Review: Howard Lovecraft and The Undersea Kingdom – C’thulhu for Kids

By

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February 22, 2012

Written by: Bruce Brown & Dwight L MacPherson
Art by: Thomas Boatwright
Letters: E.T. Dollman
Cover: Erik Fokkens
Publisher: Arcana

What if Inspector Gadget was written by H.P. Lovecraft? What if Calvin and Hobbes was Howard and C’thulhu? Well you’d get something akin to this book. It’s really kind of pastiche of both. This is a follow-up to 2009’s Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom a 71 page Graphic Novelette containing an all-ages H.P. Lovecraft type story. I’m assuming you all know what kind of story Lovecraft spun back in his day. Tales of elder gods, the horror of space and time, ancient cults, men turning into fish creatures, and mountains of madness. You know, kid stuff. When all is said and done I’m actually surprised how well this reinvention of Lovecraft lore works. It’s the kind of story you can let a pre-teen read and have fun with and not drive him to brink of sanity. More importantly you can read it and enjoy it yourself as it’s not dumbed down with fart jokes or demon slapstick.

“Howard Lovecraft’s family has been imprisoned on a far-flung alien planet, Spot hopelessly captured, and he is slowly becoming a mindless Fishman. Accompanied by his insane father, a pistol-packing constable, and his hungry cat, they must face the all-powerful ruler of the Outer Gods, a revengeful old enemy, an army of deadly monsters, and a lethal world called Yuggoth, to save the day. All Howard has to do is surrender his father’s Book. But that would mean certain doom for all of mankind!” – synopsis via Comixology.

Story-wise this plot is a bit slippery. Brown and MacPherson kind of throw you off in the deep end and see if you can make heads or tails of the mystery un-folding. I didn’t read the first book in the series, so perhaps that would have helped me with the set-up. I have to admit I floundered for a bit and didn’t really grasp what was happening until the end of Chapter 2 where Howard flat-out spells it out: “King Abdul took our family and House to his Undersea Kingdom and won’t let them go until I give him the book.” The cutting between different worlds threw me for a bit at first as well. I didn’t understand if C’thulhu’s (aka Spot) world was imaginary or a world inside the book Howard was reading or what. The power and importance of the book is never really explained. I’m assuming it’s the Necromonicon and it’s very powerful, but as a new reader to the series it was left open-ended. The stakes would be higher if it was explained how the world would shatter if the ruler of the Outer Gods got ahold of this thing.

That aside I really did enjoy the characters and their interactions while all this plot was unraveling. Once the story draws you in its easy to lose yourself in this world. Spot is an awesome sidekick for Howard, and is able to send an astral projection to Howard’s world when he sleeps like from the Lovecraft line “In his house at R’lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.”He fends off all kinds of Shoggoth’s and horrors along the way. The constable is a lovable ol’ cook as well. Kind of like Tackleberry from Police Academy but with a sense of humor and a cat. He kills all kinds of nasty demons along the way and really flexes the whole gung-ho protector trope. Which is probably a good thing since Howard himself is a bit of a scaredy cat and needs all the help he can get. I usually get annoyed with leads like this, but the writers were sensible enough to make him a balanced character. Yes, he is quick to panic and freak out, but deep down the kid has some guts and chutzpah and pulls it together when it really counts. And I didn’t find myself wishing for his death, so that’s a good thing. He’s enough of a spitfire that you want to see him succeed. The dad is a dangerous nutter and you can see why he was put in a sanitarium. He makes the journey edgy and you can never really trust him. I like that it really flips the typical family dynamic on its head. You definitely cannot trust the parents in this and that is something younger kids will easily relate to. I know I did.

Calvin and Hobbes, Ed, Edd n Eddy, Bloom County, and Fractured Fairytales; this is the kind of cartooning vein that Howard Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdom draws from. It’s a loose but confident brush style that looks like it could be in syndication at national newspaper. The watercolor background are kind mushy and vague. Sponges and brush sprays help work up the texture, giving the panels a bit of depth. When it works best, there’s lots of trees and mist conjuring a dark vibe suitable for elder gods. Sometimes it all gets a bit too soft and muddy for my tastes, but overall it’s not distracting and fits the tone of the narrative. It’s an odd color palette with lot’s subtle purples used for flesh shadows, bright neon-green glowing eyes and cyan knock-outs for the spectral astral projections of Spot. I especially love how the Shoggoths are rendered as black amorphous columns of tentacles with bright red membranes cracking through. Royal blue speckles pepper the appendages and represent the leathery texture of skin and the odd suction cup. These bold stylizations are a nice touch and look really fresh and modern. It’s a welcome counter balance to Boatwright’s whimsical drawing style. Overall the lighthearted art feels right for this book and does the Lovecraft Mythos justice.

Kids are going to love this book because it’s about one of them, and there’s all sort of cool monsters and trouble going on. The adult reading this to them will get a kick out of all the eldritch Lovecraftian references (like when one Howard starts growing gills and fins ala’ one of the “Deep Ones” from The Shadow Over Innsmouth). When my nephew gets a bit older you can be sure I’m going to read this to him. The best part is I won’t have to feel guilty about him being too scared to sleep, because while it’s chock full of Lovecraftian trimmings, ultimately it’s light on the horror and heavy on adventure. That’s exactly what this sort of thing should be. I predict this doing really well. In fact, I can totally see this being pitched to Nickelodeon or the Cartoon Network for a series. Howard Lovecraft and The Undersea Kingdom is currently available on Comixology, and will hit the comic shops, Amazon and bookstores on March 21st 2012.

Story: 7/10
Art: 7/10

Follow me on twitter and tell me what you think @the_hellhounds

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Review: Uncanny X-Force #22 – Who is Weapon III?

By

Roger Riddell

-

February 22, 2012

Uncanny X-Force #22
Writer: Rick Remender
Art: Greg Tocchini and Dean White [Color Art]

The pace picks back up in the third part of Rick Remender’s Otherworld odyssey as Psylocke continues her efforts to help Fantomex escape from her brothers in the Captain Britain Corps and Nightcrawler convinces Wolverine that X-Force should help the people of Otherworld fight back against the realm’s demonic invaders.

In case you’ve been out of the loop, Otherworld is a realm that serves as an in-between spot for all of the realities in the Marvel Multiverse. Basically, that means it has all of the doorways to the mainstream Marvel Universe (i.e. Earth-616), the Ultimate Universe, the 2099 Universe, the Age of Apocalypse, the Negative Zone, etc.

Otherworld itself is something out of a Tolkien book, with dragons, castles, and sorcery. It’s also home to the Captain Britain Corps, who see fit to punish individuals from any reality for whatever crimes they feel they should intervene in.

(Clearly, they miss a lot of them because a TON of villains are still alive, but stay with me here.)

X-Force ended up here in issue #20 after the Corps abducted Fantomex and Psylocke in the middle of the night. They put Fantomex on trial for the assassination of the child clone of Apocalypse and sentenced him to being removed from existence. Psylocke, however, rescued Fantomex, as the two have been involved in an increasingly complex game of cat and mouse.

Remender throws in a conversation between the two in this issue to add further confusion to where exactly Fantomex stands in the situation, and also to underscore how well Fantomex can manipulate others. It’s an excellent character trait to draw attention to. After all, this is a guy whose power set includes misdirection–the ability to distract others with a realistic illusion.

Unfortunately, Psylocke and Fantomex’s escape is cut short by the Skinless Man, who we find out is Weapon III and has a long history with Fantomex, a.k.a. Weapon XIII. He’s given a sensible enough reason for being in Otherworld, and it ultimately makes even more sense that Remender continues to explore and add to the story of the Weapon Plus program given that three members of X-Force–Wolverine, Deadpool, and Fantomex–were all involved in it in some way or another.

As all of this plot is unfolding, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and Deadpool are taking refuge in a village on the verge of being besieged by the hordes of a demonic goat. Nightcrawler, who is seemingly coming around to his new teammates after leaving behind his own X-Men in the Age of Apocalypse, convinces Wolverine that they should fight to help the people of Otherworld before finding their friends.

This change in attitude for AoA Nightcrawler draws the first big parallel between him and his deceased Earth-616 counterpart since the differences between the two were highlighted two issues ago. It really adds additional layers to a familiar character who isn’t really the character fans are ultimately familiar with, reminding them that while he is different due to the state of his home universe, Kurt Wagner is still Kurt Wagner at the end of the day.

Plus, it leads to a fun exchange about narcissistic personality disorder between Wolverine and Deadpool as they head off to kill the demonic goat monk thing attacking Otherworld.

Overall, another great issue in Remender’s run. If you’re new to X-Force, I’d recommend starting a little further back in the series, but this storyline is fun and just different enough from earlier stories to keep things interesting without veering too far into left field.

And I promise I’ll never make another poor sports analogy as long as I’m writing reviews.

STORY: 8/10
ART: 8.5/10

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Review: Deadpool #51 – A “Make-Believe” Gang War

By

Roger Riddell

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February 22, 2012

Deadpool #51
Writer: Daniel Way
Art: Ale Garza, Sean Parsons [Inker], Dommo Sanchez Amara [Colorist]

Deadpool’s elaborate game of chess–a game he doesn’t really know how to play–keeps getting weirder and more out of control as his quest for death continues.

You see, Wade found out that there was a serum capable of negating his healing factor and allowing him to die, so he enlisted the help of his X-Force teammates to help him find it. To do so, he convinced them that the Kingpin had it. Meanwhile, he had his friend HYDRA Bob tell the Kingpin about the serum, which of course led to the Kingpin sending his agent Typhoid Mary and the ninjas of the Hand to find it. Unbeknownst to anyone else, Deadpool also told Wolverine’s son, Daken, about the serum, causing Daken to go out looking for it for his own reasons.

Meanwhile, nobody realizes that Tombstone, fresh out of prison, had the serum made so he could get revenge on Deadpool for putting him there in the first place.

Of course, with X-Force gunning for the Kingpin and Kingpin sending his henchmen to find the serum, the two factions are bound to collide, and the issue opens with a fight that includes a beautiful sequence of Wolverine and Typhoid Mary plummeting from the side of an apartment building.

Of course, having a brawl like this in the middle of New York City is undoubtedly going to attract some unwanted attention from other hero types (keep in mind here that X-Force is supposed to remain a secret), so Deadpool covers their tracks the following day by initiating a “make-believe gang war.” What he doesn’t account for is that Kingpin and Tombstone would be in contact with one another, or that Daken would figure out that Tombstone had the formula, which is sure to set up the type of shameful disaster that Wade is all too familiar with being a part of.

Overall, this issue maintains the pace of the last one while adding even more layers to the story. After 51 issues, I’m still amazed that Daniel Way has maintained the level of consistency that he has on this book. Especially notable are the exchange between Deadpool and Wolverine following Deadpool’s provocation of the gang war, and the interplay between Kingpin and Tombstone once they begin to catch on to what’s happening. The fact that you can tell Way enjoys what he does makes reading Deadpool that much more enjoyable. The switch in artists from Carlo Barberi to Ale Garza is somewhat noticeable, but not distracting, as the art still possesses a similar flow and overall style.

If you haven’t checked out the first part of this story in #50, go ahead and pick up both issues. This is shaping up to be one of the best arcs in the series.

STORY: 9/10
ART: 9/10

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Movie Review: Ghost Rider Spirit Of Vengeance

By

mDeVivo

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February 19, 2012

Review : 7/10

I’ve meant to get to this review since Matt and I saw this Thursday Night at Midnight. When I first heard that they were making a sequel to one of the worst superhero movies I had ever seen I obviously had little faith in this film. However when I heard that Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (The duo who were responsible for both Crank films) signed on to direct the new Ghost Rider I was intrigued.

I’ll start by saying that this is definitely better than the first film, leaps and bounds in fact. Ghost Rider as a character is treated more as a force of nature and a true movie monster than some troubled hero. Mark and Brian got the tone of the film down for this movie and Nicolas Cage is obviously aware at this point in his career that he is known for campy performances.

The film opens up right away with an animated montage explaining to you who Ghost Rider is, how Johnny Blaze became said demon and where he’s at now. Idris Elba plays Moreau, a monk who seeks Johnny out for his help in finding a boy. The boy is in line to inherit the powers of the devil and become the Antichrist, which if happened would mean the end of the world. He offers Johnny salvation from Ghost Rider in exchange for him getting the boy back and preventing the apocalypse. That’s about all the story that you need to know.

scream — Nicolas Cage as the Anti-Hero Ghost Rider

As I said this isn’t going to be remembered as a great film, but I will consider it a fun film to watch with friends. The special effects are great. Flames and Black smoke billow out of Johnny Blazes Leather jacket as the leather bubbles and cracks from the heat during the transformation. There is a transformation scene in the middle of the film that was really fun to see which demonstrated a perfect mix of camera work, special effects, and Nicolas Cage going nuts in front of the camera that was a standout in the film. However some FX work was a bit spotty. Corrigan who later becomes Blackout in the film looked more so like a villain out of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. When so much time is spent designing and perfecting the Ghost Rider I’d expect a little more design d be put into its main villain. Corrigan essentially looks like Powder with a long white wig, not so threatening. Also I was expecting a bit more with the 3D, while the few scenes where it works are great, you can definitely see this movie in 2D and not feel like your missing anything.

If what you’re looking for this weekend is a fun action movie with little thought put into the story than this is for you. As a Ghost Rider film I think it’s a success, you get a better version of the character and you can tell everyone involved had a fun time bringing it to life. While the story is conventional and the dialogue is spotty the action and special FX make this a film that I feel is just good enough to see in theaters. The audience leaving the theater seemed like they had a good time and that’s really whats important. Have a few drinks before heading out, go see it with friends and enjoy the ride.

Mike DeVivo

Follow me on Twitter @pandasandrobots

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Review : Batman #6 Batman Has seen better days

By

Matthew Sardo

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February 16, 2012

Batman#6

Story By: Scott Snyder

Art By: Greg Capullo and Jonathan Glapion

Review Score : 8.5/10

After a pretty insane sequence of events last issue Scott Snyder decides to lay off of the narrative a bit and let Capullo do most of the heavy lifting this issue. That’s not to say that Snyder doesn’t continue to push the narrative forward. He finally introduces us to the odd dynamic between Talon and the Court of Owls. Snyder write the relationship between Talon and the Court of Owls almost like what you would expect a conversation between a Dominatrix and her submissive client would sound like. The whole thing is very creepy and uncomfortable as Batman continues to take punishment as he is surrounded by the court.

It’s in this moment that Snyder and Capullo show how in sync they are telling this story. As Capullo alternates in and out of panels , Snyder writes Bruce as someone who is on the edge of giving up between a panel of Batman’s Eye welling up with tears as he looks at a picture of his Ancestor Alan Wayne being tortured by the Court years before, its a mix of Snyder’s spot on narrative set to a progression of just his eye welling up that really breaks your heart. Batman snaps and fights back against the Court and Talon and makes his escape with the help of a few things lying around the Labyrinth . Snyder continues to keep Batman’s fate a mystery though as he finds that while he left the maze he still can’t escape the Court.

This issue reads very fast because Batman and Talon fight through the majority of said issue, but Snyder still manages to add new layers to the Court and present Batman and the entire Batman Family with a huge problem on their hands going into the next issue. I am really enjoying everything about this series but what i love most thus far is the collaboration process between Snyder and Capullo.Yes this book continues to be great and you should be reading it.

Mike DeVivo

Follow me on Twitter @pandasandrobots

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Review: Wolverine #301 – Wolverine vs. the new Silver Samurai

By

Roger Riddell

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February 15, 2012

Wolverine #301
Writer: Jason Aaron
Art: Billy Tan & Jason Keith [Art for Chapters 8, 11, 12], Steve Sanders & Sotocolor [Chapters 9, 10]

The newly-renumbered Wolverine #300 ended with an all-out war between the Yakuza mobsters and Hand ninjas in a Buddhist temple, coupled with a fresh-from-the-dead Sabretooth, a new Silver Samurai, and Wolverine’s adopted daughter caught in the middle.

And that was only the first seven chapters of Jason Aaron’s epic kung fu B-movie of a final story on Wolverine’s solo book.

The over-the-top action and ultra-violence continues this month in #301 with the limbs of Yakuza and Hand members alike flying everywhere and an obligatory Wolverine-with-all-of-his-skin-burned-off sequence.

Ever wanted to see tattooed Yakuza armed with chainsaws on motorcycles? Jason Aaron’s got it here.

What about torture administered with flesh-eating beetles? Check.

Sabretooth taking three claws to the throat? Say no more!

Aaron is taking everything ridiculous you love about Wolverine and packing it into a single storyline. That’s not to say this blood-soaked saga is devoid of any plot, though.

Remember, Logan’s reason for returning to Japan was to prevent a war between the Hand and Yakuza from breaking out in the wake of the Silver Samurai’s death. That plotline remains in place, and is coupled with the underlying drama of a father meeting his daughter’s boyfriend for the first time (but on an extreme level) in the fight between Wolverine and the new Silver Samurai, Shin.

Despite having two art teams here, the interiors remain consistent throughout, though Wolverine does appear a bit Danzig-y in a couple of panels.

As much as I could go on about this issue, you have to see it (and possibly enjoy kung fu movies or b-movies) to truly appreciate it. If you like Wolverine, this is highly recommended.

STORY: 8.5/10
ART: 8/10

[amazon_link id=”B0077QFBO0″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]BUY Wolverine #301 on Amazon[/amazon_link]

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Review: Amazing Spider-Man #679.1 – Thankfully, Morbius doesn’t sparkle in sunlight yet

By

Roger Riddell

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February 15, 2012

Amazing Spider-Man #679.1
Writers: Dan Slott and Chris Yost
Art: Matthew Clark, Tom Palmer [Inks], and Rob Schwager [Color]

Hot on the heels of Spider-Man’s team-up with his Horizon Labs coworker Grady Scraps, Dan Slott and Chris Yost join forces on Amazing Spider-Man #679.1 to team Pete up with another Horizon staffer–child genius Uatu Jackson.

For much of the past year, Slott has teased the identity of the scientist in Lab 6 at Horizon. Though he finally revealed the lab’s occupant to be Morbius (Spidey’s on-again, off-again vampire villain) during last year’s “Spider-Island,” the book’s cast were still in the dark.

It was only a matter of time until curiosity got the better of the other scientists, and Pete and Uatu set out to finally uncover the truth. One of the highlights of this issue are the list of suspects they put together for who the mystery scientist is. Among them: Dr. Octopus, Beast, Dark Beast, The Lizard, Stephen Hawking, and Zombie Albert Einstein, who is present on the list because of Uatu’s obsession with horror movies.

Meanwhile, Morbius, who it turns out is an old college friend of Horizon Labs boss Max Modell, is experimenting with blood to create a cure for his condition. Naturally, this goes awry and brings about the return of his bloodlust (which I don’t seem to remember still being a problem for him in Marvel Zombies 3 & 4, but whatever…) and the not-quite-a-vampire has a brawl with Spider-Man that spills into Horizon’s cafeteria.

As with the rest of Slott’s run, the writing on this issue works on a number of levels and Yost’s experience with grittier, darker, and occasionally supernatural characters and stories (SEE: 2009’s X-Force “Necrosha” storyline) really adds to this a bit. Morbius’ underlying humanity is kept in focus throughout this issue, as is the lack of understanding among others that would cause Modell to keep Morbius’ presence in the facility a secret.

Furthermore, this issue carries on the longstanding tradition of Spider-Man books having a fleshed out supporting cast by giving us more insight into who Max Modell is as a person, and giving us a reason to care about Uatu Jackson (who I had almost forgotten about until now). Revealing that Jackson isn’t just a child genius, but is also obsessed with horror movies to the point that he has a lab full of monster-fighting gear is brilliant. After all, what else would a horror-obsessed child genius do in their free time with their own lab if given the chance?

Finally, in line with the idea behind Marvel’s “Point One” initiative, this book gives readers a good place to jump on, as it introduces one side of the current supporting cast and spins new threads that set up a future plot–one that will likely unfold this July if the reveal on the final page is any indication.

As for the art, this issue leaves little to be desired. It’s easy to follow, with the exception of maybe one or two panels, like the diagram of Horizon Labs on page 5. However, the vibrance and amount of overall detail make it easy to overlook these instances.

This is another great jumping-on point for new readers, and essential reading for regulars.

STORY: 9/10
ART: 8.5/10

[amazon_link id=”B00784F772″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]BUY Amazing Spider-Man #679.1 on Amazon[/amazon_link]

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“The Amazing Spider-Man” Viral Campaign Ramps Up

By

Roger Riddell

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February 14, 2012

The viral marketing campaign for this summer’s The Amazing Spider-Man film has kicked off, starting first with the markofthespider-man.com website, and today with the backpack of Peter Parker’s that the MTV News blog “Splash Page” reported receiving.

Among the items in that backpack were a page of The Daily Bugle. On this page of the fictional newspaper was a letter bearing a hidden message that the fine folks at MTV News overlooked: the first letter of each line in that letter spells out “SLASHPREPRARE.”

Here’s where things get cryptic: If you go to markofthespider-man.com/prepare, you get a diagram that is most likely some sort of secret code related to the main Mark of the Spider-Man homepage.

We here at the Chicago Comic Vault have yet to figure it out. Can you?

From splashpage.mtv.com

From markofthespider-man.com/prepare

UPDATE (8:00 PM):

As commenter ObFuSc8 points out below, the mystery has, in fact, been solved by other recipients of the Peter Parker backpacks:

Sorry guys, but you are a step behind.

The markofthespider-man.com/prepare site was already uncovered on FRI 2/10/2012.

On 2/10 the official MOTS twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/markofspiderman) had tweeted coordinates in 5 different cities where lucky hunters found Peter’s backpack (same as those received by media outlets).

Clicking the video screens (on the main MOTS site) in the sequence indicated by the “code” on the /prepare site revealed a countdown in six cities, all of which hit zero this morning.

The next phase began this morning. There were 5 drops per city tweeted throughout the day, one at a time for each city. Lucky hunters today found another bag with a cell phone, 2 sweatshirts and a note.

After all 5 drops had been claimed in all 6 cities, the MOTS site updated with the message: “All operatives have been selected and are standing by for further communication. Stay vigilant, we will be in touch over the next couple of days.”

Calls have already started coming in to those with cell phones stating something will happen tomorrow.

Thanks for the clarification, ObFuSc8!

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Review: Conan The Barbarian #1 Crush Your Enemies, See them Driven Before You, and Hey Check out that Half-Naked Goth Chick!

By

Matthew Sardo

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February 13, 2012

Writer by: Brian Wood
Art by: Becky Cloonan
Colors by : Dave Stewart
Letterer by : Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Cover by : Massimo Carnevale
Publisher: Dark Horse

Conan is awesome. I have very fond memories of seeing the movies when I was a kid. I remember first seeing a trailer for Conan the Barbarian while I was laid up in the hospital getting over an intestinal flu. I couldn’t wait to get better and go check it out in the theaters.,The first was an epic sword and sandal classic like no other before. It had demons, giant snakes, cults, orgies, magic, and a brilliant score. I even liked Conan the Destroyer, which was vastly inferior as a movie, but equally brutal in terms of monsters, battle, and blood. It was more a quest kind of adventure that felt like a dungeons and dragon module. There was bizarre cults, wizard battles and human sacrifice. One of the first comics I ever bought was a Conan one from the early 80’s. It what first got interested in drawing. I even read a few of Robert E. Howard Conan novels with Frazetta covers which were a bit tough for a junior high-school kid like me to get through. They were dry, light on monsters and really kind of drawn out with lot’s of talk of wenches and ale. That was the first time I kind of got let down by the character. So I gave the books a pass, eventually got into other things and kind of forgot about Conan. When this new 2011 Conan movie came out I was disappointed again. I took me 3 times just to get through the thing, I kept on falling asleep. Whatever magic pull Conan had on me when I was younger had all but vanished. I know that Dark Horse had been keeping the Conan comics alive and kicking since the early 2000’s. The covers have always been great but I’ve never been compelled by writer or interior art to get it a proper shot. When I heard that DMZ and Northlanders writer Brian Wood was on scripting and Beck Cloonan was on art duties I thought I’d give it a crack. I was a big fan of early DMZ and I’ve read a handful of Northlanders books that really kicked ass. I figured if anyone could get the tone right it would be Brian. Becky Cloonan I’m not so familiar with. I’ve seen some of her art for her mini-comic Wolves that looked really stark and cool, so why not.

I wasn’t expecting this. Not in a million years. Wood and Cloonan have reinvented Conan into a likable self-aware rogue. He’s like your drunk friend that’s always at the wrong place at the wrong time, getting into fights, and causing a shit-ton of trouble, escaping with a few bruises and good story to tell. Not a frat boy, mind-you, more like the punk kid from the wrong-side of the tracks kind of friend. The dude that always had your back in high school, but broke anything that you lent him and never paid you back. Conan is impulsive and selfish (he’s a barbarian)but has a pretty big heart and ego to match. He just escaped from a clusterfuck on to a boat, and basically hi-jacks the thing in order to escape the wrath of a corrupt city guard. There’s a brief showdown with the captain which leads to nice exchange:

“Have you silver to pay for passage, barbarian?”

“I pay with Steel.”

This attitude feels right at home with the Conan I know and love from the movies. Yet it’s different. He’s got a bit more a playful almost light-hearted spirit. He’s not a burdened by tragedy and fueled by revenge like in the movies. Nor is he as dim-witted. This is more than I bargained for. I genuinely like this version miles above the original movie Conan. There’s a lot more depth and swagger to him. He’s not just a brute that can kick-ass, but someone who can con his way out of situation if he need’s to. He does that here. Conan regaled the captain and crew with a tale about how he was drunk at a tavern while the captain of the guard was killed over the mistreating of a maiden. He was passed-out and picked up because all other suspects left. Sobering up in the court he realized how fucked he was about to be and grab his sword and battled his way out of there, only to be chased to the boat. He wins over the crew with his story.

Cloonan’s Conan (say that five times fast) looks like a healthy Nathan Explosion from Dethklok. He’s in his early 20’s and doesn’t have the muscle-bound body builder physique that is commonly associated without the character. He kind of just looks like a viking dude with long straight black hair that can kick some ass. At first I wasn’t so sure Cloonan’s style was right for this book. There’s any early double-page spread of Conan looking over his should during a chase that looked rather simplistic and crude, and did not evoke feeling of the epic age of Hyboria. There is a few spots where this happens and the set-piece backdrop fails to impress. Her simplified cartoony-style just doesn’t work with a straight forward composition. Let’s face it, a lack detail does not take the breath away. However when she brings it in to the close-quarters and talking heads, you can get the real personality of the people she draws. Their expressions come through and tell the story in an economical way. I immediately know who Conan is as young barbarian. I get that the striking Queen of The Black Coast is an insane and sexy succubus and the captain is solid guy just trying to make his way in the world. Dave Stewart’s coloring compliments Cloonan’s emotive combination of dry-brush inking and fluid lines with a desaturated color palette. It completes the whole package and tone of the book and firmly places it on the fresh side of “indy”. You can tell straight-away this is not your typical sword and sandal Conan and runs a bit off the beaten path.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PQ6335puOc?rel=0]

Even thought this a different direction for Conan it’s a good set-up issue. My main critique of this right now is that we are missing battle, grandiose backgrounds, and a bit of fantasy. Off-beat or not, those three ingredients are crucial to a successful Conan. I think we’ll get them soon enough, but I could have used a bit more of a taste in the first issue. In the meantime there’s a lot that’s working right now. Conan’s personality is different from what I remember but it works. It makes him a bit unpredictable and therefore more interesting. I suspect some traditional Conan fans might have an issue with it though. Conversational dialogue style blended with romanticized narrative caption makes for easy and enjoyable read. The sexuality of the Queen of the Black Coast leaps off the page and in to your lap. She is simply stunning. That gothic beauty will keep all the fanboys coming back for more. Becky Cloonan rendered her in the most compelling way imaginable and really heats up the pages of book with her presence. All in all the Conan reboot is a solid first issue and has me hooked for more.

Story: 7/10
Art: 6.5/10

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Review: Severed #7 Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?

By

Matthew Sardo

-

February 10, 2012

Writer by: Scott Snyder and Scott Tuft
Art by: Attila Futaki
Colors by : Greg Guilhaumond
Letterer by : Fonografiks
Cover by : Attila Futaki
Publisher: Image

He loved to hear the little kids scream
His instruments of hell did gleam
A box with a cleaver, a saw and a knife
He used them to cut up their innocent lives

Mr. Albert Fish, was Children your favorite dish?
Mr. Albert Fish, was Children your favorite dish?
Mr. Albert Fish, was Children your favorite dish?
Mr. Albert Fish, was Children your favorite dish?

– Macabre “Mr. Albert Fish (Was Children Your Favorite Dish)” from the Grim Reality EP

(FYI – You might want to check out my previous review of Severed if you aren’t caught up on the full story.)

Severed concludes in dramatic fashion this week with a final showdown. Young wayward fiddle player, Jack Garron, is trapped in a house with tattooed cannibal, Allan Fisher, in a battle for his life. The early 20th century has never felt so scary and dangerous. What Scott Snyder and Scott Tuft accomplish this issue is nothing short of amazing. They somehow manage to keep the suspense and the mystery going until the very last page. Even though we know Jack Garron survives (he’s been telling this story from the present) and he loses his arm, everything else is still up for grabs.

I’ve mentioned in my earlier review how I thought that Snyder and Tuft based Allan Fisher on real life cannibal, childer killer and rapist, Albert Fish. He was also known as the Gray Man, and the Bogeyman (there were several others too but these are the relevant ones). Of course we’ve all heard of the Bogeyman, as in “If you don’t go to bed, the Bogeyman will get you.” It has become sort of a mulit-regional legend used by adults to frighten kids into behaving. According to wikipedia: “Bogeymen may target a specific mischief — for instance, a bogeyman that punishes children who suck their thumbs — or general misbehavior, depending on what purpose needs serving.In some cases, the bogeyman is a nickname for the devil.” In the case of this story it may be relevant to punishing runaways. Jack Garron ran away from home in search of his estranged father because of a post card he got sent to him. It was his dream to be re-united with his dad and play the fiddle on the road with him. Now that he’s trapped in the house with this old pervy cannibal with shark teeth. Fisher tells him that he’s not here just to eat him, but also going to consume his dreams. His father is long dead and now he plans to take his arm so he can never play the fiddle again. Allan Fisher is the Bogeyman of this tale, a dream-devouring, child-eating immortal demon with truly evil motivations. Snyder and Tuft allude to supernatural elements and perhaps try to interpret the gap between the outlandish and crazy lies of Albert Fish and his Bogeyman reputation, and factual accounts of the crimes he committed. They consolidate legend and reality into Severed and spit out a timeless primal nightmare.

I’m usually pretty good a guess where a horror story is going to go. I’ve read a ton of books and have seen a enough movies to have a really firm grasp on the genre. So I was taken aback by how much I got wrong and didn’t see coming with this series. Whenever I thought there was going to be a scare, it was a red herring. When I was least expecting it I would get thrown a curveball and the plot would thicken or something terrible would happen. A foreshadowing kill in the first issue sets out a bait for the rest of the series. Like-able characters and interesting historical backdrop drew me further into the story. Each issue builds upon the dread and tension established and left me anticipating a terrifying and bloody finale. Just when i thought I had it all figured-out stakes are raised when an unexpected guest from Jack’s past drops in. Suddenly nothing is safe. Is this set-up for some sick and demented dinner scene ala Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Hannibal? Will there be a demon’s feast or will it all fall apart? How does Jack get out alive? This is what I love about writing in Severed, it’s just unpredictable and inventive.

Unfortunately art took a step down from last issue. I know I was bitching and complaining about the soft coloring, but I still held the ink work and structure of the pencils in high regard. A heavy-handed air-brushed color approach by Greg Guilhaumond knocks out most of the line work and muddies the pages even further. I think if Attila had to time to color these pages, it would be on par of what we’ve seen before. I mean you can tell by the covers, that given the time to focus on one image, he can really nail it. That cover really pops. It has dynamic range, intricate detail and a dramatic palette. I think he just has a full plate and needed help on this one. That means we get mud, sweat and grime on every page, and get faded line-work. The last few pages that take place in modern times were especially hard for me to look at. The present day palette had little depth and look like high-school water colors. It’s a shame that a such mysterious and ominous conclusion got the bargain-bin treatment with cheap-o colors. However for most of the series it was a pretty solid effort.

Overall I was really happy with how Severed turned-out. I never thought I read such a page-turning comic that would leave me so anxious and nervous about what was going to happen next. The whole entire creative team deserve a big kudos for championing the medium and showing that true horror comic can be made even with the limitations of a comic book format. Although they veered slightly into the supernatural context of horror conventions, they didn’t rely on an abundance of monsters, blood and guts to scare the audience. It was with the use of foreshadowing and suspense that they crafted a frightening tale. That’s a rare thing these days, and they should be proud of their accomplishments. Don’t worry if you haven’t picked up Severed yet, you can grab the hardcover edition that is due out in April. Don’t miss out on one of the best comic book horror stories in the past ten-years.

Story: 10/10
Art. 6.5/10

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