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!
Hack/Slash No. 24
Cassie and Vlad are separated. Cultists are forcing people to go through a giant maze and kill each other or their loved ones will die. A group of soda-loving concert goers wearing mime make-up (haha) go crazy for their beloved soda. And Cassie beats the crud out of some dumb/evil cops. Follow me here?
Bag it or board it up? We're well on our way with the story at this point. And it's fun to see Vlad get some great solo scenes in this comic. This is a fun issue if you've been following along, but I'm afraid you may be lost if you don't do a little back tracking, which I highly recommend. Some comics are confusing because they make no sense (see directly below) while others (like this one) just need a little of your time and patience.
Justice League Dark No. 17
Who are the Justice League Dark, you ask? Just a few superheroes and anti-heroes you may be interested in, all working together. There's Deadman, the murdered trapeze artist who now saves the day as a ghost. There's fan-favorite Constantine. There’s also Xanadu, Zatanna, and even Frankenstein! As the barrier between a magical world and Earth crumbles, the Dark League must find a way to save the day or at least get out alive.
Bag it or board it up? This is such a cool team of heroes. Too bad I have no idea what's going on in this comic. Even going back a few issues and doing my homework, this is a convoluted plot with classic DC confusion. I love DC Comics, and I love how confounded they can be. I don't want all of my stories to be simple cookie cutter stories, but sometimes I need a little bit of guidance, like right now. What's going on here?
Courtney Crumrin No. 10
This is it for the Crumrin tale. This is the final issue! That cute little goth girl with witchy powers and an awesome attitude brings it all to a head in this final issue. Courtney's memories are confused, her surroundings seem dull, and there's something missing from her life. Through an important meeting with her uncle, all becomes clear for Courtney.
Bag it or board it up? This series was only ten issues long. This is a series worth back-tracking for (this is the theme of comics this week, I suppose). It's fun, cute, and has an awesome female protagonist. Courtney is a complicated, interesting young girl, and she may just be my favorite witch. Catch up to Courtney before enjoying this final issue.
Army of Darkness No. 11
An ancient evil is re-awakened in Mexico and guess which one-armed hero will eventually have to step it up and save the day. Did you guess Ash? Congratulations! You're right. But first we get to see the evil bubbling and brewing in an homage to Pulp Fiction that is both out of place and totally fun. Will Ash be able to stop the evil reincarnated Montezuma? Probably, but that's not the point. Darkness comics are meant to be all flash and fun.
Bag it or board it up? Now's a great time to jump into this comic. Ash, for the moment, is done with all the time-hopping and continuity chopping. If you start reading now you can get a clear idea of the story and what Ash and company are all up to. Highly recommended for those who like their horror on the lighter and more slapstick/comical side.