New comic book Wednesday has come and gone. The dust at your local comic shop has settled. An eerie silence descends as you finish reading your last superhero book of the week. Now it's time for something a little more sinister. Welcome to Bagged and Boarded: comic reviews of the sick, spooky, twisted and terrifying!
Witch Doctor: Mal Practice No. 5
The surly doctor of all things magical and supernatural preps for a massive showdown with the villain du jour. But first he's got to finish his telekinetic battle with a giant parasite inside his lungs. After dealing with that troubling malady, the good doctor heads off to reluctantly build a team of assistants in his war against bad magic.
Bag it or board it up? This series is a constant delight. Astral projection, references to the Jabberwocky, medical maladies, and lots of gore. I'm a big fan of any comic that can fit all that between a cover and cap it with a "To be continued…" This series constantly provides that. This is the second to last issue in this mini-series, and next month's issue is going to be insane.
Mister X: Hard Candy
Oh, Mister X, what a wonderful throwback. The old series lives on and features a bald, pale man with iconic circular sunglasses and a knack for getting to the bottom of troubles in Radiant City. The city is a sprawling mass of strange, Bauhaus architecture, and Mister X is a pseudo-detective working for hire, addicted to psychotropic drugs. When an heiress goes missing, Mister X is hired by a lovely old lady to get her back, but is everything as it seems? Is that old lady really so lovely?
Bag it or board it up? This comic has that classic Mister X feel. The artwork is a wonder to behold, and the storyline is interesting, though not revolutionary. If you looking a comic chock full of atmosphere you should really check out Mister X.
Criminal Macabre/30 Days of Night: Final Night No. 4
This is it! The climactic end to the mini-series smashing together Criminal Macabre and 30 Days of Night is here and it's not pulling any punches. Cal is hurt, bad, but he pulls himself together (sort of) to take on Eben and his vampire minions. This is the end, there are major changes here that will effect both series, and… I can't say anything more!
Bag it or board it up? This was an exciting issue. As I teased above, it will have massive ramifications on both series, and I love when comics are brave enough to actually make big changes to their status quo. The artwork in this issue is lovely; the red blood cuts a sharp swath through the darkness of this issue. Check it out, even if you're not totally up to date.
B.P.R.D. Vampire No. 1
Picking up semi-closely after the events of B.P.R.D. 1948, Vampire follows the story of a pair of sister vampires and a man named Simon. Simon's plagued with the memories of demons that have been trapped inside him, and with nothing to do but grow angry and nasty, he decides it's his mission to hunt down the vampires and take them out.
Bag it or board it up? Mike Mignola, do you ever rest? Do you just make amazing comics every hour of every day? This issue is light on dialogue and heavy on beautiful, haunting imagery. If you're a fan of fine art, this is definitely worth your time. I bet this series will provide an awesome new twist on classic vampire tropes, and this moody, quiet first issue is the proof. Check it out.