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Decapitated Dan
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Horror Comic Roundup - 8/6/13
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!
Denise Dutton: Love Ash. Love Cassie Hack. So a mashup seems made for glory. Tim Seeley’s story has promise, but it’s mainly exposition here in #1. That’s actually nice, as folks who don’t know much about either character can feel at home quickly. Daniel Leister does good art here, with every panel chock full of detail, and let’s not forget the full page panels. Niiiice. I have a hard time with some of Ash’s dialogue; without Bruce Campbell voicing the words they’re just not as funny. Yet...? Can a gal hope for an appearance/resurrection of Vlad in this 6-shot? With deadites, Cassie’s Sturm Un Drang, and a new twist to the Evil Dead’s spin on the Necronomicon, maybe I’m asking for too much. But if it’d happen? Groovy baby. Groovy. (3.5 out of 5)
Denise Dutton: “Chapter 3: All Fall Down” starts up with an OH SNAP moment. “Jesus Christ!” “Try again.” Where the first two issues are all sortsa on-the-edge-of-your-pages cool this issues feels a bit muddled. Yes, in a 13 episode miniseries there’s bound to be a few Exposition Fairy issues. And this is one of ‘em. The colors and letters are just as amazing as in the first two issues, no doubt. Plus, the artwork - with it’s touch of manga - is a genuinely lovely change from the Western art I see in other books (don’t get me wrong, I love me some Western art too, but Haemi Jang is doling out a fresh groove. I’m lovin’ it. I’d like to see more about Wick, the God who isn’t about love and kindness, in a more coherent form in the next issue. (3 out of 5)
Denise Dutton: Renfield was a pussy. He could have done so much more with his life, but noooooo. Spiders and a lunatic asylum. Pity; he could have been a contender. Day Men takes a look at a “Sun Dog” -- a human that’s able to get things done during the day, used as a cleaner/gopher by wealthy vampire families -- named David, and his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. “There was a feeding accident....” Oh, how I love that term. Especially when it’s paired with the remainders of bloody mayhem, courtesy of Brian Stelfreeze. And that’s before things take a major downturn. David is a character worth rooting for, thanks to Matt Gagnon and Michael Alan Nelson (whose work in 28 Days Later comic was nasty good), and the back-story/mythos is a cool twist to the usual Vampire Houses story. “Now, we go to war.” Hellz yeah baby! Lux In Tenebris, my friends. (4.5 out of 5)
Denise Dutton: As I started this issue, I thought I’d skipped one. Nup, I’d read #15. So anyway, Richard Arthur, a General in the United States Army who just happens to be the National Security Advisor, gets an up close and personal look at The People (aka the Ferals). He’ll have more than a passing interest, as you might guess. The usual Stockholm Syndrome-esque ladies of The People are represented by a gal high up in the Government herself. And she’s got news; the Ferals have decided that their ladies should “open the store”. Hoo boy. Could be a good arc, but this particular issue felt a bit too messy, plot-wise. (3 out of 5)
Decapitated Dan: After reading this issue, I think it can officially be said that this is the FUNNIEST COMIC BOOK EVER. Sure there have been other issues of Lenore that were really funny, (Vol. 1 #13 the birthday party set the bar REALLY high), but then I get to this issue and Dirge really seemed to take it to a whole new level. The best part about the humor in Lenore is that it’s not just found in the writing. There is a scene in this issue that involves anal blood, and the look on one of the characters faces is so priceless. The jokes are constant and consistent throughout the issue, which turns the entertainment level on this issue up to an 11. If you want a comic that will leave you dying to read more of, Lenore is it. I’ve said it more than once, and I will just continue to keep saying it... READ LENORE! P.S. I want to take a second to say that I am beyond happy to see this book is out, and that Roman was nice enough to write us readers a letter at the end of the issue explaining how he is doing. - Dying Breath 5.0 out of 5.0
Decapitated Dan: You know what is funny to me about this series so far? How perfect of a B-Movie it would be. Now it has been a little while since I read issue #1, and I do think that a recap of some sort might have helped out a little, but for the most part, it’s all very straight forward. The story moves along at a great pace, and has a good deal of action of suspense. The creative team had me cringing when they decided that they would show a needle heading towards an eyeball. The art in this book is good, and I think it really lends to the overall feeling of this book reading like a B-Movie. Overall its a fun read, that has plenty of to keep the reader entertained. - Dying Breath 4.0 out of 5.0
Decapitated Dan: Oh Gary Reed, can you ever write something I won’t thoroughly enjoy? Night Pieces collects a good deal of Reed’s short stories that are drawn by various artists. This book has a nice mix of both comic and prose work that really does showcase how amazing of a writer Gary is. In this collection is a recent story found in Chillers Vol. 2 that I absolutely loved called “A Mother’s Beauty”. This story alone, is worth the cover price on this book, and you should own it twice, so go buy Chillers too! Other highlights for me were “To Feed a Monster” which had artwork by the amazing Mark Bloodworth and “Body of Art” which is a Deadworld story that has the artwork of Nate Pride. While it is great to see all these shorts in print again, the real treat is the short write-up by Reed that introduces them. Overall this is an amazing collection that shows range, talent and delivers very highly on an entertainment level. I think anyone new to Gary’s work that checks this one out, will be obligated to go and look for the comics that these stories were in, just to read more of his amazing work. - Dying Breath 5.0 out of 5.0
Decapitated Dan: Everytime I think this series can’t get any better, a new issue comes out and it gets better. I bet I sound like a broken record at this point but man Gillen and White just deliver one hell of a comic book issue after issue. #4 really starts to get the ball rolling forward, as now both sides of the war have super soldiers. I absolutely loved the scene where a soldier with the new powers tried to lift a car over his head a little too soon into his development. Then when the issue comes close to the end, they deliver the reader a scene that shows the full potential of what these soldiers are becoming, and it is jaw dropping. The more I think about it, the clearer it becomes, Uber is the front runner for Best New Series of 2013. This is one book you should not be missing. - Dying Breath 5.0 out of 5.0
Decapitated Dan: Who’s Back? Jack’s Back!!! While I wouldn’t typically consider this book horror, I just can’t pass up a chance to talk about how awesome a character Jack O’Lantern has become. In this issue we see him show up with his creepy little dolls (I am guessing they are dolls), and they just wreak havoc on a family before Venom shows up to not save the day. The super hero moments are there, but this issue really shines to me when Jack is on the attack, plus the death and then birth of a new Venom-like character adds to this fantastic story. Bunn delivers on the story and Jacinto knocks it out of the park with the artwork. Great issue. - Dying Breath 4.5 out of 5.0
Decapitated Dan: My thoughts on the first two issues of this series are starting to change, especially with this issue. The artwork by Murphy is GORE-Geous page after page. I love his design for the creature, and when it attacks, it is just a thing of beauty. The scene where a cast member losses a limb is really something to behold, and then at the very end it will leave you in fear. The story is really starting to get going too. While the first two issues seemed to really build and build, this issue was in your face action from start to finish. After reading this issue, I am really hopeful for this series. I like what is going on, and I want to know more. - Dying Breath 4.5 out of 5.0
Denise Dutton: Remember how I said back last month that the jury wasn’t in on me subscribing to this? Well, it’s in now. And the answer? YES PLEASE. Snyder is turning up the heat on our intrepid band of undersea researchers. And that’s not a good thing...for them. For readers though, it’s fantastic. Those moments of flashback/dream sequences now flow so smooth it’s tough to want to go back to the real story. Luckily, that story is about to kick into high gear. At least if the last panel has anything to say about what’s coming. Touches of Deep Blue Sea, and maybe even Ten Little Indians, with a twist of dream sequences that let readers get deeper into characters heads than you could by just following the story. Something wicked this way comes y’all. And it’s gonna be good. (4 out of 5)
