HORNSBY & HALO #15 (ghost machine/image comics)

Zach & Rose have returned home after their adventure with The Trillion Dollar Kid & The Rocketfellers. Once home they discover that they both are having weird visions and hearing strange voices in their heads. Hopefully this doesn’t distract them from their mission of helping Tommy find more Unbelievables. Speaking of which, we get introduced to The Deadtones in this issue as well!

Hornsby & Halo #15 - Created By Peter J. Tomasi & Peter Snejbjerg - Colors By John Kalisz - Letters By Rob Leigh - Edited By Brian Cunningham - Published By Ghost Machine/Image Comics

Credit: Ghost Machine/Image Comics

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

STORY OVERVIEW:

After returning home from their adventures with the Unbelievables, Zach & Rose must return to school and their lives. However, they start to notice that people in their town are acting strange and are more irritable. On top of this they start to have visions and hear voices in their heads. As they work through their confusion, Tucker & Pepper are trying to locate Sydney by cross-referencing his last known frequency. Hopefully they will find Sydney so that Rose & Zach can continue to be trained in how to use their powers properly.

Well Rose & Zach are dealing with their stuff at home; we are introduced to The Deadtones. They are a band of “monsters” who tour all over the place. We start to get the feeling that they are misunderstood and just want to live life the way they chose to. Unfortunately, they park in the wrong neighborhood which leads to a conflict between them and a group of drug dealers.

WRITING:

This issue dives straight back into the world of Hornsby & Halo without wasting any time, and Peter J. Tomasi does a great job reconnecting readers with the emotional and supernatural threads that were left hanging before the Unbelievables crossover event. Rather than simply recapping previous events, Tomasi uses Zach and Rose’s return home to show how unsettled they still are. Their powers continue to feel mysterious, unpredictable, and overwhelming, which immediately puts readers back into the mindset of the series. The visions and strange voices they experience add a layer of tension that makes it clear their problems are not going away just because they are back in familiar surroundings.

One of the strongest parts of the writing is how Tomasi balances the larger comic book mythology with the everyday reality of Zach and Rose being kids. They may have extraordinary abilities and be connected to a much bigger world, but they still have to deal with school, confusion, fear, and the feeling that no one fully understands what they are going through. That grounded approach keeps the story relatable and gives the supernatural elements more weight. Tucker and Pepper’s efforts to locate Sydney by cross-referencing his last known frequency also give the issue a clear sense of forward momentum. It feels like their search will become an important part of the series going forward, especially because Sydney could be the key to helping Zach and Rose better understand and control their powers.

The new wrinkle of the townspeople becoming more irritable and short-tempered is another smart story choice because it makes the danger feel broader than just what Zach and Rose are personally experiencing. Something appears to be spreading through the town or affecting the people around them, and that creates a quiet sense of unease underneath the issue’s fun adventure tone. Tomasi does not over-explain it right away, which works in the issue’s favor. Instead, he plants enough clues to make the reader wonder how the visions, the voices, and the town’s strange behavior may all connect.

The introduction of The Deadtones also fits naturally into the issue instead of feeling like a distraction from the main story. The band immediately adds a different flavor to the book, bringing in monster-movie energy, humor, and a touch of rebellion. What makes them interesting is that they are not presented as simple threats. They come across as misunderstood outsiders who are trying to live life on their own terms, and that makes them feel right at home in this universe. The relationship between Vic and Medi adds an intriguing personal detail, especially with Vic being the only one she can look in the eyes. That small character beat gives the group more depth and makes them feel like more than a gimmick.

Once the conflict with the drug dealers kicks in, the issue shifts gears in a way that is fun and energetic. The action scene gives The Deadtones a chance to show off their personalities while also teasing what their own corner of the Ghost Machine universe could look like when their series fully launches. Tomasi uses them to widen the scope of the world without losing sight of Zach and Rose, and that balance is what makes the writing work so well. By the end of the issue, the reader is left with multiple hooks: Zach and Rose’s growing problems, the search for Sydney, the strange mood overtaking the town, and the promise of an eventual meeting between the kids and the band. It all makes the next issue feel exciting and important.

ARTWORK:

The artwork in this issue shines because it perfectly complements the story’s tone and gives Hornsby & Halo its own unique visual personality. Peter Snejbjerg’s style captures the charm, movement, and expressive energy of Saturday morning cartoons while still making the pages feel like a fully realized comic book world. The characters have exaggerated expressions and body language that make their emotions easy to read, which is especially important in an issue where Zach and Rose are dealing with confusion, fear, and strange supernatural sensations. Their reactions sell the weirdness of the visions and voices without the story needing to over-explain everything.

What really stands out is how well Snejbjerg handles the shift between the normal world and the stranger parts of the story. The school and town scenes feel grounded enough to remind readers that Zach and Rose are still kids trying to live normal lives, but the moment the supernatural elements begin to creep in, the artwork leans into a more playful and offbeat energy. That contrast helps the mystery feel bigger because the reader can see the ordinary world slowly being disrupted by something much weirder. The pacing of the panels also keeps the issue moving smoothly, giving the quieter character moments enough room to breathe while still making the action feel lively when the story picks up speed.

The designs for The Deadtones are easily one of the visual highlights of the issue. Their cartoonish monster look fits perfectly with the tone of the Unbelievables Universe, giving them a style that feels fun, strange, and instantly memorable. Each member of the band has a distinct silhouette and attitude, which helps the group stand apart right away even though this is only their introduction. They look like classic monster archetypes filtered through a modern animated sensibility. The designs are spooky enough to be visually interesting, but not so dark that they clash with the family-friendly adventure tone of the book.

John Kalisz’s colors are also a major part of why the issue works so well visually. The vibrant color palette reinforces the book’s energetic personality while also helping separate the different moods of the story. Brighter scenes keep the adventure feeling lively and accessible, while the stranger or more mysterious moments use color to hint that something is off beneath the surface. The coloring gives the pages a polished, animated quality that makes the world feel inviting, even when the story is dealing with monsters, visions, and danger.

Together, Snejbjerg’s artwork and Kalisz’s colors give the issue a strong sense of identity. The visuals support the story instead of simply decorating it, helping the humor, mystery, action, and character drama all land the way they should. The finished product feels playful, expressive, and full of personality, which is exactly the kind of visual approach that makes Hornsby & Halo stand out. This is a great-looking issue that understands the fun of its world and uses every page to make that world feel bigger, stranger, and more exciting.

Check Out My Review of THE TRILLION DOLLAR KID #2

Final Thoughts:

Hornsby & Halo #15 is a strong return to the main series that keeps Zach and Rose’s story moving while successfully introducing The Deadtones. The issue balances mystery, humor, action, and character work in a way that makes the world feel bigger without losing focus. With engaging writing, expressive artwork, and several intriguing story hooks, this continues to be a fun and imaginative family comic that is easy to recommend.

FINAL GRADE: 9/10

Let me know your thoughts on Hornsby & Halo #15 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!