This week I take a look at Beasts of Burden : Animal Rites (darkhorse comics) $19.99 by Evan Dorkin , art: Jill Thompson
plot/premise:
Welcome to Burden Hill-a picturesque little town adorned with white picket fences and green, green grass, home to a unique team of paranormal investigators. Beneath this shiny exterior, Burden Hill harbors dark and sinister secrets, and it's up to a heroic gang of dogs-and one cat-to protect the town from the evil forces at work.
Gord says:
If you like comic books and you're also a dog/cat lover , then this is what "deflecting blame to victims" and "covering up crimes" are to the catholic church , the perfect compliment to your needs. It's the Goonies except that they're dogs , it's The Watchmen except that its an animal society , it's The Little Rascals except it's a gang of dogs dealing with horrific supernatural stuff that would straighten out Buckwheat's hair. Beasts of Burden's shit does gets real.
You might be saying how the frak is this horror ? its a Disney talking animal story ain't it? . I can assure you this is not a Disney type story. We got zombie dogs , we got werewolves , we got witches , we got angry rats , we got bloodshed , we got eye gouging goo , we got dog on dog violence... hell , somewhere in Philadelphia Michael Vick has an unexplained boner. Though it wont scare anybody , however maybe kids might get a genuine spook fest from it.
The stories are riveting , the characters are lovable , and it looks great overall. For every panel that I was on the edge of my seat , there was a panel I just wanted to tickle their tummies and go " awwwwww poochy goochy dooooo! ". Every dog in this story will have his/her day whether it be finding redemption , courage , friendship , intimacy , a reason to live... it's a coming of age story ... for dogs.
zombie dogs! ... Groovy!
The Good:
To steal a line from Jeff Cannata (Jeff is co host to web series Totally Rad Show) this is " a childern's book for adults ". There's something soothing about this book. I find Jill Thompson's classic style of art to be like comfort food that makes you feel like you're home no matter where you are .. Jill Thompson is "comfort art".
who ya going to call?
The Bad:
The only bad thing I have to say about this series is that it clearly is an on going series and leaves you craving more , there's only this book and 1 one shot floppy(w/Hellboy) currently available. There's no long term plans for more BoB series.
is it just me or is it raining FRIGGEN FROGS!?!
The Verdict: Dig it or Ditch it.
I Dig it lots. Love the adventure , the mystery , the thrills ... the horror elements won't actually scare you but it will entertain you. Does an all out dogs vs zombie dogs battle royal sound awesome? ruff ruff
Value Rating: Of the $20 cover price , I would pay $20/20.. its worthy of a 20 dollar bill. A solid 184 pages and it comes with some extra sketches and scripts.
let sleeping dogs lay ..especially if they're dead
I take a look at Image's latest sexy title Morning Glories : For a Better Future vol.1 (image)TPB $9.99 by Nick Spencer , art: Joe Eisma
Plot/premise:
Morning Glory Academy is one of the most prestigious prep schools in the country, but something sinister and deadly lurks behind its walls. When six gifted but troubled new students arrive, they find themselves trapped and fighting for their lives as the secrets of the academy reveal themselves!
the opening page
Gord Says:
Nick Spencer is basically playing 20 questions with himself and we're watching him play caz the questions are crazy and we are curious to see where the hell this is going. I don't know what really to say , there's so much going on in this story , from super natural to psychological thriller to teen drama to slasher to murder mystery , .. etc. Whether Spencer is using cheap parlor tricks or intellectual stimuli , it doesn't matter I dont know how this ends but I want to know.
I really like the fact that Spencer is writing on his own pace and doing this the way he wants to.. he's not cramming things into a short series and hurrying himself up. The further this series moves forward , the deeper and more complicated the plot and characters get. I read this in monthly floppy form and again in its collected form.. it reads much better together , I get the feeling this series will be even better when its complete.
The questions Morning Glories creates within it's storytelling is boundless , it will initiate discussion in your head that will border line schizophrenia. What's the M Night Shylaman twist to the school and characters? What's the big secret behind all of this ? Who's this ,and who's that? What the fuck is that about? what the hell is going on ?... It's magnificent
The Good:
The value for the trade is as good as it gets. Its collects the first 6 comics priced at 3.50 each , over 190 pages.. for TEN BUCKS $10!!!! I recommend highly just based on that. They're clearly using the Crack Dealer business model.. give that first hit for cheap , get you hooked and cash in long term on our addictions. .
The Bad:
I dont have much negative to say about this title.
Verdict:Dig it or Ditch it
I DIG IT like Seinfeld , Elaine , George and Kramer dug Melrose Place.
Value Rating: $10/10... I would've paid 15+ bucks for this trade. Best value out there. I paid over $20 for the comics.
" You're a little short to be a storm trooper" - Hunter, Morning Glories
This week I get into Zenescope's The Waking (zenescope) tpb $12.99 by Raven Gregory , art: Vic Drujiniu
tpb cover by David Finch. Kids can be the creepiest little fucks on the planet
#3 variant by Eric Basluda/ Neil Ruffino
Plot/Premise:
In the big city, police detectives investigating routine murders discover that the victims of these crimes are coming back from the dead in search of those responsible for ending their lives. Now the detectives are in a race against time to find the source of the recent "wakings" before the victims deal out their own brand of bloody justice. Meanwhile, a father with an incredible ability must choose between avenging his daughter's death - or losing her forever!
from the opening pages The Waking will hook you
Gord Says: I wouldn't be spoiling anything if I said this was a "zombie tale with a twist". For everything that I like about The Waking there were some lesser issues that nagged me while reading this.
Let me say right off the bat that most of my criticisms of this book are a result of the constraint space. This book should've easily been a 6 issue set opposed to the 4. One of the main issues I had was the underwhelming execution of plot points , in how they ended so abruptly and that was a result of not having enough time to extend scenes.
The opposite end of my critique is the back bone of the storytelling and that's the suspense build up. Gregory did a masterful job in building the suspense and stringing me along. Unfortunately as previously mentioned the limited space cut scenes short and somewhat under minded the incredible work Gregory did. It was like playing spin the bottle and waiting for the bottle to stop spinning , the butterflies are exploding , the anticipation is melting your innards , your excitement to see where it stops is too much... then the bottle stops and you get a peck from whomever. Happens so fast you dont get to enjoy it or even notice who it was.
I'm not familiar with Drujiniu's art but he's pretty good , he has a good sense of perspective and playing with angles. He made some scenes move off the pages, in particular ones when the action starts to pick up, There's some good chemistry building here between Drujiniu and Gregory.
Lets get an investigating team on how a dude whom wears tighty whities gets laid
The Good: Everything in general from characters , plot , dialogue ,...etc. You ever hear the expression " jack of all trades , master of none".. The Waking was very good in all areas but didn't knock it out of the park in any specific area. Though if this was 44+ pages longer , who knows...
You can just hear the windshield wipers
The Bad: Aside from not being long enough. The book itself had a 8 page preview for Neverland and some more ads. I'm not a fan of previews and ads.. Im not paying to get a 8 page glimpse of Neverland. However I'm a little more forgiving with indie publishers understanding that they need to promote from within. So I wont be as scathing as I am with Marvel and DC with their selfless preview garbage.
Verdict: Dig it or Ditch it I Dig it to own it. I dig it like I dig making out with any girl caz.. its any girl. It's original , its well thought out and in the end I had a fun time with this book. Its worthy of shelf space for any collection.
Value Rating: $13 cover price.. I'd pay $10.50/$13 for this.
#4 variant cover by Eric Balsuda/Neil Ruffino
As powerful as Hate can be ... Sorrow can be just as strong. But In the end ..its our love that makes us fall
This week I take a look at IDW's best kept secret that everybody knows about... I have no idea what that means...
Locke & Key : Welcome to Lovecraft vol.1(IDW) hardcover by Joe Hill , art: Gabriel Rodriguez
plot/premise: Locke & Key is a dark supernatural tale about three siblings whose lives are thrown into turmoil after a vicious attack on their parents. Sent to live in Keyhouse, the Locke family home in Lovecraft, MA. Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode try to adapt to their new surroundings, but youngest brother Bode won't give up his delusion that some of the doors in Keyhouse are magical portals if you use the right key.
Bode's WTF expression is a perfect compliment to this sensational book
Gord says:
Locke & Key is part of the HP Lovecraft universe but that's not relevant to appreciate this title , its a stand alone series so no worries for noobs like myself. For a brand new series Joe Hill does a fantastic job in laying out the landscape , introducing characters and moving the plot along in limited space and time. I think Hill mastered the skill of multi-tasking his story telling , managing to have his characters move the story along while adding some depth to their characters.
The house itself is just oozing with boundless potential to take this series in so many directions down the road. Each mystical doorway can be activated with a mystical key to act as a portal to various places and time , also can give special abilities like exiting your soul from your body dependant on the doorway and the key... man , this house is just weird but in a good Clockwork Orange kind of weird , not in the OH SHIT Carrot Top looks like a tranny mannequin come to life weird
I found myself caring for the lead characters , the kids in particular , Bode , Kinsey and Tyler Locke. From their adverse beginning to watching them deal with themselves , the house , new town .. the Locke kids aren't douchey as I worried they might be. In particular the youngest Locke , Bode , having little kids as one of the main stars can be trickier than it appears , you could easily end up with this annoying bastard!
The main antagonist is a tragic and cold soul that stains each page with that hollow face. Joe Hill developes a chilling , disturbed person using intricately placed flashback scenes to give the tragic origins of the antagonist , then Rodriguez takes over with his pencil work to make the violent rage and bloodshed come alive. Not to mention the other dark mysterious figure thats a major player that made me feel like doing this after
Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez's collaborated work is the back bone to Locke & Key's success. Their chemistry was fantastic.. the flashbacks and switching of characters was so vital and elegantly done that it doesn't get noticed in the aftermath caz we're too busy applauding the end product. I can easily see why Fox picked this series up for a tv series.
Bode gives a summary of what Locke & Key is about
Good News:
The series is on going though rather than sold in a on going continuous series , IDW delivers them in 6 issue sets. The collected books are of high quality and look nice on the shelf.
Bad News:
Though it does come with some extra art , its only 5-6 pages worth. At the very least they should add the floppy covers for collected editions. It could be worse , they could've thrown in ads for other IDW titles.
The "Jan Brady" of the Locke family , Kinsey making a new friend
Verdict:dig it or ditch it
I dig it like Charlie Sheen digs locking up coked up porn stars in hotel broom closets. On Amazon the hardcover is only $1 more than the soft cover. There's currently 3 volumes available with the 4th just finishing up in floppies(each collected volume consist of 6 issues).
value rating: from its $25 hardcover price.. I feel I would pay $21/25. The actual story is flawless , just needed more extra goodies.
The cover tells you where this shit is going.. girl on girl hand on ass is always a good sign.
Plot/premise: Its 1880 AD Venice Italy , the annual Carnival celebration is coming and there's strange deaths of random citizens that the local authorities dismiss of any wrong doing. Bring in self proclaimed "monster hunter" Gabrielle , whom claims he knows whats really going down. It involves a demonic parallel world of Fables that are seeping into our world through a secret portal and Gabrielle has to unravel the mystery and kill these demonic Fables off. This shit getsreal.
this is GG Studios write up for Gore:
Remember the time of innocence , when you needed a night tale to sleep , waiting for a handsome prince on his white horse. Remember the time when courage and friendship would overcome every evil. Now Forget it , there's no holy sword to save you , no glass slippers to find your true love or stupid potion to live your happily ever after.
This time Cinderella is back and she'll wipe the floor with our head.
This premiere issue does have its "bumps" but the potential is off the charts crazy. We're talking about demonic Fables like Cinderella , Littlest Mermaid , Red Riding Hood , ...etc its endless where this could go. The protagonist reminds me of Brendan Frasier from The Mummy , and he's gotta hunt all those evil sonsofbitches and kill them by any means necessary ? SOLD. I'm in.
Our monster hunter , who doesnt actually introduce himself but according to write ups his name is Gabrielle. A little Brendan Fraser +a little Van Helsing +a little Jay Leno
Good news: Like I mentioned , the potential here for something brilliant is oozing out the wazoo ,and I've said before having stuff ooze out the wazoo is a good thing . The writing is very good , its aware of its target audience with its blunt , explicit pacing. The dialogue is straight to the point and with purpose guiding you along the way as it should for a new story with new characters. I never heard of Crippa or Laiso before but this looks and feels like a project Alex Crippa has been working on for some time and close to his heart hence the epic 12 issue set which only means goodness for us.
Laiso's art initially may come off a tad "toonish" but it doesn't condescend the story nor detract from its gore roots at all. You get the full out blood shed and face rippings , and it works perfect.
Bad News: My biggest concern being that it is indie is that it can get canceled at any time. With it also being foreign its release schedule will also be badly inconsistent and sporadic.
that aint no shark fin bitches!
OH SHIT! Its ARIEL The Littlest Mermaid eating some face!
Verdict: I don't like a giving final verdict based on a single debut issue but definitely check it out if you like horror/action comics. If not just for the sake of supporting indie titles , this is too good not to see to the end.
Because it is an indie title there's a good chance your LCS may not have it in stock but you can always ask to special order it. If you do see this title.. pick it up like Courtney Love picks up STDs.
Brendan Fraser likes Gore #1
update note: This indeed is an Italian translated comic. GG Studios is an Italian company and Crippa is an Italian writer as is Laiso an Italian artist.
Thanks for checking me out , please feel free to comment
I love to shop in the bargain bins for graphic novels and that's where I found Amerikan Freak. I paid $1.99 for this title , the cover is 10 bucks.
Amerikan Freak (zenescope 2007) by John Leekley , art: Clay Sparks
see! not a typo! Amerikan Freaks tpb
Jason the outcasted goth kid walking through the halls of his high school which apparently goes up to grade 26
plot/premise: Jason and Jesse went to a high school where the rich preppies and the blue-collar factory kids circled each other, like wolves from rival packs. They called Jason the Freak, he never belonged to a cool crowd. His big brother Jesse was always the protector. When they murdered Jesse, it was the biggest mistake this town would ever make. Out of Jason's rage came the darkness he had always feared, his dead brother Jesse bursting from his ripping flesh, the brothers merging to form one savage monster. Now there's hell to pay.
turns out Jason is quite the artist and Jesse I initially thought was a pedophile caz he was dating one of Jason's clasmates but turns out they're closer to age than appeared
Gord Says: bleh... The story and plot was so generic and bland , I recommend taking some illegal narcotics before reading. It was so stale and uninteresting from the get go and for a super natural story , it felt so unnatural.
The characters were cookie cut from the book of cliche. Take the bad guys for example... a group of jocks in their letterman jackets and the lead jock's dad is the town sheriff *yawn* I was waiting for Judd Nelson and Kevin Bacon to pop out of the bushes and start dancing.Talk about sleep walking through a project , John Leekley just dotted down some ideas on a bar napkin and violah! a graphic novel!
The art: It bewilders me when artist don't know how to draw teenagers. To be fair to Clay Sparks he isnt the only one , my idol John Byrne couldn't draw kids faces properly either. The kids in this story look like aged adults , Sparks would've been perfect for the Beverly Hills 90210 comic. Other than that I would say the art was ok , there was some good hazy eerie imagery. The mood was spooky , lots of dark panels but that hardly makes up for such a bed pan story.
For a loner goth kid he's clean of tats , piercings , he even looks tanned along with the fact he clearly frequents the gym.. shame on me for my ignorance in stereotyping.
Good News: The lady in the lake was intriguing whom turns out to be very important to the boys. Spooky broad that made a sinister deal for Jason's soul when he was younger and she came to collect. They should've ditched the boys story and did her story.
Bad News: page 1 to 100.
Verdict: Remember when you were a kid buying a chocolate bar , and you feel a little frisky to try something new. So you pick out a bar that catches your eye , it looks good on the label... then when you bite into it , it taste like the monkey bars but your sugar addiction kicks in and you end up finishing it despite its raunchy lingering taste.
That's what Amerikan Freak felt like. I tried a new title i never heard of.. looked good but when its all said and done , this isn't even worth to occupy my mind while I pinch a loaf. My expections were low and it still fell short.
Dig it or Ditch it
DITCH IT If I offer this book to you for free , take it as an insult and toss your coffee into my face.
At the time of making this video there was no photos online from the Green Woman so I took pictures directly from the book using a camera. I was too lazy to hook up my scanner.
Apologies to Michal Easton and Peter Straub , I cut out the part where i mention their backgrounds in writing. Both are establised writers in particular Straub. This was Straub's first graphic novel I believe. Easton whom appears on One Life to Live has already written a graphic novel "Soul Stealer".
Finally apologies to Christopher Lee , I sounded like a muppet version of him.
Disclaimers: The opinions expressed in this article do not represent all members of HHH. Also I unfortunately havent read every comic released in 2010 so I welcome recommendations. I also havent read any new manga in 2010 so my shamed Asian background lowers its head and stabs itself for an honorable death.
Best Graphic Novel and Comic Books of 2010:....
Best Series (On-Going or Mini): The Walking Dead (Image Comics) by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard.
Issue #65 from the Fear The Hunters story arc ...
The founders of Horror Happy Hour Dave and Krys introduced me to this wicked zombie post apocalyptic world over the summer and it pretty much sat on my face with its muff and let me toss its salad for hours at a time with utter glee. Vol. 11-13 released in 2010 "Fear The Hunters" , "Life Among Them" , "Too Far Gone" . The Walking Dead continues to break your heart and stick an adrenelain needle through it as well ..its the best thing going in comics overall , let alone horror comics.
Biggest Bummer (disappointment):Zombies vs Cheerleaders (moonstone)by Steven Franks
Issue #1 cover c.
Need I explain why this title hooked me like a trout? It was a horredy spoof I would say but I didnt laugh much. I didnt enjoy the story , the jokes , the art , nor the characters .. it was just a let down from top to bottom. It was like clicking on a thumbnail of cute topless girl only to discover its a tranny chicks with dicks video.
This had such a ridiculous concept that it could have worked like the Japanese movie/novel "Battle Royale" .. where school kids mysteriously collected and trapped on an island are forced to kill each other for survival.. ZvC at its raw roots had the same legit teeth to it too
Best Surprise :Whispers In The Walls ( Humanoids) by David Munoz , art: Tirso
The cover for the unreleased #5 of the six part mini series. Its an english adaptation of a spanish comic.Thats a pretty epic antagonist dont you think?
Yeah this could easily be under the 'Best New Series' category(below) but I admit I created this award just for this title. It just blew me away , coming out of nowhere with zero notoriety from a small indie publisher. Post WWII Chekloslovakia , mysterious orphanage/infirmary , asshole adult emissaries, weirdo killer , creepy kids , cute little innocent protagonist ... all the elements are there. The art is sensational , its by a one name dude , Tirso.. he's like a Brazilian soccer player or pop music star.
Best Mini Series:Hack Slash : My First Maniac (image) by Tim Seeley , art: Daniel Leister
cover B for My First Maniac #1by Jenny Freson
Hack Slash moved over to Image from Devil Due Pub. and this was their kick off series. Not a reboot just a prequel .. its the story of Cassie's Hack's first slasher kill. Though My First Maniac is worthy of 'mini series of the year' however I will say there were a few series still incomplete like Turf , Whispers in the Walls , Abattoir ,..etc that were contenders. Im forgetting a few others as well.. so much good stuff in 2010.
Best New On-Going Series:TIE ... The Sixth Gun(oni press) and I Zombie(vertigo)
Both bring something completely different to the table hence why I was SO split down the middle. Morning Glories was also a major contender for this title.
Sixth Gun by Cullen Bunn - #1 was first released on Free Comic Book Day . Its the wild west Lord of the Rings ripoff, 6 mystical guns are created with the sixth being the most powerful and its former owner , the zombie general wants it back. Cullen Bunn could also win best name in the industry! Here's the trailer for the comic....
I Zombie by Chris Roberson- This has a total Scooby Doo aura to it , starring a hipster zombie chick , Gwen , whom must eat one brain a month to maintain her sanity. She works in a cemetery as a gravedigger so she can dine on newly buried bodies. In doing so she absorbs the memories , with it comes baggage of unresolved issues. Though at first I was hesitant with the art , Micheal Allred's art grew on me issue to issue , now I cant imagine this series being drawn by anybody else.
Gwen having her monthly brain chow down so she doesnt turn into a mindless zombie. Kind of hot when she does it or is it just me? Micheal Allred's pencil work is some of the most laid back stuff going.
Best single shot:Vertigo Resurrected (vertigo) by various writers/artists
Many mistake the title of the book as "Shoot" as my comic book guy did. Shoot is the name of one of the short stories.
A collection of short stories one of which "Shoot" was banned years ago because of its inappropriate content of school shootings . It was the best single shot I've read this year easily , in terms of sheer variety and entertainment. Warren Ellis , Grant Morrison , Frank Quietly , Garth Ennis , Bill Willingham , ... some of the biggest hitters in the game contribute to this little gem.
Best Cover Art:Fables #93 by Joao Ruas
I love Fable covers overall but this one in particular is jaw dropping. Its like something painted in the 19th century by some earless savant, its eerily haunting. It just feels like there's so many layers to it , you cant stop looking. These covers just blow up off the shelves , Fables comics never fail to catch my eye on 'New Comic Book Day'. Bravo Mr. Ruas.
The Hot Shit I Just Aint Into Award :Marvel Zombies. (vol.5 released 2010)
Marvel Zombies has no appeal to me what so ever. I love zombies , I love super heroes , you figure this is in my wheel house but surprisingly its not. Im sorry to all the devoted readers and great talent that has worked on this title like John Layman and Robert Kirkman , only proving Im not a blind partison fanboy that will unconditionally eat Kirkman and Layman's freshly coiled shit . They can do stuff I have no interest in...like Marvel Zombies.
Best Original Graphic Novel:Revolver (vertigo) written/art by Matt Kindt
Yes I know its not a "horror" , its more sci-fi/thriller but sci-fi/thriller can be perceived as "horror" ? cant it?
Revolver is as much a horror as The Twilight Zone is.. whatever that means. I admit it shouldn't be in a horror awards but at the same time its not as abstract as say nominating The Smurfs.. even though one can argue those blue fuckers are scary ass bitches!
With sporadic one hit wonders every 10 years Matt Kindt may very well be the Kylie Minogue of graphic novels , lets hope not.
Best Story Arc:The Walking Dead , Fear The Hunter Vol.11:.. On one hand they had to deal with one of their own being a dangerous sociopath , guilty of murdering one of their own. On the other hand a new threat endangers the group when a family of cannibals stalk them like prey. We had the tragic deaths of long time characters and a revenge filled finale to satisfy that blood lust we all crave. Charlie Adlard captured the emotional roller coaster exceptionally well.
Who can forget the harrowing storyline involving Billy and Ben , the adopted twins of Andrea and Dale. It created some of the most intense profound moments in comics for 2010.
Best Writer:Robert Kirkman. I dont read the Astonishing Wolf-Man , Haunt , Invincible ,,,,etc this is just based on his work for The Walking Dead and also his one shot Sea Bear and Grizzly Shark piece which was a contender for best one shot and best surprise.
Best Artist:Charles Paul WilsonIII (The Stuff of Legend) .. his pencil work on The Stuff of Legend is some of the best original art I've seen in some time. Again , its another guy who could win on his name alone.. he's "the third" for crying out loud! like Thurston Howe III and Edward Stratton III
CPWIII's "Boogeyman" from The Stuff of Legend.
Best Writer/Artist Team:John Layman/Rob Guillory (Chew).. somebody once described them as soul mates .. its true. Guillory's art style would be hard pressed to work for with anyone else but Layman and he have something special going on They are meant to work together and their masterpiece series Chew proves it.
Layman and Guillory are a lot like their own lead detectives Chu and Colby.
Best Publisher: Image Comics. They currently produce 4 of my top 7-8 favourite titles overall not just "horror": Chew , Walking Dead , , Morning Glories , Hack Slash. Image have a smaller following than the big two(DC , Marvel) but Image's cult like status has given them a loyal following. Its like comparing The Ramones to Aerosmith with Aerosmith being DC or Marvel.
Anyhoos thats it for this year's Best Of Awards for 2010. Thanks for checking me out , please feel free to disagree , agree , recommend , suggest , rant , rave , ... cheers!
"The biggest monsters in a world of monsters are humans themselves." - unknown
Arooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo 
