Advance Review: "Comrade Kill," is an Over-the-Top Treat!

I mentioned in a previous post how Adhouse books will be closing in the future. However, before they close-up shop they are going to be doing some more releases. "Comrade Kill," is coming out in October and comic shops, as well as bookstores, can get copies preordered now. I had the chance to read an advance copy and I loved how relentlessly absurd, violent, and satirical this treat of a book is!

Written and illustrated by Patrick Sparrow, the titular Comrade Kill is a Soviet superweapon beyond compare. Capable of regeneration thanks to nanorobots as long as he keeps himself fed, it reminds me a bit of the Valiant character, "Bloodshot," but with a much more dark and funny edge. Comrade Kill awakes from cryostasis after many more decades than he would've expected. Now his plans for attacking America are greeted with confused shrugs as well as people pointing out his terroristic plans are now outdated. A chunk of the comic features Comrade Kill stuck in the Nevada desert as he plots all kinds of destructive acts towards America but ends up mostly fighting hideous mutants. Good times all around.

Sparrow's artwork reminds me a lot of the underground stuff from the 1970s and 80s (intentionally nasty and detailed in its excess) if it had a child with Johnny Ryan's comic, "Prison Pit." His style features huge and hideous humans/humanoids fighting each other in increasingly brutal ways whilst jokes are made that vary between cleverly political to just outright gross-out humor; it's a good disgusting-to-clever ratio though, so it works. Sparrow also leaves us on a clear cliffhanger as Comrade Kill's plans to ruin America remain as yet unfulfilled and a possible challenger prepares to enter the fray.

"Comrade Kill," is a funny and clever read with artwork that is impressively grotesque. Whether it is engaging in subtle political commentary or throwing out dick jokes, it is simply fantastic. Patrick Sparrow has created a stellar graphic novel and  I can't wait for another volume in the future if that suspense-filled ending is any indicator of more madness to come! I encourage you to ask your comic shop/bookstore/library to order a copy and once October arrives you'll be able to delve into the hilarity and madness!

5 out of 5 stars.

AdHouse Books is Shutting Down and Will be Missed

AdHouse Books is the publisher owned by Chris Pitzer and it has put out some fantastic comics over the years. Chris has announced that AdHouse is closing for an assortment of reasons and he's ready to move onto other things. I totally understand this even if it makes me sad as AdHouse released some phenomenal works. I wish Chris the best and will hold a fond spot in my heart for AdHouse.

Cankor is a Wild and Weird Ride of a Comic

Matthew Allison's graphic novel, "Cankor," collects his self-published comics of the same name and will be published by Adhouse books in late March or early April of 2020 (so, this year). The thing that immediately caught my eye about, "Cankor," and resulted in me reaching out to ask for an advance review copy was how Allison's illustrating style reminded me of Michel Fiffe (in a good way) with the surreal storytelling of Michael Deforge (also in a good way), while wholly being its own thing. It makes sense solicitations for the comic have pointed-out how this is reminiscent of Derforge (it mentions Quitely as well, but I really see more of a Fiffe-style) as well. Again though, this is its own odd thing. As for that thing is/what is, "Cankor," about? Well...um, it's complicated.

"Cankor," is a comic about various realities within the comic's World, while also at times making it apparent it is aware it is a comic (a little meta here and there) and riffing on other comics and the very question of reality itself--such as when Allison has some, "Author's notes," that themselves seem to be a mix of reality and fiction (I believe he got in a fight at a concert once, I'm not sure I believe there was ever going to be a, "Batman: Year Five," comic). "Cankor," at times follows extra-dimensional beings made up of both flesh and machinery duking it out violently, but this only when it isn't exploring otherworldly landscapes with its characters at well or dipping-back into a reality (of sorts) where people seem to be living in our regular world, except its black-and-white and people lack any visible eyes for some reason--I told you this was some weird stuff.

Allison does a lovely job alternating between Worlds and providing faux-supplementary material ranging from calling himself out for swiping other's work to criticizing comic-book reviewers (my feelings weren't hurt, I hope I'm not as snobby as his fake reviewer). His drawing-style shifts as needed in clever ways, with the, "Real," World not just being black-and-white but also more sketchy in style than his clean and complex lines of, "Blood, wires, and suffering."

The comic is at once multiple plots all going on at once loosely related or outright unrelated to each other while at the same time arguably being one big mega-plot where it all ties together in a strange way of mixing straightforward sci-fi storytelling with meta-fiction and general zaniness. It is utterly bonkers, and that is probably why I loved it. I would be sure to request your comic shop/bookstore/library/legal weed store orders a copy so that you too can enjoy this fantastically bizarre work.
5 out of 5 stars.

"Tarantula" is my Original Graphic Novel of the Year--2017 in Review

I didn't read a ton of original graphic novels this year, but of the ones I did there is particular title that stands-out in my mind as quite spectacular. Published by Adhouse Books, "Tarantula," is like a psychedelic 1970's genre-flick put to paper with its badass babes, surreal animal-human villains, and of course demon-worship. When I first reviewed it back in June I loved it, and six months later I still adore the book. It is sort of a comic about a crime-fighter known as Tarantula as she solves a mystery, but the book's amazing imagery and pacing make it about so much more. I had so much fun reading, "Tarantula," that it easily is my original graphic novel of the year. I only hope more people check it out!

"Tarantula" Review AKA One of the Weirdest Graphic Novels I've Ever Read (In a Good Way)

Some months ago I saw a solicitation in, "Previews," magazine for a graphic novel that sounded very intriguing, "Tarantula." Published by AdHouse Books and featuring the work of Alexis Ziritt, Fabian Rangel Jr. and Evelyn Rangel, I looked at the preview artwork and immediately had my interest piqued. It is about how some surreal heroes (including the titular Tarantula) come together to fight a Satanic cult backed by a corrupt local Government that aims to potentially destroy the world. The comic almost sounds like a normal heroic-yarn with supernatural elements when you hear such a description, but if you were to think this at all blasé you would be horribly wrong as this is one of the weirdest graphic novels I've ever read--in a good way! I am very glad I reached-out to the publisher to request a digital copy for the purposes of review, in other words.

The artwork within "Tarantula," is bizarre, trippy, and otherwise psychedelic. A simple conversation between characters can be fascinating thanks to how almost everyone in the book is drawn in such a strange way--be they bird-people, lizard-based, have geometric shapes for a head, or be other monstrous humanoids. Reading this tale of good versus evil feels like stepping into a druggy-haze when you start flipping through the book, with things just getting increasingly weirder as you go along with all sorts of creatures popping-up on the scene. It is a bit like watching an old 1970's exploitation-cinema movie that somehow has an unlimited budget for visuals as gorgeous as they are grotesque.

Between scenes of gunplay, brutal fistfights, interrogations at strip-clubs, and all kinds of weird demon-worship this comic oozes with a grindhouse-esque vibe that I absolutely adored. As I said, the plot ostensibly sounds simple with some heroes fighting some villains, but the story is so expertly paced and illustrated that it turns into a complex mix of drugged-out ideas that encourages readers to let their minds dip into the beautiful madness as Tarantula and her fellow heroes save the day.

"Tarantula," is being published by AdHouse Books, as I mentioned, and will be for sale as of this coming Wednesday, June 7th, 2017. I encourage you to check out its listing on the AdHouse Books website and for sure recommend getting a copy so that you too can absorb its unearthly weirdness.
5 out of 5 stars.

Note: A digital copy of, "Tarantula," was provided for the purposes of review upon my request to the publisher.