America is a land of myth and superstition, with every corner of the nation haunted by its own story of lurking monsters, wrongful death, and the spirits that linger in the quiet places of the world. When seeking to create a collaborative art book, highlighting artists from Great State of Texas, The Underground Forest wisely thought to theme it around these very stories; familiar sounding legends colored by the volatile history of the vast state. The book consists of twelve short stories, only a couple paragraphs long, recounting a local myth and paired with a piece of art inspired by said story. The art is of varying quality, medium, and tone, but all professionally rendered. Of particular note are Jessica Correa, Chris Sweet, Cody Schibi, and Chris Ruggia's contributions. The art is framed by a loose 'Tales of the Crypt'esque narration by a talking cow skull, but unfortunately the theme doesn't run through the book and along with the unnecessarily hyper-charged title comes off as a last-minute decision that could have used more forethought.

Overall, it's a professionally put together collaboration, and I came away wanting to look up the artworks of a few of the interior artists. For fans of obscure Americana or those who just like recommendations of new artists to look for on Facebook, 'Doom Ranch 5000' is worth a peek.

Score: 3/5

Writers/Artists: Various Price: $7.00 Facebook Page