HAM HELSING

Ham and the gang return to fight a fishy foe at a spooky summer camp.

In this graphic sequel, renowned vampire hunter Ham Helsing, gentle vampire boar Malcolm, and porcine ninja Ronin arrive at Camp Fish Head Lake to encounter an outrageously scaredy-cat group of campers with excessively attentive parents. There’s Timmy, who is protectively sandwiched between two pillows; Leo, who is terrified of bugs and has a cone circling his head; and Samantha, who is afraid of the dark—shadows included. Counselors are conspicuously missing. Unbeknownst to Ham, a decade ago, toxic sludge was dumped into the lake, transforming a once-gentle fish into an angry ambulatory beast. When campers start disappearing, Ham and his friends must team up with past foes Hen and Franken-Chad to stop the massive piscine perpetrator. Moyer’s sophomore offering is a rollicking, side-splitting good time with its silly adventures, appealing characters, and abundant action. Full-color illustrations keep readers’ attention, with simple backgrounds and a variety of interesting angles spotlighting the cast. There are references to the previous volume, but those new to the series could certainly enjoy this self-contained tale; however, more exploits are teased and another episode of “Shaz-Ham” is included as a bonus at the end. Animal characters cohabitate with a small cast of racially diverse humans.

Fast-paced and lots of fun.