Cassandra Starkweather hadn’t seen ghosts since she was eight years old. She used to see them all the time, until she found a way to make the visions-and the visits to the psychiatrists- stop. Then her college roommate died in a freak accident, and the ghosts came back with a vengeance. Helene brings Cassie a message from beyond the grave: there’s a war in the afterworld, and Cassie must use her special gifts to stop the Adversary from harvesting the souls of the dead. Unfortunately, Cassie is the only one who can see ghostly visitors; everyone else thinks she’s crazy. Confined in an institution, Cassie finds herself surrounded by agents of the enemy. When she breaks out, she’s labeled a dangerous criminal and hunted by the police. How can she fight the Adversary on the run? And if she goes too far to stay alive, how can she tell what’s right anymore?
Route 666 is a true horror comic with some pretty serious violence and gore, but it’s still appropriate for teens. It was certainly scary enough for this reviewer, who turned some pages over more quickly than usual. The writing and art are up to CrossGen’s usual high standards, and Tony Bedard’s plot throws the reader plenty of curves. The horror in Route 666 is much more than light thrills and chills; the human conflict is convincing.
Route 666, vol. 1: Highway to Horror
ISBN: 1931484562
By Tony Bedard
Art by Karl Moline and John Dell
CrossGen 2003
