The cover of the online reader copy I had of Bad Medicine by Christopher Twin was first odd and second scary. And scary won out for the final thought of what it was for me. And so are the short stories told around the campfire by a group of teens/possibly early 20-something friends. These stories can be graphic with language and imagery, especially the last one. They are based in Native folklore, legend, mythology, everyday and realistic events. They might be talking about demons, but those demons are all too familiar with names like Mom, Dad and Supposedly A Friend. Each one part lesson and party thriller/horror. Do not disrespect the past or the spirits. Do not take rides from strangers. And make sure you pay attention to what is around you.
Read between the lines of the story and you will see the realities of Indigenous life. Tales of ghosts, demons, and spirits haunt nature and the living. Sometimes they are friends but more likely foe. This is all shown with the interesting illustrations also by Twin. They are typical graphic novel details, colors and imagery. Things are dark. The browns, reds and blacks are the prominent colors. There are people you will like and dislike and the art helps you spot the bad guys. But not always. Things are relatively short, the art does not take away from the story, but sometimes the story and the text secondary, yet that does not make it less important. Both supporter and its own character, the images presented are as emotional as the words themselves.
I read this due in late October 2023 graphic novel online, therefore, I want to see a final copy to see if the bumps I had with the cover in particular can be smoothed out. The bumps were because I read it late at night (on my tiny phone screen) when I was not at home, with only a cat (who I swear loves giving me the evil eye) as a companion, so that did make things extra spooky and I missed some of the details. But despite that, I think this is a great addition to people who enjoy horror, thriller, Native issues, and graphic novels.