COVER ARTIST: Patricio Delpeche
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THE SIN BIN. MAY 2025. FIRST PRINTING. © 2025 Robbie Thompson and Patricio Delpeche. All Rights Reserved. IDW Publishing, a division of Idea and Design Works, LLC. Editorial offices: 14144 Ventura Blvd., Suite 210, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423. The IDW logo is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Any similarities to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. With the exception of artwork used for review purposes, none of the contents of this publication may be reprinted without the permission of Idea and Design Works, LLC. IDW Publishing does not read or accept unsolicited submissions of ideas, stories, or artwork. Printed in Korea.
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writer
Robbie Thompson
Patricio Delpeche
created by
Robbie Thompson & Patricio Delpeche
Use your head.
That’s what MOM used to say.
The game ISN’T about where the ACTION is.
lt’s about where it’s GOING to be.
…|
REALLY miss her.
She was RIGHT, of course.
About HOCKEY. About EVERYTHING, really. For example…
…look at my opponents here. Their eyes are on ME. On the puck. On the ACTION.
…until it’s too late.
Both of them focused on ME, not seeing my WIDE-OPEN teammate…
| take the hit.
My teammate gets the glory.
And we WIN THE GAME!
“Remember, MAMITA. Use your head.”
She’s right. She was ALWAYS right.
…my dad’s right, too.
But doing things Dad’s way?
Always leads to TROUBLE.
Using your head isn’t ALWAYS the answer, though.
| would never admit this to him, but sometimes, emphasis on SOMETIMES…
My dad is a PRO hockey player.
But he’s stuck in the MINORS.
He was a SUPERSTAR as a kid. But when he turned pro, EVERYONE was a superstar.
So…he stopped playing with his head and started DROPPING THE GLOVES.
(That’s code for FIGHTING.)
Anything to stay in the game.
He’s basically a BODYGUARD now. Traded from team to team to protect hotshot players turning pro.
But Dad’s not gonna be stuck here forever. No way. No more trades. No more changing schools. No more living out of crappy motels.
| have a PLAN.
Players like the Wiz here, who | do NOT have a crush on.
Dad’s not just a fighter, though, he’s also a mentor. A JEDI to Wiz’s PADAWAN.
My plan is easy. And better yet?
Simple enough for my dad to get.
…get out of the MASSIVE BUCKET of trouble |’ve now firmly gotten myself into.
THANKS, “Dad’s Way.”
get in the car, cat.
they were picking on beats.
I know. And I’m glad you stuck up for her.
Told your principal the same thing.
This is why I te everyone you’re the best Dad in the world.
now, let’s talk about tonight’s game. their goalie is weak glove side and–
cat, you droing the gloves wasn’t a your principal and talked about. she told me about your grades…
Welp, | had a good run.
okay, I may, or may not, have slied up on a few tests. but plus side? made you an awesome scouting report for the next five games!
everyone wi fly toward the wiz. you’ be open in-take, for example, tonight’s game.
stop talking.
order pia. bed by ten. finish a your homework and leave it out for me to lk at. no more blown tests.
and gave mrs. marks ten bucks to make sure the lights are o by then.
dad. if you get to the show, we get out of this dump. why won’t you listen to me?
got it?
…mom would.
evening, cat.
Hi, Mrs. Marks.
cat…
your mom knew that. she kept me…
…she kept us both with our ft on the ground.
… ’m never going to the show.
… our skates on the ice.
but since she’s not here anymore, and don’t know how to do things her way, ’ just do them my way.
ever .
you’re grounded.
if your grades come up, you can come to games. until then?
| am INVISIBLE. | am a WHISPER. A shadow.
A leaf on the WIND
your old man gave me twenty to kp an eye on you.
what are you goa pay me to kp that eye closed?
he told me it was ten.
question remains the same, kid. you want to go to your dad’s game or not?
| AM a leaf on the wind! | will sneak into the stadium without my dad knowing.
Right? |’m sure that’s a thing that can happen. Maybe. | just have to--
--WAIT! Dad’s talking with Mr. Peterson! The team’s GENERAL MANAGER! …did Dad get called up?! OMG… is it…
Ohmygoshohmy goshohmygosh
IT’S HAPPENING.
Also…|’m so DEAD if he gets home before | do!
|’ll just sneak into the back of dad’s truck.
The perfect crime.
Oh man, | can’t believe it…
THE SHOW. No more takeout. We can get a STOVE instead of a hot plate. Dad’s actually a really good cook.
And we could get a yard! Which means we can FINALLY get a dog. And its name will be Gretzky and…WAITASEC…
…where the H-E-Double@%$# are we?!
Why is Dad checking out this old house? At night?
Wait, is Dad BUYING this old house? Did he sign a bigger deal? An extension?
| mean, this place is better than the motel, plenty of room for GRETZKY to play in, but it also seems, | dunno… …creepy?
What is Dad doin g in there?
Uh…okay, that’s totally a broken door…
…WHAT IS GOING ON?
Don’t breathe. Don’t breathe.
Don’t breathe.
Dad’s totally kicking in a door now. Totally normal, explainable behavior.
Don’t be afraid.
Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid.
Cutting through a chain that locked up a door in the ground.
Also totally normal, explainable behavior.
Is it just me, or did it just get even DARKER outside?!
What ARE these things?
Gonna have to handle them Dad’s way.
Would definitely be a ten-minute major and a game misconduct.
okay, fine, that was a suspension.
Listen, uh, whatever you things are, maybe we can talk about this?
I hate taking penalties. ’Cause THIS?
what’s haening right now is that you’re grounded…
who are they?
’ take care of these things.
they’re a type of ghoul.
There are types of ghouls?
me. get the twins out of here. now!
the cper twins. bn miing for a wk. fd for those things. what are those things?
where… where did a the ghouls go…?
time to go home.
what’s with that box…?
what is--?
dad, what did we just…
I
got traded, cat.
there’s something I have to te you, and you’re not goa like it.
hey. don’t forget the money was holdin’ for ya. and the ten your dad gave me, t.
gd luck out there, kid.
she knew everything. and now… …so wi you.
monsters. crazy swords…. did mom know?
So, here’s the thing about MOVING.
CHUCK those lemons at your PROBLEMS.
It SUCKS.
They’ll leave a MARK.
So, | do my level best to take all the lemons of moving, and use them to take advantage of the situation…
…| don’t make lemonade.
But my mom always told me, when life gives you LEMONS?
As a result of my dad playing MINOR LEAGUE HOCKEY, he and | have to move ALL the time.
| make a whole new ME.
catalina duquesne?
it’s just cat, sir.
A whole NEW Cat, that is.
And this All-New Cat? Is a GOOD student!
New Cat? Not bothered by having NO friends!
Or the fact that she went through an entire day without talking to ANYONE who wasn’t an adult!
Because NEW Cat?
No PROBLEMO, for New Cat!
Gotta be on her BEST behavior. Off the ice…
…and ON the ice.
Old Cat would have been BUMMED by getting all of 36 SECONDS of ice time.
But New Cat? Not making waves.
See, New Cat has a new MISSION: | just found out the TRUTH about what my dad does with his spare time.
Too busy taking advantage of riding the pine and doing RESEARCH.
Spare time he SHOULD use for a hobby, like, | dunno, fixing old cars, or building model airplanes, or that thing where OLD DUDES get into World War || history.
Not MY dad, though. His new hobby? He’s a part-time…
And if he’s a monster hunter… …then | AM a monster hunter, TOO.
(Assuming there’s, like, a legacy thing here? Like, like father, like daughter? Maybe it’s genetic? Look, it’s happening is the point.)
Hockey player by night, monster hunter also by night?
When Dad captures monsters he sends them to his very own penalty box, AKA…
My theory is that this weird basket EATS the monsters, but since Dad never lets me near the thing, | don’t know if said theory is correct.
However it works? It’s COOL!
Dad promised to tell me EVERYTHING.
And as stated above… he’s told me NOTHING.
|’ve asked him about one point six million questions since | learned that A. monsters are real and B. he TRACKS them down and KILLS them.
So far, his answers have been variations on frustrated grunts, deep, heavy, put-upon SIGHS, and threats of being grounded.
All of which leads to New Cat’s new attitude. Don’t bug Dad slash don’t get grounded.
And keep digging!
All of this monster hunting must be what’s been holding him back in the MINOR LEAGUE. He needs to get back to THE SHOW, the pros. He does that? No more NEW CATS. | can settle for once!
Dad’s a GREAT player. But lately? All teams want from him…
But Dad is BETTER than Marbles and ALL the players he’s been protecting.
…is to keep the flies off hot young players. Like this new guy he got traded to look out for…
yo! dukes! ’m open! dukes!
…Danny “MARBLES” Harper.
(Except the Wiz. The Wiz is talented and not dreamy at all except maybe he is SHUT UP!)
|’ve been telling him for MONTHS he’s got to shoot more. Play smart. Not be a goon.
what are you thinking, dukes?
we didn’t bring you over here to sht.
great, they brought in a dinosaur.
hey, that guy helped get the wiz to the show.
Yeah, for a the gd it did The Wiz…
…that kid is goa be back to the minors in no time.
maybe you’ve taken t many shots to the head. so let me make this clear--
--your job is to make space for marbles, got
it!?
He’s NOT listening. And he’s NOT talking. Hence, New Cat and her Best Behavior Attitude have taken center stage.
So | think tonight is the night if all this work has paid off…
I think I know where the griers’ nest may be.
griers don’t have nests. they roam. they eat. tk the griers you saw out, cat. end of story.
f you tk them out… why do more kp poing up? what do you know about griers poing up?
Uh, I read. Like… the news. And stu. There’s bn some strange things haening a over town.
so… can te you my theory?
Uh-oh. Frustrated grunt. That’s a two-minute minor. New Cat has to tread carefully.
no theory nded. they pop up. I smash ’em. end.
story. of.
now let me ask you a non-monsterrelated question.
’ve had a lot of time to think about these griers.
And the way they’re working. I, uh, did some research and found some other cases that smed similar to those miing twins we, uh, YOU found.
Like, check this out.
…not bn great. but think he just nds time. what’s going on with the wiz? his numbers have…
…that’s another minus thr night for the would-be superstar, and you’ve goa wonder if the organization might be considering sending the wiz back down…
he’s squzing his stick. told him a hundred times–
he just nds time.
speaking of time…
almost identical…
HEAVY SIGH!
Double minor. C’mon, New Cat, don’t get a five-minute major!
you know, this lks familiar.
…to my private notes.
what a coincidence.
and what a co stain you left to show me it’s not a coincidence.
dad, lk at the x’s. what if there’s a paern there–
what if you stayed out of my things?
you promised me answers.
about everything.
’ve told you a you nd to know. this is not for kids, especiay you.
leave the monsters to me and do your homework or…
you can’t ground me. I have no friends in town. that’s not punishment!
how about…
leave your drawing skis to working up hockey plays. if these things are operating out of a nest, then maybe said nest is in the mile. bingo!
Five-minute major and a game misconduct. And that’s a wrap. Again. That went…as predicted. All that hard work and Dad scores from the red line.
wait a sec.
Will my dad realize | took his hockey sword and swapped it for my hockeypeeweestick? Time will tell!
If
…|’ll just have to find out MYSELF.
man, I hope the dinosaur is dialed in…
…the guys we’re playing against have some real bruisers.
I gue we’ s if he’s worth the bag of pucks they traded to get him over here.
Nest… gimme a break…
nice work, dino!
Pattern… ridiculous.
you goa be kiin’ me.
time to go.
go get ’em, dukes!
that’s a major and a game for you!
Sonuva…
Okay, REAL map in hand. |’m only a few blocks away!
| wonder what it will be.
Another creepy house?old
An abandoned warehouse? A haunted--
You gotta be KIDDING ME…
…THIS is a monster lair?
A big-box store?
Okay. Worth a look.
If nothing else, | can get some candy.
Where could a nest be in here? Not out in the fluorescents, right?
Gotta be someplace…
…dark and creepy.
Okay, this is more like it. Not an ABANDONED warehouse but close enough. Now let’s see…
HMM. The hockey sword glows when monsters are around.
Nothing yet.
There is no nest. Maybe he’s right about this not being for kids, too--
Great.
Dad was RIGHT.
Getting brighter as | head back here. What’s behind…
cl sword! thanks, it’s my dad’s. let’s get oua here…
… ’m the manager.
I honestly don’t know. This whole basement has bn locked o for wks. But one of my employs heard some voices. I came down here right away.
you got another way out of here? back dr. this way!
what’s going on here?
| can’t WAIT to get out of here and find Dad.
On second thought, might be time for a NEW New Cat.
Because this Cat… We’ve beEn waItinG for yOu, litTle one. That bLade kilLed my fRiEnDs… …anD now…
Monster hunting isn’t for kids my foot!
New Cat for the win.
New Cat for president!
New Cat for--
…this Cat is TOAST.
“no maer what os she faced.
“My Mom?
“always had a plan.
“one of a kind.
“and the os we’re facing? “VERY o.”
lks like your mom thinks she’s coor mcdavid, cat.
more like mcnotgoascore.
lk at you rkies. watching the puck… …and not my hips!
“
’When you’re cornered, Cat, lk for PREURE PO NTS,’ she’d te me.”
which means you a now have to watch…
nice move, mom!
Mm-hm. your dad let me brze by, what’s your excuse? how come no poke check?
why did you let me score?
you most definitely do not. | love your celly.
“hang on a sec, lady… what do you mean was?”
I love you.
“she reay was the best of us.”
“first of a, ’m a kid, like you, not a lady. and. we. Um, we, uh…
“…she died–”
“wait, what?”
C’mon. Let me fd you duies. how’d you know we’re hungry? because I know my family. love you more.
“Hey, I’m teing a motivational and poignant story here--”
“a motor-vation-al story where your mom dies?! seriously? now? where we are?!”
okay, new besties? let’s focus on what’s important.
we are traed. in the basement of a department store. that’s secretly a nest of monsters.
what
is wrong with you, old lady?!
I know you’re a scared. And you know what?
I’m scared, t.
Well, I duo, I gue I’ve moved around a lot and don’t have a lot of social skis–
Totally NOT scared, for the record.
Monsters called GRIPPERS that can SHAPESHIFT, but that’s probably TMI for these kiddos.
but we can get out of here.
together.
(Okay maybe a LITTLE scared?)
who care s?!
I want my mommy! is she dead, t?
We’re al l gonna di e in here! Worst. Rescue. Ever.
SIGH. Is there anything worse than kids?
Okay. Rally cap time.
my aarently inaropriate anecdote was actuay a metaphor. I think. maybe it was an aegory? Worst. Rescue. Ever.
not important. just… lk at these cages, the welding is shoy. thank stu city for pr craftmanship.
they’ break.
we do this together. as a team. then we get oua this dump.
s? no reason to be--
long story even longer-the bald welding is at the joints, so there’s preure points at the corners that we can lean on by pushing them onto their sides.
rock ’em back and forth?
monsters are real?! I thought was dreaming! oh man, have to–
here is my Moy?! I just want my MOMMY!
this is a your fault. I think you’re one of them! they shapeshift! how can we trust you?!
Okay, strike two. But hey! Third pitch? Hitter’s pitch.
guys, I hear you. I do. but we goa act fast. and we goa act as one.
| THINK? | don’t watch baseball…
Okay, less tears, less rage-faces, starting to see some progress. | mean, they still look scared. But scared of me. That’s good… right? Better than being scared of a bunch of--
Wait…
…one of those jerks is right behind me aren’t they?
guys? remember what we talked about–
guYs? rememBer is…
who said what now?
…it’s been that kinda week.
so. you must be… ghloar, was it? and you’re in charge of this grier nest?
you are clearly very bright, but can aure you that this facility is not a nest.
Huh? f this place isn’t a Grier nest… then what is it–
let’s discu what’s important before we fd on your bone maow.
where did you get this abomination? none of your concern.
yeah, not a fan of bone maow consumption, so it kinda does fl like my busi–
a child wielding this much power? a child wielding…
comic bk convention.
…The S ard of R y Awful Na ine and B od ed and T ?
AnD tHen ki whoev at is!
I mean, if you’re reay asking?
bosS saId to keEp an eYe on yOu. but how aboUt | keEp an eYe on yOu wHile saId eYe watChes yOu die? we can onLy cHanGe sHape afTer we feEd on---tHe bone ma ow of tHe i o nt. on
that doesn’t work for me.
Pl ease sa y
o chip s and not
how about this? how about you te me what this place reay is?
| me an, ha ve you at le ast t rie d n acho c hi--
REALLY not my night. Wait…
…does anyone ELSE hear that?
nach
You stole my TEDDY BEAR!
This is for my MOM!
| hate everyone and everything in this store!
| want his teeth! I just wanted to sneak out of bed for ckies. didn’t want any of this. now ’m hungry and angry and-great work, guys! now let’s tie this guy up while he sti has tth.
let’s save that energy for the rest of our escape, ’kay?
Kids. | LOVE ’em!
I knew the child couldn’t poibly have found this.
I must congratulate you. You’ve raised her right. She would have bn a fine waior had she not croed Ghloar, and inadvertently gifted him with…
you must be that lile imp’s father.
wait. is that what you ca my sword? right?
I mean, who says scaard?
seriously!
first of a, not a fan of water unle it’s frozen. so we’re goa pa on that end-of-the-world chat if you don’t mind.
second of a–
where is the nest?
my gue is nearby.
right, but if this is just a fast-fd drive-through for their kind…
what? no. no us. this isn’t a team kinda gig. and you are just a kid, kio.
Now, c’mon… let’s take our friend here–
| am rigHt here! sTop sPeAkinG of me like |’m not right here?!
did you know they have a qun? fls like big news–
Oh, you might as we be gone, Dave-O.
I found your records in your oice. Something there wi lead us to your nest. us?!
As in we’re a team?!
…then we got even bier problems than we thought with griers–
| STILL don’t know what that thing is. But | do know that monsters? Really, really don’t like it. no. not posSibLe. yOu have tHe box of d anD awfulne anD infini pain anD-yEs. let’s wRap tHis up sHalL we?
Uh-oh. Dad’s going for the big guns… …or big BOX. In a storebig-box no less!
outside. do you guys have gd names for anything?!
what’s goa haen?
yeah, what’s your dad goa do–what was that light? did he ki them?
I have no idea. But |’m gonna find out. (like… someday?)
is that a monster trap?
I want to go home. it smes like farts.
great idea, my dude. so… about that nest.
that’s my job. you?
yeah, yeah, yeah. grounded.
we, we, we. we have a problem. why, my qun?
because…
…I know my family.
When your dad is a professional hockey player, you move around.
…in TWO years.
|’ve been to five schools…
A LOT.
It’s been a GRIND.
But recently? Things CHANGED.
|’m not just crossing days off on a calendar anymore.
A JOB, really.
Because | don’t just have a DAY job…
…| have a NIGHT job! My dad and | fight monsters. MONSTERS.
He HATES me doing this, of course, but short of sending me to boarding school, which we can’t afford, there’s not much he can do about it!
Plus, it’s tough to ground a kid when said kid has no friends because said kid has been to five schools in two years, thanks to said kid’s dad’s job as a hockey player.
Memo to self: write “said” less in next journal entry.
We’ve been hunting a group of SHAPESHIFTERS called grippers.
They feed on KIDS. Yes, KIDS. Gross!
But we found out they have a NEST and some kind of QUEEN.
Take out the queen, take out the whole brood.
He isn’t much for listening to me either. |’ve been telling him to use his head out on the ice, make plays… The sword still needs a name, IMO, but Dad isn’t much on DETAILS. We even have a special SWORD to fight these jerks.
…but old habits die hard. Instead of putting the puck in the net--
…we have a SIN BIN of our own!
Whenever we find grippers, Dad uses this magical BOX to…
--he’s been putting himself in the penalty box. AKA the sin bin. And speaking of that…
…well, | dunno what he does with them, because he never lets me be around when he opens the dang thing.
Dad is more of a FIGHTER than a THINKER or a TALKER. But |’ve been doing enough thinking and talking (to myself) for both of us.
And after much of both, |’ve realized…
we’ve taken down tons of grier fding sites, saved a ton of kids from being eaten.
I think-- but we’re no closer to their nest. or the qun.
I think…
…you nd to pack.
…we’ve hit a dead end.
what new fresh he are we going to now? not new.
mrs. marks!
hope you saved my money, kid. spent it a on pokémon cards. aagirl.
so, wiz got demoted, huh?
kid was squzing his stick. t serious. t in his head.
and what could be more fun than you finay showing me…
you know what he nds? to have a lile fun. and so do we!
Okay, fine. But… what does it do? trap monsters? ki them? it gets rid of them.
I don’t know how it works. and frankly? save them?
…how the sin bin works?!
first of a, that’s not caed the sin bin.
second, it’s not for you to play with.
I don’t care.
Look, I’ve trusted you with a lot this past month.
you know any other kids who hunt monsters with their dads? none. I mean, that know of–
I just nd you to trust me on this. that sin bin?
it’s for monsters only.
okay?
what are you… …what are you doing right now?
Okay.
I goa get to practice. to schl, got it? hey, at least ’ve bn to this one before.
Shut up and let me parent. ’m soy, cat. I know this isn’t easy. but nothing worth having…
“…comes easy.”
we’re not expecting much, but…
’m at a lo, dukes.
…give it your best shot.
here to laugh at me?
C’mon, Rkie…
Not a bad first day back. No fights. No missed classes. No--
My pal Beats is in the hot seat. And… …aren’t those the bullies | beat up last time?
how do you fl about cuing cla? what’s another detention after the five they just gave me? that’s the spirit. C’mon…
beats, are you okay?
“…let’s go for a skate.”
so, I gue you’re back to teach me to fight? they said since ’m not scoring, nd to work on my physical presence.
You want to get back to the big leagues, then listen to every word I’m about to te you.
| | don’t understand.
don’t change a single thing about your game.
that’s cause you’re a dumb kid.
Barely older than my daughter.
you nd to have a lile… you nd to remember why you picked up a hockey stick in the first place.
sn as you left, they kept picking on me. and just… then thought…
…I just snaed.
…what would cat do?
after you hit them…
…how’d you fl?
Terrible.
don’t do what I do. it’s caused me nothing but trouble. detentions. suspensions. groundings for life.
you goa be you. and you don’t have to beat those guys to beat those guys.
it’s just hard turning the other chk sometimes. it is hard. but… nothing worth having comes easy.
seriously? you guys droed the gloves and then went to dier after the tournament?
that’s the game, rkie.
game.
I was just like you, you know.
And now my kid is just like me, too.
not theirs. don’t let that haen to you, kid. play your game. and then, that’s a anyone ever wanted from me. in the minors.
when got caed up, I couldn’t score, either. the only way to stay on the ice was to provide a “physical presence.” I was so scared ’d lose my shot. every night became fight night. you flame out, you flame out. but do it your way. your game.
Uh, but first things first, um, gie some laps!
you learn a this on the road?
…and failing.
what lile know ’ve learned from trying… the rest… the rest get from my dad.
Just don’t tell him | said that.
and one thing he taught me was to work on my spd!
what?
next time those guys try anything, you run to the oice and get help.
c’mon, let’s s how fast you are. you got this!
I got this!
okay, whatever you are, you’re not here by aident…
your bo wanted to send a meage, well, let me send my reply.
…which means the griers sent you.
okay, this has bn fun, but if you’re not going to listen to reason…
you te your bo that next time she should finish the job herself!
how’s
speaking of fast, goa race home! you got it! so fun! So AWESOME!
and thanks, cat. ’m glad you’re back. this was fun!
My little spider-friend here has bought me one ticket… mt here tomoow after detention?
felt great.
felt gd, right?
tomoow night? we play our game.
hey. if she ever listens to me, ’ te her you said that.
she’s lucky to have you as her old man. your daughter?
but if you ca me old again, ’ bury you, got it? yeir.
you don’t nd to run, young lady.
’m no stranger…
…any friend of my daughter’s is a friend of mine.
what is that?
theater cla project. we’re doing, uh, wicked!
that sms to defy both gravity and logic, but ’ lk the other way…
you’re the best…
Hello?
Think. Use your head. What do you KNOW?
Am I dead?
s this Heaven? HE?
okay, cat. get a grip. don’t talk to yourself.
…and the box pulled the spider AND me inside. Leaving me with two questions.
A MONSTER SPIDER was hunting me. | bag ged it and brought it home.
Out loud, anyway.
| opened the SIN BIN, my dad’s monster trap slash death machine slash whatever…
Question 1: Am | a monster?
And question 2:
Okay, theory one, as stated previously, | am DECEASED. And this is the afterlife.
Problem with this theory-why are there MONSTERS here, too?
Answers to said theory-this is where monsters go when they die, confirming my first question. | am, in fact, a MONSTER.
Theory two-the SIN BIN is less monsterkilling machine and more of a PRISON.
Which still leads me to the same conclusion.
Okay. Just gotta stay safe for now.
Away from the many eyes of the weird things in this joint.
| need more time to think.
| need more time to figure a way OUT of here.
Because | think the person who knows the answers to the million questions | have right now…
evening, dukes.
hey, mrs. marks. you sn cat?
…the kid, whoever’s she is, did not lk hay to be here.
she’s inside. I hate to be a rat, but since you pay me to be one, you should know that she’s got company.
mom and a daughter I think?
Well, come on in, handsome…
…we have some family
ma to work through.
Yikes. Don’t know who-or WHAT, | guess-- they’re looking for, but | don’t want to be added to their grocery list!
Maybe while they’re distracted, | can get to HIGHER GROUND. Maybe one of those Avatar floaty rock thingies.
Seems like a great place to hide out and think about--
| KNOW that smell.
Wait. That smell. That ’s--
where are we?! what is ha ening?! What is is p ce?!
did you just talk? did I just understand you?
Do I speak Spider or do you speak English?
are you real? is any of this real–
Please, | never wa ed work for at dy! e had us a under a spe .
Okay, okay. say this is real. say we’re not dead.
say we’re both speaking english or spiderish and that we’re traed in a magical box.
okay-“ is is real. we are t dead. we are bo speaking engli or--”
no. stop. stop! we goa get oua here. which means we nd a plan.
okay, phil, let’s talk about a plan for geing out of wherever we are right now.
your name is phil. Phil the spider. Sure. Why not?
let’s start with names.
I’m cat. and you are?
would u mind if we hatched is p n on e road?
why?
what?
we …
|’m philip.
ever ne ju ca s me phil, ough.
’m geing the same vibe.
…| may have b n fo owed. it a ears some of e reside s of is… …whatever is p ce is… …like welcome newcomers by consuming em.
| have idea of a titles e may own. e simply ca ed herself…
So, te me something, phil. the “lady” who put a spe on you and your feow spiders… was she… the queen?
“whatever the he you are…”
…let beats go.
then what am I?
don’t… don’t ca me that. you’re not…
…you’re not my marta.
the qun.
what a swt thing to say. we, if am qun, do as say. drop the sword. or the kid dies. now. you have questions, ’m sure. but lucky for you…
…I have answers.
my mother. you’re saying my mother is… …alive?! how?
right where plaed for her to be.
“the sin bin?” I saw my wife go in the box.
And yet here I am. We, what’s left of me, anyway.
you… you put cat in there?
she put herself in there…
You knew what I was when we first met.
but you couldn’t reay know what would haen to me if was around when this box was opened.
I didn’t know myself.
marta is cold. ru le . determined find u.
| only k w pieces, ings e ld o ers in her cabal.
my Mom has a CABAL?!
e said some ing ha ened her a long time ago. some ing wi at box u opened, e one at pu ed us inside here.
“…I just hope she’s found what ’ve bn miing a these years.”
enough. where is cat?
don’t woy…
Mom? No.
you’re a grier, aren’t you?
I cleaned up the wound and the cut lked like a star.
…I have one just like it.
I understand why you’d think I’m a shapeshifter and not your Mother.
I get it, you’re confused. Somewhere, I’m being, your father is as we.
but hear me out.
when you were four years old, you used to love to dance to salsa music.
you fe. cut your arm above the elbow. you cried so hard.
one day you were dancing and jumped up onto a table. your ft caught the edge.
and told you, don’t be afraid.
That’s your faing star. And…
is… is is ur mo er? but… but e’s e woman w put a spe on me--
what?
your friend is right. or… half right, I should say.
C’mon, we goa get to higher ground. There’ be more after you sn. I’ explain everything I can on the way.
wait… they’re just after me?!
because you’re more important than you could poibly know, my love.
you expect me to believe this? that only half of my wife went into the box?
we, this half remembers everything. for example…
I mean, nobody knows that story but us, right?
I don’t… I don’t understand…
thinking was never your strong suit. my monstrous side went inside the box, you gn.
ironicay taking my soul with it. leaving me this she. leaving me fr from–
yhh tlk tw mch!
I mean, I TH NK you said it.
|’m not paying for that chair, by the way.
C’mon, we goa get oua here.
I got you covered, Mrs. Marks. Thank you! beats, are you okay?
I’ be fine. n, like… …ten years? with therapy?
…to get away from whatever the he is in our parking lot!
yeah, about that. I didn’t come in here to rescue you guys. soy.
I came in here…
it started with a PROPHECY.
Figures.
a tale of a unique entity. part human. part monster.
I believe we make our own fate. Prophecy be damned.
some believed this special being would bring peace betwn monsters and humans.
but others believed this person would lead the monsters against mankind.
and wipe them out once and for a.
so… what do you believe?
take, for example, the fine so-caed “monsters” living up here. and what they’ve built…
Seriously.
WHOA. Whoa. s this like… another dimension?
a of this… is in that tiny box?
it was once caed donrak. a world parael to ours whose inhabitants would a be caed monsters in our world.
before he was stoed, though, he destroyed this world, reducing it to ash. donrakian magicians built a shield around a that remains. the sin bin. the land was coupted by a dark force led by a waior who was vanquished long ago.
the sin bin found its way to our world. with its true nature hien, those that hunted monsters believed it to be a prison. so that’s what it became.
cat… this is where my family is from.
you… you’re a monster. so… …am I?
’m donrakian.
e prophecy is fulfi ed! at long !
ey’re bowing. why?
they’re bowing to their qun.
…long may she reign.
“your dad and met where a lot of couples mt.
“wait, you guys worked together?”
“not exactly together...”
“at work.”
“not at first, anyway.”
“we, he liked to say that we saved each other.
“wait. you ate a bear? is that what kps you alive as a part monster?”
“I didn’t eat a bear. ate a were-bear. big dierence.”
“duly noted.”
And yes, I do fd on the oasional monsters from time-to-time in order to help kp my abilities under control.”
“abilities?!”
“donrak. so your mom was from there and your dad was human?”
“coect.
“can finish?
“the were-bear was a guardian. standing watch over a magical item hien in a dp, dark secret–”
“You were always the worst at storytime. “guarding the sin bin. right?”
“also coect? your father and were both right about the so-caed sin bin.”
“After that night, we were NSEPERABLE.
“your dad had bn searching for it because legend told of a box that could capture monsters.
“dad saved you?”
“but was searching for it because knew it was the last existing corner of where my mother had come from.”
“after that, we--”
“Whoa, whoa,WHOa--”
I don’t nd to hear the gory details, Mom. gory?! come on, you’re a big kid. not the point. what’s wrong with–we got bier fish, mom.
we’re under aack! what do we do?!
you’re the Qun, my love. you te us.
I don’t want to be a Qun!
’d be scared if you weren’t!
--what do you want?
which is what wi make you a great leader.
I’m scared.
“te me what you want with cat.”
we might nd to spd the family therapy along here, guys.
yeah, there’s t many of the grn scary things out there!
I want what I’ve wanted from the moment you did this to me.
“Hah. No wonder your stats are in the toilet.
“But you only know half the story.
“we were tracking chupacabra in the panhandle.
“we thought we had them cornered.
“but they sprung a trap for us.
you remember that night, don’t you?
“and as always, I had to save your a. and for that?”
I’ve thought about it every moment since.
“we, for that, I actuay have to thank you for what haened next.”
no, marta don’t use--
I was meant to be QU N.
“in my frdom, I found my purpose. monsters and humans were never meant to live together.
“monsters were meant to rule. I was meant to rule.
“you set me fr.”
…wait…
“I wasn’t meant be just some siy W FE, or MOTHER.
but I caot be the Qun until I wear the CROWN. And our dear lile Cat is going to retrieve that for me, and once she brings it here...
…Marta…
“no.
how many of these things are there?! too many!
But | gue |’m g d at it?
let’s kp those emotions churning, then, phil. we got more fighting to do!
cat, we can only fight them for so long. we nd you. Oh, and did I mention…
| HATE violence!
lot of mixed emotions here, guys.
…that crown wi bring forth your latent donrakian abilities?
wait. we both have abilities? like, superpowers?
not a fan of bribing as a form of parenting but ’m kind of in a pinch here.
if I put this on, I can take it o whenever I want? the qun makes the rules, kid. and don’t have to eat were-bears or anything else once use these powers?
I made that part up. Were-bears just haen to be delicious.
holy sh–
mr. dukes?! they’re behind you, t!
I am not a Qun without mercy, swtheart. there’s no reason for you to s what’s coming next. get behind me!
but a parties must end!
we, this has bn a great lile reunion party.
get bent, you--
none of you nd to s what’s coming next.
’ make it quick.
you won’t fl a thing. and neither wi cat. you’ a be together–there she is. time to take your medicine, you lile–
you talk t much, evil mom!
I haven’t had this much fun since I got out of jail.
stay back, she wants the crown and won’t stop until she’s kied us a for the damn thing.
ne ly, same.
Wait, what?
stay away from my baby!
lk
now, give me what’s mine, you lile… wait …WHAT?
mom, please. wake up, wake up! mom, c’mon, stay with me, stay!
mom said have powers. we, let’s s how powerful those powers are.
Co ra zón ?
god, I love this motel.
I am so going to therapy.
would a one mind if | fea on some of e remaining corpses? a is violence has my quite pecki .
you did it. your way. we did it. our way.
yeah. and now… now you won’t just be stuck with me.
I was never stuck with you, Dad.
you made me whole again. figuratively and literay.
yeah, I’m kind of a big deal. first things first. Ugh, guys, get a rm.
so… now what?
I can get you a discount!
| won’t lie.
It was FUN being Queen.
But | told the people of Donrak they were free.
We released them into our world. They agreed to help us spread the word among the monstrous and the damned.
We want to UNITE mankind and monsters once and for all.
| destroyed the crown. | don’t like wearing hats much anyway. And besides, | had things to do.
For starters? Finishing an actual year at the same school AND on the same hockey team. PWHL here | come!
Also? |’m going to be busy helping my Dad in his new gig. He signed a two-year deal to finish his career in the minors, mentoring players, and then once he hangs up his skates, he’ll have a job on the coaching staff waiting for him.
Finally using his HEAD.
And of course, the last thing on my to-do list is getting the band back together. Because not all the monstrous and the damned want to live in harmony with us.
It’s going to be up to my FAMILY to fight the good fight.
Because when things get dark?
(And things ALWAYS get dark…)
…we’ll be there…
…to light the lamp.
