Review - Severed #1

Severed #1 by Image Comics. Written by Scott Snyder & Scott Tuft. Drawn by Attila Futaki. $2.99.

Severed is set in the 1900's and follows a young boy that plays a violin. You start off seeing the boy as a old man as he tells you his story. He was a orphan that was adopted and after getting a note from his real father, decides to go find him, so he runs off to hop a train.

I understand where they are trying to go with this title, but the first issue is a bit slow. Setting up the title is always hard and keeping the readers coming back even harder, but so far the story doesn't do that. You do get to see some creepy old man in the final page, but I can only assume that the coming issues will be better.

Scott Snyder, of American Vampire fame, is a fantastic writer, but co-writing this makes you wander if he plotted it, or just helped come up with the idea, because it doesn't seem to have the same flair as his other works.

If you are looking for a really scary comic, so far this isn't it. Should you give it a few issues to get its blood going, yes. I think it will get better as the story develops. But in a industry that tries to grab you into the title and keep you there from the beginning, this didn't do it for me.

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Review - 30 Days of Night Night, Again #3,4

30 Days of Night Night #3 & 4, by IDW. Written by Joe R Lansdale. Drawn by Sam Keith. $3.99.

Ugh, this was a painful two issue to get through. I finished getting the limited series in hopes that it might get even slightly better, but Oh was I wrong.

It sucks. Plain and simple, it sucks. Not like Crossed, penis' flying sucks, more like who wrote this crap and did Sam Keith even give a shit about the artwork, sucks.

I remember when Sam Keith came out and was like the hottest thing. His style was different and unique, more so than many of the current artists. But, my god, you would think he might at least try to do better, this just looks like he wanted a paycheck.

The story is crap, the vampires are crap, the dead Golem that they burn to melt so it can take over the last survivor of the group of people that came across the ice for safety, crap, how they kill the vampires crap, the ending LOADS of crap.

All I can say is if you a huge fan, and I mean Mega huge fan of Sam Keith or the 30 Days of Night series then you will love the shit out of this. Everyone else stay the fuck away, you are wasting your money.

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Review - Black Death

Um....wow, I'm kind of speechless with this film.

This movie is one of the best Gothic Thriller/Horror I have seen in a long time. You can't take your eyes off the film, hell you won't want too.

The film is set in the Dark ages when the Black plague flowed over Britain killing fifty-percent of the entire populace. Some believe that the plague is God's will to punish the transgressors living in Britain; others the Devil to weaken their faith.

Sean Bean is amazing in this movie, as he is in any medieval film he chooses to take part in. He is the leader of a group of men sent to investigate a village that is un-affected by the plague, hence there must be devilry at hand. In doing so he stops at a monastery to find a monk guild to lead them to the village, and a young boy, conflicted by his love for a woman and his faith, offers to take the task.

The movie keeps you guessing at every turn, not letting you know who is the real "good guy" and who is the bad. The depiction of medieval Britain as a gritty, bloody, and superstitious realm is brought to life by the director in such detail I actually cringed at some of the parts.

The story is well thought out and keeps the intrigue, horror of the time, and mystery coming at every angle, keeping you glued to your seat. Even the ending is quite a surprise if not a bit sad, but makes the movie almost come full circle.

This movie, I highly recommend, not for it's horror aspect (because if you are looking for a big monster, or Saw like gore, this isn't for you), but for the captivating story that makes you question their ethics, faith and over all motivations for doing what they do.

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Review - Crossed #4

Crossed #4 by Avatar. Written by David Lapham. Drawn by Raulo Caceres. $3.99.

Ahhhh my month is complete now that I get to read this piece of classical literature. Like all great stories it starts with a woman barfing and leads right into a skinned man and woman. Not to be out-done, they continue with a man having sex with a comatose woman only to slap her around because she starts to cry.

This classical piece continues with more sex and another man fantasizing about joining in by sodomizing the woman. Mark Twain would be proud. But wait, true to form, we then go to a man that had his penis cut off, probably being worn by some lovely lady as a high quality necklace.

But this issue couldn't end without a return to the high quality scene of people in a swimming pool that is full of blood and body parts that are put in it with wood chippers and mowers. Oh did I mention the bodies that are being used to chop up are live children and babies. William Shakespeare himself can only dream of writing this good of a story.

Oh fuck, I can't believe I got thru this review with out drowning in the bullshit I have been spewing. Once again this comic and story is the biggest piece of shit I have read since the last issues. Really, it's bad, so bad I think Avatar should be paying it's customers to read this, or at least do like they did in the eighties and poly-bag it with a barf-bag or better yet, a check for $3.99.

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Review - American Vampire Survival of the Fittest #2

American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest #2 by Vertigo/DC Comics. Written by Scott Snyder. Drawn by Sean Murphy. $2.99. Five Issue Limited Series.

Issue two starts with a bang as you see Dolly being confronted by Skinner Sweet in her home, only to find out it was a dream, a dream with her naked through most of it, but a dream.

We find our two heroes on the way to the Nazi castle to rescue the good Doctor. They are shot down but sill make it to the castle only to be confronted by the 77th Brigade. Let's just say that is bad, real bad.

Scott Snyder has really done well with his development of these two characters, both with the desire to rid themselves of the "taint" of Skinner Sweet. A cure they hope the good Doctor will have for them.

Sean Murphy's artwork is only rivaled by Rafael's dealing with these characters. He draws Dolly Book in a sexy deadly way that makes you want her, but are not sure if she will shoot you if you approach her. Cash on the other hand is made to be gritty, wise old man with a gun in your balls kind of guy. As well as all the other supporting cast, he really brings this limited series to life. The best part of this series is that you can enjoy it without having read the original series.

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Review - American Vampire #16

American Vampire #16 by Vertigo/DC Comics. Written by Scott Snyder. Drawn by Rafael Albuquerque. $2.99.

Best line in the comic: "Semper Fi, Mother-Fuckers!" said by good old Skinner Sweet.

This issue continues the Ghost War storyline and we start with the group having been captured by the Nazi's who are making the new vampires that can hurt even Skinner.

Scott Snyder uses this issue for Henry, Pearl's husband, to reflect on his life and to come to a decision once he revels that Skinner Sweet is one of the members of the team.

I can never give enough praise for the visuals that Rafael Albuquerque brings to this comic. I am not sure that many other artists could have done this book, or done it well. He is really coming into his own, making each panel dark and foreboding, he makes you want to see the next page and what is coming.

This comic has won the Eisner Award once already and is up for it again, and i find it hard to believe it will not win. This is one title that will be a winner for Vertigo for years to come, maybe even be developed into a movie if we are lucky.

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Review - Hack/Slash #5

Hack/Slash #5 by Image Comics. Written by Tim Seeley. Drawn by Kyle Strahm. $3.50.

The guest artist in this issue is fantastic, almost with a Simon Bisley feel to him, but damn it is one hell of a ride with him drawing this issue.

This is a stand alone issue that brings back Fantomah to the title. She is basically a goddess of the jungle, kind of along the lines of the Phantom. She has been captured for sixty years and comes back to her forest completely destroyed.

She comes to in list the aid of Cassie and Vlad, but ends up tricking them into attacking the regular humans that were in charge of destroying her forest, instead of slashers.

The story is your stereo-typical save the trees type of story, but the artwork just makes this issue above all the others so far. The women are sexy and very Gothic looking and Vlad just looks like the Jason want-ta-be he is. The "evil" creatures that they think they are fighting are so well drawn you almost want to give the "ewwwwwww" when you see them.

This is the best issue yet in terms of artwork. The artist really shines in this type of storytelling. As for the story itself.....eeehhhhh, it's ok. It kind of lacks a bit because of the whole "tree hugger" aspect of the story. But I suggest you pick this up just to be exposed to Kyle Strahm's artwork, well worth it.

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