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Courtney Crumrin - comicdom's premiere pint-sized curmedgeon - and her uncle Aloysius continue their European travels in this tale that takes the duo to Germany and into the history of the Crumrin (or Krumrhein) family, and into some of the darker territory the books have yet explored, as both the horrors of vampirism and the internal, more personal horrors - disillusionment, fear and depression are beginning to close in on Courtney after all the tragedy she's witnessed - are confronted.

Aloysius, who's come to this place specifically looking for a cure to a secret that's plaguing him, is caught blindsided. It's never been stated explicitly (and it's never had to be) but Aloysius has appointed himself Courney's de facto guardian and defender (and in many ways, she's become the same for him, albeit more subtly) but he's focused on keeping the little scamp from the external threats (monsters, otherworldly realms) and bizarre situations she's always wandering into, and has never stopped to consider the inner turmoil that may be burrowing deeper and deeper into Courtney's young psyche, or the unexpected ways she might try to cope with it. This is one of the most tense and edge-of-your seat Crumrin tales yet told.

The Courtney Crumrin comics are often thought of as 'childrens comics' despite their darker elements, but really they go wider than that. I'm not saying that they aren't great for the young 'uns (although they may be too scary for, like a five or six year-old) - children are smarter than they're given credit for, and anyways few books are going to be more potentially disturbing to a child than sitting through a round of the nightly news or going through the years and years of the schooling system. But the Crumrin books - and many fans already know this - are simply one of the most appealing overall concepts out there, good for fourteen year-olds, forty year-olds, ninety year-olds, males, females, longtime comics lovers, people who've never read a comic in their life, whatever. I feel that they have the potential to tap into many of the same currents that have deservedly made properties like Harry Potter, Twilight, Lord Of The Rings, and the pantheon of Studio Ghibli anime movies such worldwide successes. More frightening (not that 'frightening' is a bad thing for a story to be!) than many of the entries the above examples contain, but also with tremendous comedic value, vast imagination and ability to impact on many emotional levels, this series is a goldmine just waiting for the world at large to discover it.

Even if the world-at-large never latches on, though, the books continue to reward those who know they exist. If you're a Courtney fan you need to get this volume; if you're new to the Crumrin saga the best place to start is with Courtney Crumrin, Vol. 1: Courtney Crumrin & The Night Things (Courtney Crumrin (Graphic Novels)). Highest possible recommendation.

You can check out the series in the Comic Store today.