By Garrett Hanneken

Goosebumps: Download and Die! is still in setup mode in regards to its scares, but it hits full stride when it comes to character moments. With that in mind, it has come clear that this comic puts relatable young teenage moments in the forefront and the frights as an afterthought.

The issue begins with our trio of friends waking up to the aftermath of Slappy the Dummy’s attack. Confused as to what happened, the girls conclude that Kyra’s pet bird escaped its cage, brushing off any mystery. The three then continue with their school project in an attempt to create an app while Mitra fiddles around with her ominous phone some more.

From the beginning of this issue, I found myself enjoying the friendship between the three girls. The slumber party to their school project, the three are working seamlessly together which is refreshing from the unneeded drama from the last issue. Their relationship and bond allow me to care for each character, but things get messy when Mitra finds herself glued to her phone.

Fortunately, thanks to her phone, Mitra’s actions are a lot more justified compared to the previous issue. As Mitra takes a photo of Kyra and Flips she uses a filter entitled secrets which enables her to hear their thoughts. These thoughts manifest themselves around Mitra resulting in her warranted paranoia and uneasiness.

Another positive from the narrative is the friend’s attempt to create an app that is eco-friendly. Their idea to make a community driven app that utilizes coffee grounds to enrich the soil is heartwarming and shows genuine care for the characters.

As for the artwork, it does a fantastic job of capturing the mood. Whenever there are pleasant events the art is accompanied by light colors, but when something disturbing occurs the art speaks out with both bright and dark tones. It is clear that the artist and colorist worked in unison to bring out a cohesive atmosphere.

With all the positives from this issue, the comic still struggles to bring the monsters to the front line. There is a creepy homage to the Goosebumps story I Live in Your Basement, but other than that nothing really stood out to me as far as what makes Goosebumps fun.

Goosebumps: Download and Die! still succeeds in creating an authentic mood for young teenagers, but it would appear the comic is saving the monsters for its last issue. I can only hope that the finale is filled to the brim with the creatures that this comic has set up.

SCORE: 4/5

Goosebumps Download and Die! #2
IDW Publishing