by
Decapitated Dan
Issue: White Devil #1
Writers: Matt Evans, Andrew Helinski
Artist: Nate Burns
Release Date: 2012
Price: Free
“The story of an aimless town and loving family crossing paths with the worst of Hell.”
Dying Breath: 4.0 out of 5
See, now this is why you need to let the ladies in your life go out and have some fun every now and then. White Devil #1 explores that very statement and show how far some might go to get a little excitement in their lives. The artwork by Burns is amazing from panel to panel. He has a great feel for the cast, and the way his panels are laid out are just GORE-Geous. My only downside on the artwork though is the lettering. When using the hand written typeface, I had trouble reading it. It did take a little time to get used to, and it was the reason I had to lower the overall grade when it came to the artwork. The story by Evans and Helinski is going somewhere, and it’s going to be really good. This issue does a great job of introducing the reader to the cast, and then heads straight into the actions that will lead up to the next few issues. I thought that the pacing was great. I love the concept here and can not wait to see how this all unravels. In terms of horror, this issue really ended on a high note, and that is what you need to get me to come back for more. This issue was almost perfect, and that is a damn good sign of things to come. With some minor tweaks on the lettering side of things this book is going to floor you all. Definitely check this one out, especially while it is free to read online. More please!
Artwork: 4.0 out of 5 • Story: 4.5 out of 5
If you would like to buy or know more about White Devil you can find it at http://whitedevilcomic.blogspot.com/
by
Decapitated Dan
Issue: Enormous #1
Writer: Tim Daniel
Artist: Mehdi Cheggour
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: July 2012
Price: $9.99
“In the midst of a planetary battle for food and fuel, a vast ecological cataclysm spawns THE ENORMOUS, massive beasts unlike anything ever witnessed. Humankind struggles to stave off extinction and the only law is to hunt or be hunted. It’s an epic action adventure featuring the survival of the biggest!”
Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5
What is this ENORMOUS book in front of me? Seriously this thing is larger than a typical comic, which is fitting since it is called Enormous. If you are waiting for the next BIG thing to come from Image, you need to look no further than this title. The pages in this book are all so god damn GORE-Geous, that my eyes melted from their sockets. Cheggour brings so much life to every single panel, that I am honestly guessing it took him 3 years to complete this book. Page after page this book sings the visual music that my eyes crave. The monsters alone are enough to give this book a solid 5 on the artwork. The story done by Daniel is also something to behold. His pacing is fantastic, and he has a great feel for writing action scenes. While the book is only 64 pages, it is so full of story. You can easily take this book as a one and done, but you won’t want to. This universe has so much more exploration has to be done to it. I need to know where the cast will go from here, more exploration in to why things are they way they are and a whole HELL of a lot more monsters killing things. There was nothing to not be enjoyed in this issue. Page after page this will satisfy monster, horror and survival fans. Buy it, buy it, BUY IT!
Artwork: 5.0 out of 5 • Story: 4.5 out of 5
If you would like to buy or know more about Enormous you can find it at http://www.imagecomics.com
by
Decapitated Dan
Issue: Underneath #2
Writer: Tom Stillwell
Artist: Jim Terry
Publisher: Spinner Rack Comics
Release Date: 2012
Pages: 28
Price: $2.99
“Terry goes all in for troll hunting as Joe & Co. search a monster-infested warehouse for a missing child from Lower Chicago. Meet Irv the troll stoolie! Plus we learn the secret history behind the Great Chicago Fire...”
Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5
WOOO, issue #2! Underneath is back and it has a fistful of awesome that it wants to introduce to your face! Following right where issue #1 left off, we are shown what caused the Great Chicago Fire. Damn you (I ain’t spoiling this people)! The artwork in this issue is fantastic. Terry has a great feel for this cast and he it with consistency on every panel throughout. He has a great vision for being able to make my eyes laugh, while still telling a great visual story. Stillwell knew what Terry was capable of, so even he brought his A game as well. The story is paced really well. What I expect with a #2 is to get more build on the gripping events of the first issue, and I got that here. Think of the story in this issue as the base of a building, it has to be solid to support what comes next, and there is only one way to go from here, UP! Jim and Tom are killing this book. I love what is happening so far. I love the universe that is being created, and hope it can be further developed as well. Underneath is a solid read and a steal at the price. Check this on out.
Artwork: 4.5 out of 5 • Story: 4.5 out of 5
If you would like to buy or know more about Underneath you can find it at http://spinnerrackcomics.com/
by
Decapitated Dan
Issue: Deadworld: War of the Dead #1
Writer: Gary Reed
Artist: Sami Makkonen
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Release Date: August 2012
Price: $3.99
“The zombies have over run the Earth! A small outpost, remnants of a twisted scientists’ scheme to defeat the plague holds out against the army of King Zombie. Their secret weapon are the Lepers-victims of a bizarre experiment that left them with dead flesh in breathing husks with skin that even zombies won’t touch. This new series of Deadworld is perfect for new readers to join in the frenzy of what has been called the “grand-daddy” of all zombie comics.”
*Note: This series will be weekly throughout the month of August.
Dying Breath: 5.0 out of 5
Welcome back my old friend. It is about damn time that we meet again. The last time we saw this cast of characters in Deadworld, was with the highly praised Slaughterhouse OGN. The events that will unfold in this series are picking up around one year after that. Award winning artist Sami Makkonen (Sarjis Awards), is back to bring Deadworld into the realm of color. I have to admit at first I was skeptical when hearing this, but these pages are GORE-Geous! Sami’s style has a rugged beauty to it, that I think is only enhanced by the addition of color. The gritty look of his panels add to setting up the perfect look for this undead universe. I have to quickly throw mention to his interpretation of King Zombie, it is jaw dropping. I know what you are asking yourself now, “Dan, if the art is that good can the story be on the same level?” Hell yes it can reader, HELL YES. With there being a gap between issues and OGN’s, Gary Reed has to make sure that people recall what came before, as well as make it open to new readers. He nails this on the head and then drives it home with the opening of this arc. While not all previous characters are covered here, the ones that are shine brightly. No one really pulls in the spotlight on them, which shows how well Reed was able to juggle setting things up. The BIG highlight to the story was the breakdown of how the community is protecting itself from larger groups of the undead. It was just the amount of detail that went into that scene that proved why I place Gary on such a high pedestal when it comes to writers. This issue had more than I could have ever wanted from a new Deadworld series. The artwork and story are done at such a high level, that you had better get a ladder ready for when this book is in your hands. Hands down a MUST BUY!
Artwork: 5.0 out of 5 • Story: 5.0 out of 5
If you would like to know more about Deadworld: War of the Dead #1 please go to http://www.idwpublishing.com/or http://www.garyreed.net/.
by
Decapitated Dan
Issue: Dead Reckoning: Contagion issue #2
Writer: Z.M. Thomas
Pencils: Cliff Richards
Publisher: Trepidation Comics
Release Date: January 2012
Pages: 28
Price: $3.99
“With the resurgence of what is believed an evolved strain of the 1918 Spanish Influenza strikes South Eastern Asia, a Chinese pharmaceutical company along with the Epidemic Intelligence Service and CDC are on a race against time to create a cure and prevent a future global pandemic. But when the new vaccine begins to bring the dead of those infected back to life, the military places the entire city of Minneapolis under quarantine.”
Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5.0
WEED WHACKER HO! Contagion is back, under a new name, and it is ready to blast your balls (sorry ladies) to the wall! When the first issue ended, it left me wanting so much more, and issue #2 is here to deliver that. The artwork has been kicked up a notch, but you should be able to tell that from the cover image posted with this review. Not only do the character designs make my jaw drop from panel to panel, but the colors are to DIE for. This is one GORE-Geous book! Richards is great at depicting emotion, but I will gripe that we are not all supermen with out rock hard ab’s. Just saying, all comics do that and it bothers me. Not your fault Cliff, I promise. The story by Thomas is working on two levels. Level #1 is moving the story along. He has a great handle on getting from A to B, while still adding on what has happened and why it might be happening. Level #2 is the intensity level. Being able to move the story along while adding intense and relaxed scenes is not an easy task. Yet Z.M. does it with ease. This book is great, but I have a gripe. I need more of it faster! I think that this one would honestly work best as an OGN, or at least told in large issue chapters. At least then I am not left wanting more and more when I finish a single issue. If you find this book grab it, if you can’t find it go to the damn website because this is how horror comics are done right.
Artwork: 4.5 out of 5.0 • Story: 4.5 out of 5.0
If you would like to buy or know more about Dead Reckoning: Contagion please check out http://www.trepidation-comics.com/
by
Decapitated Dan
Issue: Night of 1,000 Wolves #1
Writer: Bobby Curnow
Artist: Dave Wachter
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Release Date: May 2012
Price: $3.99
“In the Dark Ages, the tranquil life of Harrick Benjyon and his family is shattered by unthinkable tragedy. Before they can react, the family find themselves under seige by hordes of wolves with one aim. Death. A race for survival becomes all the more impossible by the arrival of the supernatural… and the dark secrets that lie at the heart of the Benjyon family. Another classic horror tale from the company that brought you 30 Days of Night and Locke & Key!”
Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5
I’ll make this review simple… BUY THIS BOOK! Night of 1,000 Wolves sprints right out of the gate and never slows down. The artwork by Wachter is so consistent on the characters, which leads to some gnarly looking wolves to the drop dead GORE-Geous monster wolf (still not sure if it is a werewolf yet) at the end. He nailed this book. Matter of fact I want a large poster of that final page, it was just so damn awesome. Like I mentioned, the story crafted by Curnow never skips a beat. His pacing is perfect for a first issue. He grabs you by the throat at the start, loosens up a little in the middle just to tease you, and then finishes you off at the end. The dialogue is perfect and the mystery is just beginning to unravel. From the start this is one horrific tale that you will grab you and not let go. I was not expecting this, but I am damn sure glad I got it. Can I have issue #2 now?
Artwork: 5.0 out of 5 • Story: 4.5 out of 5
If you would like to buy or know more about Night of 1,000 Wolves you can find it at http://www.idwpublishing.com
by
Decapitated Dan
Issue: Frankenstein Alive, Alive! #1
Writer: Steve Niles
Artist: Bernie Wrightson
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Release Date: May 2012
Price: $3.99
“Few works by comic-book artists have earned the universal acclaim and reverence that Bernie Wrightson’s illustrated version of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein was met with upon its original release in 1983. Nearly 30 years later, Wrightson returns to his passion project with a comic series that picks up at the end of the classic novel, hailed as one of the greatest horror stories of all time. Frequent Wrightson collaborator Steve Niles provides the script for this epic, decades in the making. While appearing to be in black and white, each page was scanned in color to mimic as closely as possible the experience of viewing the actual original art, showing off the exquisitely detailed brush work of one of the greatest living artists in comics today. Each issue will also include supplemental materials, including interviews, essays and a serialization of the original prose story by Shelley.”
Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5
Please hold, my eyes are still drooling from these GORE-Geous pages. Wrightson just blew my visual system right out of the back of my head in this first issue of Frankenstein Alive, Alive! #1. Every single panel in this book is a masterpiece, as a matter of fact, think of this issue as a $4 art gallery that you are privileged to take come in and enjoy. The black and white is so crisp and clean, and I don’t recall if I said this yet, but it is GORE-Geous! The story by Niles is so poetic that it moved me. Granted I can’t move far unless a strong gush of wind comes my way, but this story really took a look into the soul of the Monster. I will admit, it did take 2 reads for me to fully catch everything, in terms of the order of the events that were happening, but it just meant I got to enjoy the hell out of this twice. The horror elements seem to be more about internal suffering than anything else, and it works. From the artwork to the story, this book is a winner. It will make you want to go get the first round by Wrightson and read it again, and then you will come back and read this again, until it all becomes one vicious cycle that consumes you. Then you will create your own Monster to do your bidding so you can keep enjoying this over and over again. A MUST BUY!
Artwork: 5.0 out of 5 • Story: 4.5 out of 5
If you would like to buy or know more about Frankenstein Alive, Alive! you can find it at http://www.idwpublishing.com/
by
Decapitated Dan
Issues: Hoax Hunter’s #1
Writers: Michael Moreci, Steve Seeley
Artist: Axel Medellin, Tim Seeley (c)
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: July 2011
Price: $2.99
“The acclaimed backup begins its own series! A rash of mass animal deaths leads the Hoax Hunters to the Louisiana bayou. What they find is a mystery that harkens to Jack’s past – and a dangerous cryptid bent on revenge!”
Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5
There are three things that one can do to easily win me over with a comic book. One of those things is to have the story take place in the Louisiana swamps, and guess what issue did that, Hoax Hunters #1. Spinning out of the back up stories in Hack/Slash, and then being collected into issue #0, we join the team as they embark to solve a mystery in the swamp. No this is not like Scooby Doo, it is better. I openly welcome artist Axel Medellin into the family because he nailed this issue. His panels were consistent and he created one of the most GORE-Geous swamp monsters I have ever seen. Moreci and Seeley are on top of their game with this issue. If you missed the #0 issue you don’t have to worry, because they cover some good back story here. They also move forward with great pacing and some killer mystery that is left to unfold. Hoax Hunters is simply put, a fun read that plays with monster mythos. Hell I could easily just call this the baby of Scooby Doo and Proof. A great first issue and there is still more to come, I mean come on, lets get to the carnival already!
Artwork: 4.5 out of 5 • Story: 4.5 out of 5
If you would like to know more about Hoax Hunters please go to http://www.imagecomics.com/
by
Decapitated Dan
Issue: Zombie Chuck #2
Writer: Brian Fyffe
Artist: Brian Fyffe
Release Date: 2012
Pages: 32
Price: $5.00
“Chuck and Lily’s second adventure, in 28 pages of color printed on aged newsprint paper!”
Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5
Zombie Chuck is back, and ready to party for Halloween! I was so excited to get my hands on the second issue of this series from Brian Fyffe, that he avoided me for 2 whole days at C2E2, just to drive up my want level. Building off of the first issue, we now get Chuck in color. This adds to the overall concept and feel of ZC in such a good way. Being a book that is directed at all ages, like Casper would be, it is important to utilize all of the tools at your disposal to try to attract an audience, so the addition of color is a step in the right direction. I really love Fyffe’s style on the entire cast, and while I thought that I the werewolves would be the coolest looking characters in this issues, I have to go hands down to the Big Blue Monster. He is awesome! The designs on the cast are classic in horror nature, but so fun in context to the story. The story itself is full of horror and comedy. I really get this old sci-fi movie vibe from it as well. Movies that were meant to be scary at the time, but when watched now have this fun monster feel to them. The story is great for everyone and anyone and added with the amazing artwork, it makes this book a clear-cut winner. I really hope that at some point we can get more than 1 issue a year, but it’s always great to know that when I go to C2E2 I can pick up the next one. Zombie Chuck is worth all 500 pennies.
Artwork: 4.5 out of 5 • Story: 4.5 out of 5
If you would like to buy or know more about Zombie Chuck you can find it at http://www.fyffo.com
by
Decapitated Dan
Issue: Monocyte #4
Writers: Menton3, Kasra Ghanbari, Steve Niles, Barron Storey
Artists: Menton3, Chris Newman, Ben Templesmith
Covers: Menton3, David Stoupakis, Phil Hale
Publisher: IDW
Release Date: May 2012
Price: $3.99
“The world is in in chaos. Monocyte makes his way to Azrael as the human slaves are freed… Series conclusion with art by menton3 (ZvR: Aventure, Silent Hill) and co-written by Kasra Ghanbari with an incentive cover by world-renowned fine artist Phil Hale and side stories by legendary fine artist/illustrator Barron Storey (Sandman: Endless Nights) and superstar horror writer Steve Niles (30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre).”
Dying Breath: 5.0 out of 5
How can I even begin to put into words what I thought about the final issue of Monocyte without just saying…PERFECTION! That’s all, review over. No, just kidding, but it really does sum up this issue and this entire series oh so damn well. The main story (there are two backup stories) was visually stunning. At one point my eyes melted out of my skull because of how GORE-Geous the pages by Menton3 and Chris Newman were. Since the series is now over, I want to recap how well the art played with the story because it was nailed down with this final issue. The images presented throughout the series were almost like going to an art gallery. I wondered how words could even try to play well with what I was seeing visually, and I think it was a great challenge for Menton3 and Kasra to overcome. Yet, in the hands of these two, a story was crafted that defied visual logic, playing out so poetically that I wondered if the images were even needed! They crafted a world that had so much depth and mystery that it played out beyond what my brain could even comprehend. This issue just solidifies the fact that when the right elements combine you can create something so beautiful it will leave all readers satisfied. Monocyte was a tempting beauty that captured my black heart for months on end. This, ladies and gentlemen, is beyond what comic books strive to be. It is what comic books should be.
Artwork: 5.0 out of 5 • Story: 5.0 out of 5
If you would like to buy or know more about Monocyte you can find it at http://www.idwpublishing.com
by
Decapitated Dan
Issue: Product of Society #5
Creators: Jon Michael Lennon, Leo Perez, Chris Newman, B. Alan Hubbard, Lauren Burke, Andrew Dimitt, Don Hills, Kyle Lawler, Donovan Klingal, Josh Filer, Mat Festa, Thor Fjalarsson and Sarah Hollings
Publisher: CheeseLord Comics
Release Date: March 2012
Price: $5.00
“Synopsis An anthology of Earth’s most disturbed persons. Product of Society features comics covering all known genres from a wide be selection of upcoming indie talents. It is an echo chamber for the despair within the human soul that makes us all products of society.”
Dying Breath: 4.0 out of 5
Dirty, Smut, Filth, Trash, Horror GOODNESS! Each word can only bring 1 oz of justice to the pages of Product of Society #5. I want to start with the cover art because that is just GORE-Geous! I want a story based on whatever is going on there. And the back cover is magnificent! Like most anthologies this book is filled with varying art and story telling styles. I really think that every single artist in this issue is amazing in what they do. They all have a unique visual voice that might not look like it’s neighbor story, but they all play together so well. Visually this book is a winner. So how do the stories hold up? What I always seem to notice in an anthology is some kind a variance in what I enjoy, compared to something that just is not for me. I highly enjoyed 6 of the 8 stories in this book. I did find that some could use a little polishing on the dialogue, but overall it is a solid collection of tales. The highlights for me were “Re:Salvation”, “Moon Shits”, and “Her Eyes”. Out of all the stories these 3 were my favorites. Product of Society may be a mature title, but what is collected inside of it, is solid comic silver. Polishing up some of the edges for future issues will easily put this book in a gold class all on its own, it is worth every penny.
Artwork: 4.5 out of 5 • Story: 4.0 out of 5
If you would like to buy or know more about Product of Society #5 you can find it at http://cheeselordcomics.com/
by
Decapitated Dan
Issue: Doctor Spektor Archives Volume 4 HC
Writer: Donald Glut
Artist: Jesse Santos
Publisher: Dark Horse
Release Date: February 2012
Price: $50.00
“Confronting supernatural threats and vengeful monsters, Dr. Spektor travels from Scottish lochs to cursed swamplands–and from the surreal dreamscape of the Egyptian afterlife to New York City’s Chinatown! Collecting issues #19 to #25 of The Occult Files of Doctor Spektor and a Spektor tale from Gold Key Spotlight #8, plus notes from Spektor’s secret files, including a piece on Dr. Solar!”
Dying Breath: 4.0 out of 5
Believe it or not review reader, I have never had a chance to check out Doctor Spektor comics before. Sure I have heard of them, but it was not until Dark Horse supplied me with this great volume that I had my first chance to really check this cast out. The artwork in this volume by Santos is fantastic. He does a great job of keeping the cast consistent from panel to panel. The man can also draw an amazing monster or two. I thought that the Leviathan and the Lurker were the highlights of the bunch, but each stories creature or villain could easily hold it’s own. The stories in this series do feel dated (70’s), but they can hold up with the horror detective tales of today. For those fans of Cal McDonald, Dylan Dog, or John Constantine you might want to check out Doctor Specktor. The same concept applies here, in that something bizarre is happening and it is up to him to solve it. Each story has it’s own tale, and they play out like a weekly television show. You have the mystery and intrigue to capture the readers from the start, but then they are wrapped up by the end. So there is a good deal of story to be had in these pages. My only downside was that I felt some of the stories we really good, but others were not able to live up to that same level. Overall this is an amazing collection, that I am very proud to have had the chance to look at. Fans of the horror detectives will easily fall in love with this book, and I think any old school horror fans will be happy to check this out as well. These stories can stand up with the best of them and this book deserves to be on your horror shelf.
Artwork: 4.5 out of 5 • Story: 4.0 out of 5
If you would like to buy or know more about Doctor Spektor you can find it at http://www.darkhorse.com
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