Oasis of Horror (comic story)
Oasis of Horror was the third comic in the Journey Into Misery subseries of the webcomic The Cosmic Beholder. Written and drawn by Paul Hoppe, it was released both in serialised webcomic form and in a limited print run.
Although Jenny Everywhere was a recurring character in The Cosmic Beholder, she played no part in this story, which instead starred the Terrific Two (Kelly and Jenkins).
Contents
Plot
After Jenkins crashes their car into the one tree in the Mojave Desert, he and Kelly are forced to use Kelly's flying powers to continue their journey home. Stopping off at an oasis, they are startled by what appears to be a group of monsters. They take refuge in the house of an armed man who says he is being besieged by the monsters and asks for their help in barricading the house. The monsters manage to smash through in the night, however, and take Jenkins away.
Coming to “rescue” him, Kelly discovers that the “monstrous humanoids” are the rightful owners of the house, and the man with the gun is the murderous villain; they have simply invited Jenkins to join their campfire meal. When they return to the house, they find that the villain has vacated it, but has left a time-bomb — which only a throw by the super-strong Kelly prevents from killing them all.
The Terrific Two leave the Midwesterners on good terms, especially after they gift the Two their car. But what of the villain? Who, or what, really was he? Unbeknownst to the Terrific Two, the “man3 begins a journey on foot through the Desert, having left his human-like latex mask behind…
Worldbuilding
Universes
- This story takes place all in one universe, later named as Reality Z-25 31-H.
Other
- Kelly's use of flight is tied to her fire-based abilities; using either requires her to be dry and reasonably well-rested.
Continuity
- This story picks up directly after the events of COMIC: Ghost in the Apparatus of the Spirit in the Shell of the Machine, with the Terrific Two returning from their stay at Professor Madison's home in the middle of the desert.
Behind the scenes
Read online
Oasis of Horror is available online on the Cosmic Beholder blog.
