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Decapitated Dan
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Horror Comic Roundup - 8/20/13
Horror Comic Roundup Image drawn by Travis Wayne Pursell, colors by Decapitated Dan
Welcome to the Horror Comic Roundup! Join Decapitated Dan, Billy Dunleavy and friends each week as they review new and old Horror Comics that you will either be dying to read or terrified to check out!
Decapitated Dan: Alright, it’s all said and done now, and I do think this turned out to be a good mini series, but it wasn’t that great in my opinion. The highlight to me was the artwork by Wachter. I have really enjoyed everything I have seen him draw over the past few years, and this book was no exception. I loved it when the Golem finally got into the action and was kicking some Nazi ass. The story in this issue finally picked up, and it was a good read entertaining read. Overall though, I don’t think I would look back and call this horror in any way, maybe War & Fantasy, but nothing horror happened. It was more of a pull at the heart strings kind of story, and for that it turned out to be great. Read it as a trade, the single issues did not do it any justice. - Dying Breath 3.5 out of 5.0
Denise Dutton: Ohboyohboyohboyohboy it’s here! The final installment of this Golem in WWII story. I was almost scared to start reading for fear of the first two damn-near perfect issues being let down by the finale. And while #3 has it’s ups and downs (this issue does have to bring the wind-down as well as the climax), it’s a winner. While the story is basically about one moment in time, Steve Niles uses it to touch on the basics of good and evil. The end does peter out quickly, and the groovy Golem action is short and sweet - hey, at 24 pages including cover everything is quick - but it’s a satisfying conclusion nonetheless. Niles leaves bits the story open, so I wouldn’t be surprised if another tale based on this basic story came around. I wouldn’t hate that. (4 out of 5)
Decapitated Dan: I gotta admit, I don’t think that this particular arc is my favorite, but it is entertaining. What I am liking most about this one is the “double death” scenario of the main character also being a little messed up in the head, and acting like a serial killer in this world. Add on to that this great “Religious” crossed character, who calls everyone sinners and then kills them, and I can not help but laugh. I think Lapham’s writing this one more to the fun b-movie side of things, compared to it being drop dead serious. So it’s still a fun story to read, but following that amazing arc by Gage, probably is not doing it any favors. - Dying Breath 4.0 out of 5.0
Decapitated Dan: When the camping trip goes wrong, everything goes right for the reader (which is me by the way) in this first issue of The Dead. I’m an 80’s early 90’s horror comic kinda guy, so I know that if the names Kerr and Griffith are involved, this book will be a winner (Deadworld). One of the cool writing elements in this issue was how the story was presented. Starting with the action, then flashing back to how everything came to be, then back to where the book started, and finishing up with this AGH-Mazing cliffhanger! Now let’s switch gears and talk about how GORE-Geous this book is. Jason Moore (pencils) and Jeff Lafferty (inks) brought their A game to this book, and it shines on almost every single page. The book stealing scenes are by far the death ones, I never knew a head getting blown off would look like that. I can’t lie to you, this book is not easy to come by, it took me years to get a copy, but in the end I found one! This is a book that needs to be read by ALL HORROR COMIC FANS, so lets hope it gets collected/reprinted soon! Matter of fact, lets start a petition! There is so much to learn in coming issues, and I can only imagine how amazing those issues will be. - Dying Breath 5.0 out of 5.0
Denise Dutton: A second issue, but no muzzles make an appearance. Hey, I’ve read The Song of Ice and Fire, I’m betting on a slow burn here too. Y’know, then a little something that puts The Red Wedding to shame. Hopefully. (There are bits of...bits in this issue, so I think I’m on track.) Here, the stage is still being set, with many, many subplots and different points of view. Sound familiar? If this series brings even a quarter of the high caliber awesome of SOIAF, I can’t wait for more. But right now I’m dying for a glimpse of paw. (3.5 out of 5)
Decapitated Dan: Well this one took a 180 turn and made me say out load “I’m on board!” What I though the first issue was lacking was that horror hook to creep me out and make me have to come back for more. Sure it had a great cliffhanger ending, but it felt flat. Issue 2 just starts off with the ball rolling and it only picks up speed from there. I will still say this has a feel of Ocean’s 11, only because of the cast being collected to steal a ghost, but now it is mixing in elements of the first season of American Horror Story. By that I mean that the house has a lot of bad history, and as we learned in this issue, things are not as they appear on the surface. This was a fantastic issue, and just what I was hoping for to get me hooked. I can not wait for more! - Dying Breath 4.5 out of 5.0
Denise Dutton: #2 kicks of with a roar, as Godizilla and a brand new ‘Zilla (picture the T-Rex mutant from 1998’s Godzilla) face off in Honolulu. Let’s just say Honolulu loses. But readers win, so yay! Shawn Lee, you rock my skreeonk-in’ world with your lettering. Just wanted you to know that. Chris Mowry and Matt Frank are giving kaiju fans what they want, and though I have a bit of doubt as to how they’ll pull off the story direction hinted at in the last few pages, with this issue I’m keeping hope alive. (5 out of 5)
Decapitated Dan: Well, it didn’t come to me because I really didn’t love this book like I was hoping to. I will say this, I loved the artwork. I thought that Boultwood visually delivered this book on a silver plater to every single reader. The artwork had the playfulness that I was hoping to find in the story. His use of color was also something the desrves a lot of attention, because every page was so appealing to my eyes. The story though did not jump out to me, and I think it had to do with 2 things. First the jokes were happening to often, it seemed liked every line was a joke or a word/saying that was being overused, almost like it was too dated on this time period. Second was that it takes place in England. While that is not a bad thing, and adds something extra for an American reader, I didn’t catch any accent on the 2 main characters, and certain terms being used, were not common to me. I don’t know what a Vicar is, but maybe the second thing is just me and my own feelings. Overall though, it is a fun read, and I do want to come back and check out the next issue. I did forget to mention that there is even more fun to be found in the mock ad’s and the character bio’s at the end of the book. - Dying Breath 3.5 out of 5.0
Decapitated Dan: He’s back and he ain’t afraid of no ghosts! It’s always an amazing treat when a new issue of The Living Corpse comes out, and man was this one a good read. This issue has 3 short stories, and some killer pin-up artwork in it, that had me smiling from start to finish. The first story is by Buz and Ken (T.L.C. creators) and it’s the best of the bunch, but it is also the longest. I love the style that these guys bring to the table. they are able to get this great mix of horror and comedy into the comic via the artwork and the story itself. Their artwork is GORE-Geous, and you can see that in the design of the mad doctor’s costume, I freaking loved that creepy ass bird look. The second story was hit and miss for me. It involved Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King, and while it was funny at times, I think the ending was a little off. I did enjoy the artwork of Blair Smith though, it had a fun tone that lent itself nicely to the story. The final story was odd to me. I really enjoyed the artwork, but I didn’t really understand what was going on with this clown. Overall though, I loved this book, I thought it was a great mix of amazing talent, and it ends with one GORE-Geous final page for Josh. - Dying Breath 4.5 out of 5.0
Decapitated Dan: This one is an odd duck for me to cover, on the one hand there was a lot to like about it, but on the other hand, there was a lot to leave me on the fence. First of all I loved the artwork. I think that McGinty was able to deliver this FANG-Tastic looking story, that only got better page after page. I also loved that they stayed with black and white on this one, because I think color would have ruined it. And of course huge props to the werewolves, loved them! My only gripe is something so simple, yet it drives me insane, STOP WITH THE LOVEY DOVEY VAMPIRE JOKES! Who cares at this point, we all know that Twilight and the Vampire Diaries happened, and who hasn’t moved on past that joke in 4 years. So that being said, I liked the twist of the main cast getting their butts handed to the by the “Sparkley” vampire, that was funny. Overall this was a fun read, and something I wasn’t expecting, I just wish it had stayed away from those old worn out jokes, because it could have easily gotten a higher rating from me. - Dying Breath 4.0 out of 5.0
Denise Dutton: “We don’t die... You and me. That’s the rule.” Oh pumpkin. Don’t you know that Robert Kirkman loves to bust up the rules? And with that crazy sumbitch Negan talking about “revenge” (putting that in quotes because he crazy), fans looking for a bit of the ol’ medieval morality play payback are in for a wait. The one-two punch of Kirkman’s story and Charlie Adlard’s penciling make for a tense, edge of your Kindle experience here. I really, really want to see Negan get a major league smackdown - preferably at the crumbling hands of a zombie or twelve, the likes of which are not seen in this particular issue - but I’m fine with this tense standoff sticking around for another issue or two. Hey, if things are good, then I’m all in. Right now, things are good. (4 out of 5)
Denise Dutton: It’s zombie anthology time y’all! Three stories kick off this new series, and each is a little piece of twisted fun. Tony Donley has a nice, Vault of Horror - like flair in these quick & dirty stories, and Rich Woodall does a wonderful bit of color work in the first story, “Shelby”. The zombie mythology isn’t consistent in these tales, but that just serves to keep you off balance. I’ll be back for issue #2. (4 out of 5)
