HACK/SLASH #2
Written by Tim Seely Art by Emily Stone
Devil’s Due Publishing
PullBox Online
I can’t stop laughing. This book had me grinning from ear to ear. Towards the end of issue two, Vlad calls the suave publicist slash silent partner, Chris and informs him of a metal band named “Acid Washed” (egad, that’s a bad name!) has put a spell on all the virgins in the sellout crowd. This includes our stars Vlad and Cassie Hack, and a stripper named Georgia Peaches. (Yes, one in every town!) What’s funny is how Vlad tells Chris the breaking news about Georgia’s virginity. “I believe she said she had not had the sex.” Ah it kills me. What? You don’t get it? Gotta read it then. Seriously, this is some great writing from creator Tim Seely, and it’s not to be missed. Fans of Joss Whedon and David Fury need to take notice because Tim is in the same Mystery Machine van as those two, and he’s cooking up some plots that will have you glazed over like a Krispy Kreme doughnut. Emily Stone continues to drive like a woman just loving her job, and I don’t blame her. The art is fantastic, and I just can’t see anyone else doing it better either. And it just kills me to because now I’m begging for this to become a television show. I love these characters, and this is the heir to Buffy and Angel if you ask me. Straight up, horror fans… Horror Yearbook Book of the Month!
GRADE: A+ CONTINUE READING? Hands down… The best horror book on the shelf. Start now if you haven’t already.
MARVEL ZOMBIES VS. ARMY OF DARKNESS #4
Written by John Layman Art by Fabiano Neves and Sean Phillips
Dynamite Entertainment
Marvel Comics
Ash is having a blast hanging around the hot-ass-hot Dazzler and the seductive Scarlet Witch, but now, he’s no longer the alpha male when inside Dr. Doom’s castle! Ash vs. Dr. Doom is actually a comedy along the lines of Steve Stiffler and The Rock from fun flick, The Rundown. And it works for the most part, though Doom is a little too sleazy here for being a somewhat respected power villain. Layman does pour on the quips and name-calling, and its fun to hear Bruce Campbell’s voice in the back of your head as you read the words. (For those that can’t, well, just watch Army of Darkness and Bubba Ho-Tep again, and you’re all set.) The art is what lowers the grade this month. Halfway through the book, a new artist fills in. It caught me off guard as it was very noticeable, and it kind of ruined the steam engine that was rampaging through all four and a half books before. It’s not bad art, just more like watching a movie being made by David Lynch when suddenly; Sam Raimi steps in to take over. Two different paintings, ya know? But man, this series is so much fun, and it’s hard not to love it. I can’t wait to see how it all ends next month!
GRADE: A- CONTINUE READING? You can’t stop now if you’ve made it this far!
RAISE THE DEAD – Issue #3
Written by Leah Moore & John Reppion Art by Hugo Petros
Dynamite Entertainment
I gotta tell ya right off the bat, I am loving the covers to this series by Arthur Suydam. Taking memorable pieces of modern art and putting a zombie twist on them is not only stylish, poignant, and fun… but just full of symbolic catharsis. I don’t know how to exactly say it, but they just speak volumes to me. It’s like they stab me in the eyes with a message “See, I understand, Mr. Fish. Love me.” I think whoever picked these particular pieces to be “zombiefied” is just brilliant. I have a bag of Kudos and kisses (if that’s you Leah) for ya! Anyhoo, the past is revealed in this issue and we learn how some of our survivors managed to get where they’re at. I really dig this “TV style” setup, again tapping The Nine and Lost for its structure and use of flashbacks. I think some of the scenarios are a little too familiar as the original Dawn of the Dead quite clearly meets 28 Days Later with a little bit of Re-Animator in most of the book, but then, maybe I’m missing the point to the entire series. Maybe it’s simply an homage to all of the zombie movies ever made. I always look for something new, so it could be just me not seeing the old and beautiful. (Insert your own Young and the Restless joke here.) Still, it’s a fun book for zombie lovers, and the art is fantastic, so if you’re into that, then get this series.
GRADE: B+ CONTINUE READING? Yep. Looks like the third issue won me over, but then again, I think was going to buy it anyway for that Andy Warhol “zombiefied” cover.
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER – Issue #4
Dark Horse Comics
Written by Joss Whedon
Art by Georges Jeanty
Alrighty, so this book wraps up the first arc with Amy and her revenge plot in full throttle, now with the help of skinless troika member, Warren. Buffy sends in the slayers to do some butt-kickin and our favorite wascally witch, Willow, learns there’s a line in dying as a witch. Oh, and Dawn continues to moan about her abnormal bra size. I love Buffy, and Joss Whedon, but I have to admit, I was bit letdown with the both in this issue. It was scatterbrained and trying to hard to wrap up things that didn’t need… well, wrapping. It’s a comic book, Joss. You’ve written a few. And it’s Dark Horse. Take your time! There were some panels that showed people I don’t think I’ve ever seen, and that threw me out like a Butabi brother trying to get in at the Roxbury. It had its moments of fun like Xander’s Nick Fury impersonation and Willow’s loveable smile when things are rough, but the rest, I can easily forget. It hurts, for me the most because it’s like being letdown by your dog after it did so well “doing its doodie” outside, and then you find that hot steamy pile in front of your lazy-boy two days later. But I have faith… and I Joss has Faith, so I’m staying aboard this ship until she gets killed off. Then all will definitely be lost if that happens. But I think Joss realizes the potential in her character, so we’ll see…
GRADE: C+ CONTINUE READING? Yep, file this one as “okay, you get a break for every 100 good things you do, Mr. Whedon” and move onto the next issue.
BUMP – Issue #1
Fangoria Comics
See Full Review Here
CHUCKY #1
Written by Brian Pulido Art by Josh Medors
Devil’s Due Publishing
PullBox Online
You know, it’s funny, I must have wrote over twenty different, stupid things to start this review off, but none of them were really stupid enough to laugh at. I must return to my comedy references of Dumb and Dumber, Blazing Saddles, and Office Space to bring back the funny. Sorry Brian, maybe next time. So, let’s move to review the book with our loveable Good Guy doll, Charles Lee Ray, aka, Chucky!! Devil’s Due picks up one of the heavyweight icons of horror and another heavyweight writer of said horror genre, Brian Pulido, and lets him start splattering the walls with Chucky’s hypnotic eyes and flavorful mouth. It’s a mixture of the past and present for Pulido, whom keeps his unbalanced foundations and ABC structure in tact, but appears to be expanding in characterization and pacing. I’m kind of excited to see this evolution in him, especially with Chucky because it’s one of the few horror characters that talks. And I mean, like a demonic cheerleader on crack. Where Jason, Michael, and Leatherface use their weapons to do the talking, Chucky uses the extreme opposite. He uses his mouth to do most of the killing. So I’m thinking this is the book that will really showcase Pulido’s talents as a writer. As long as Pulido doesn’t get lost in the art of splatter and explores the characters more, readers are in for a ride with Pulido’s Chucky. As for the art, Josh Medors does a great job in keeping Chucky both grounded in film, but transforming him to the more mobile and energetic comic form. I enjoy the look of his Chucky, making him a lot more deviant and well, for lack of a better term… straight up evil, fools! So while this book had some slow moments of Jade and Jessie mixed in with some hot spots like Barry vs. Chucky, it was still a good read. And if you love your Chucky and his killing ways, you’ll definitely enjoy this book.
GRADE: B CONTINUE READING? I think so. It looks like Brian is getting warmed up here.
By Mike Fish
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