… then things go X-Files fast and everything turns freaky.

Ok, nuff said. Breakdown quickly while I can withstand the “horror” of it all.

Museum of Terror Freakout the 3rd
If the idea of Jeopardy contestants getting themselves locked into ancient monstaries with their new brides waiting outside because they can’t stop talking to the tour guide is horrifying to you… then you probably shouldn’t read this. People lose bodily parts, die horribly, suffer painful fates and overall happy endings don’t happen here (not in this book’s backyard)! Of course if you are a biggie on the whole Japanese horror thing and wish this would come out more than just around the time of Halloween here you go, another book for your collection that’ll keep you horrified until next October (and considering you’re getting a nice thick book of horror for a nice tidy price I’d think you’d jump on this offer ASAP!)
Museum of Terror Volume 3 gets 4 “The Power of Herbal Essence Compels You!“ out of 5.

-- David Rasmussen 23rd Dec 06