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!
Locke and Key: Omega No. 2
Big trouble is on the horizon. Bode's body has been taken over by a demon spirit, and the only one who can see Bode's lingering soul is Rufus, his mentally handicapped buddy. Armed with this knowledge but without the faculties to really express it, he lashes out against the possessed Bode and pays the price for it.
Bag it or board it up? Have you been following the series? If the answer is "no" skip this comic. They're so far into the mythos of this series it would be hard to catch up. But, if you do follow the comic, this issue is a delight, and just another step toward something incredible coming down the pike. It's awesome to see reality, and then see how Rufus envisions his surroundings. And like a lot of Locke and Key, it's both cool and a little sad.
Evil Ernie No. 3
Evil Ernie, the reboot of the classic series, picks up right where the last issue left off. Ernie was given the death penalty, killed, and reborn as an arcane font of evil power. Ignoring the advice of Smiley, his demonic smiley-faced button/tutor, Evil Ernie has gone all out with his powers... and they've run out. Now we see Ernie gunning down his enemies in the prison where he was just executed, and he faces off against an archangel on his way to save his only friend.
Bag it or board it up?Evil Ernie is a train that keeps on chugging. The action is fast-paced, break-neck, and super gory. The dynamic between Smiley and Ernie really picks up and develops in this issue, and we see a glimpse of more of the powers at Ernie's disposal. It's nice to learn with Ernie, as we experience his powers at the same time as he does. And hey, I loved Ernie before, but it's great to see a solid plot developing for a character as iconic and chaotic as the devil kid.
Rotten Apple
Rotten Apple is a frenetic, wild story about a (very) post-apocalyptic Earth governed and warred-over by religious cults and sects. The world is full of zombies, and rival gangs vie for power. In the middle of all of this is a girl, San Gee, with extremely potent magical/psychic/elemental powers. She's after the heart of a fallen god, as are a bunch of bad guys in Reservoir Dogs-style suits and giant masks. And believe it or not, craziness and lots of high-flying battles take place over this stolen heart.
Bag it or board it up? This is a fun one-shot comic. It may not be as horror as I initially thought (I see zombies, I see destruction, and I hope for the best) but the story is definitely there. The way the comic slowly delivers information about the world feels natural, which is in total juxtaposition to the frenetic action. Plus, I love anything that takes place tens of thousands of years in the future (but that's the Dune franchise lover in me).
B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Return of the Master No. 5
This is it! Craziness! All of the giant monsters that we've been dreaming of are bursting through the crust of the Earth and destroying shit. It's up to everyone, not just the Bureau, to try and fix this problem. But can they? This issue is coming off of the back of some serious plot twists in the last issue, and if that was the feint, then this issue is the fist that keeps on punching.
Bag it or board it up? Hell on Earth indeed. This is technically the fifth of five issues, but this is in no way the end of this storyline. I'm definitely looking forward to next month's issue, but it's a bit of a shame that this issue didn't have a little bit more closure. That being said, I also kind of don't care, because the action, drama, and destruction of this issue is so intense and leaves the story open for so much excitement. The Master has returned... and we're totally screwed.