Sixteen serial killers have been birthed in Buckaroo, Oregon. Then came the Butcher in Black, Officer Vaughan, Agent Barker, the Devil Killer, and The Master. In Nailbiter Returns #1 from Image Comics, we learn there might have been a 17th butcher that is elated by eyeballs and an expert in eschatology.
Sequels
If there was ever a great time for Indie books to make a huge splash, now is that time. The big two publishers are scaling back the number of releases for the near future. DC and Marvel will not dominate the shelves in the first few weeks after shipping resumes. The time for Indie books to thrive is now.
We’ve learned from the film industry that sequels make money, they don’t even have to be decent, just tied into a previously successful franchise. Nailbiter was a fantastic series, so to return with a followup right out of quarantine is a fantastic move by Image Comics.
First Impressions
The Buckaroo Butchers are as unique as they are deadly. Some elicit instant fear and others seem silly, but it appears we’ll get a closer look at all of them. Something in this issue tells me so.
Creative Team
Joshua Williamson returns to writing with the same creative team. Mike Henderson restores Buckaroo with Adam Guzowski on colors and lettering by John J. Hill. I finished reading the first 30 issues before completely diving into this review. I wanted everything to be fresh.
Nailbiter is an amazingly well-written murder mystery that I’m reading for the first time since the initial monthly run. Nailbiter Returns picks up right after the end of Nailbiter #30. Reading through I noticed a misspelling in the artwork of Nailbiter Returns #1. The new eyeball fanatic has the list of Buckaroo Butchers on the wall and on it reads “HATE WATER”. It sounds like this new killer hates the very thing that allows him to live.
Henderson’s art looks just like the first 30 issues, and even more refined since then. The characters don’t look hyper realistic, but they don’t need to. Hill’s lettering is fantastic and appears reminiscent of the Joker terrorizing Gotham. Guzowski’s colors immerse us back into this creepy and mysterious universe. The palette is vibrant and jumps off the page thus keeping the eyes thoroughly entertained throughout. If you enjoyed the idea of Twin Peaks, but could do without all the weird, seemingly unrelated scenes, this is a great murder mystery for you.
Conclusion
Nailbiter Returns to the stands with a vengeance. There’s blood, there’s death, there’s old friends, and new acquaintances. With a little taste of YOU and Dexter, this run promises to delight. We learned the mystery of Buckaroo but many parts were missing. Are these the missing parts or just more chaos from the hellish depths of Buckaroo? The mystery unravels June 3rd.
What did you think of Nailbiter Returns? Are you excited to get back to the throat slashing world of the Buckaroo Butchers? Let us know in the comments below.
