Halloween Team Comic Review

Summary from the Author

HALLOWEEN TEAM tells a compelling story that blends horror, adventure, mystery, and romance: Years ago, five misfit kids banded together to form Halloween Team - a group dedicated to solving mysteries and hunting monsters in the small town of Greenwood, MA. Now, twenty years later, the kids are grown and lead separate lives - until a new mystery brings them together for one more adventure.

Introduction

I don’t recall ever having a team name with my friends—but we definitely should have. We gathered around fires, many times to play Dungeons & Dragons, other times just to trade stories, drink, laugh, and sometimes cry. Reading HALLOWEEN TEAM was a total thrill. I caught myself smiling all the way through. I’m almost 40 now, and yet this comic pulled memories from my teenage years like ghosts out of a closet.

I read most of it outside, under the kind of open sky where nostalgia hits hardest. From the first page, I felt connected to Tommy up until page 32, when the weird shit starts happening. Well, let’s just say I’ve never had to exorcise an old teacher, but I weirdly felt ready to.

Story

In HALLOWEEN TEAM, we follow Tommy as he wrestles with memories of his childhood friends, their old adventures, and the pain of their eventual drift apart. If you remember what it was like when school meant hanging out with your crew and every walk down the street felt like a quest, then this story will hit you square in the heart.

Reality hits hard for most of us. Even harder if you used to fight actual evil with your group of misfit friends, only to grow up and find yourself in a dull office job while everyone else moved on from your hometown. Sometimes, it’s the ones who stayed behind who carry the heaviest ghosts.

I like blending my comic reviews with personal stories, and with HALLOWEEN TEAM, I couldn’t help it. I left my own small town and the so-called monsters we used to imagine there. I left the campfires, the whispered stories, the dark woods. But just like in this comic, I know if I ever go back, it’ll feel like nothing changed. Like the threads that tied us together are still there, waiting.

The story of Tommy, Ruby, Chuck, Josh, and Casey hit me hard. Yes, it’s packed with mystery, horror, adventure, and a dash of romance—but at its core, it’s about connection. The invisible threads we weave with those we truly bond with. Threads that can’t be unravelled. Even if, let’s say, a demon drags you to hell, those threads become your rope back. That connection is what HALLOWEEN TEAM is really about.

I loved every page, and I can't wait to see what Danny Baram and the team conjure up next.

Art

Matt Shults’ artwork in Halloween Team is a standout fusion of nostalgic charm and eerie atmosphere. Right from the opening panels, his style captures that sweet spot between Saturday morning cartoons and pulpy horror comics. There's a boldness to the linework that makes each character feel vivid and expressive, even in the quiet moments.

The color palette is particularly effective. Moody purples, oranges, and murky greens that perfectly echo the Halloween vibe without ever feeling cliche. When the horror elements kick in (around page 30 onward), Shults shifts gears beautifully. Shadows grow longer, expressions get tighter, and the supernatural starts to bleed into the mundane with an almost cinematic edge.

Each panel feels purposefully designed. There's a rhythm to the way action unfolds, tight close-ups for tension, then wide shots that let the scenery breathe. And man, those creature designs? Equal parts gross and fun. Just the way they should be.

Shults’ character work carries the kind of emotional honesty you’d find in Jeff Lemire’s Sweet Tooth, with expressive faces that hint at deeper inner lives. At the same time, the comic pulses with a vibe reminiscent of Cartoon Network’s golden age (think Courage the Cowardly Dog or Over the Garden Wall) where spookiness and whimsy live side by side. And if you’re looking for an elevator pitch, Halloween Team lands squarely in the territory of Scooby-Doo meets Stranger Things, a fusion of retro mystery-solving and emotionally rich supernatural storytelling.

Also worth mentioning: Shults did everything. Pencils, inks, colors, letters, even the logo. That’s a serious flex, and it shows. The cohesion across visual elements adds polish that many indie books struggle to match.

Honestly, even if the story didn’t hit as hard emotionally (which it does), the art alone would be worth getting your hands on Halloween Team.

Conclusion

Halloween Team isn’t just a fun, spooky comic—it’s a heartfelt love letter to the power of friendship, the nostalgia of youth, and the healing force of storytelling. Whether you’re here for the monsters, the mystery, or the emotional gut punches, you’ll find something that resonates. Danny Baram and Matt Shults have crafted a world that feels lived-in, real, and worth revisiting. If you’ve ever had a close-knit group of friends, a town you left behind, or a fire-pit full of memories, this book will haunt you, in the best possible way.