Comics
Review: It Ends Here ‘Valen the Outcast’ #8
As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and unfortunately, the same applies to Valen the Outcast. The folks at Boom! deliver a non-stop, action-packed thrill ride in this 8th, and final installment of the Valen Brands’ undead journey to retrieve is soul. It’s not often that one empathizes with an undead monster but Valen is something special. While the conclusion is a bit dry, I wish there were more books like “Valen” on the market.
WRITTEN BY: Michael Alan Nelson
ART BY: Matteo Scalera
PUBLISHER: Boom!
RELEASE DATE: August 29th, 2012
At the end of issue 7, it appeared as though all was lost for the forces of good. Zjanna was resurrected to join Valen as an undead minion of the lich Korrus Null. Turns out, this is too good to be true for the millennia old lich, and Zjanna is able to sever Valen’s connection to the lich. Swords have already touched tips, but issue #8 delivers the epic battle that we’ve been waiting for. Valen makes a final attempt to regain his humanity, Zjanna seeks to obliterate the undead spirit of Darlenna, and Cordovan runs into the boy he saved. This issue is designed to get the blood pumping. Battles are raging continuously and the plot twists actually had me dropping my jaw.
At the artistic helm, Matteo Scalera does a fantastic job of bringing Mr. Nelsons ideas to life. This is the kind of great artwork we’ve come too expect since issue #1. The panels are full of detail, clean lines, and involving panel layouts that help to carry out the battle scenes. The transition between drama and fight is seamless. Archie Van Buren’s coloring brings this book to life. The color spotting used for the eyes of the undead creatures is particularly chilling.
The resolution is a bit unsatisfying simply because the series could easily run a few more issues to deliver a real punchy ending. Nelson takes a path that has been tread upon before, diminishing the otherwise unique feel to the series. Perhaps it was inevitable from the get go.
The question remain: will there be more “Valen”? Unfortunately, Michael Alan Nelson told us that this is the end. “Valen the Outcast” is a solid of modern fantasy comics, and it should not be missed by genre fans.
3.5/5 Skulls
Reviewed by – Green Basterd
Comics
‘Curse of the Where Wolf’ Bites Into August Release With Trio of Werewolf Theatrical Screenings [Exclusive Preview]
Larry Chaney‘s hairy misadventures are continuing in the sequel graphic novel Curse of the Where Wolf from creative team Rob Saucedo, Debora Lancianese, and Jack Morelli, and its author is celebrating with a trio of horror’s greatest werewolf films.
The Curse of the Where Wolf hits shelves on August 7 from Encyclopocalypse Publications.
That coincides with the launch of a theatrical screening event in Houston, Texas, featuring a trio of seminal werewolf flicks turning 45 this year: The Howling on August 7, Wolfen on August 14, and An American Werewolf in London on August 21.
Each screening features a “werewolf in film” presentation as well as a book signing from Where Wolf author and River Oaks Theatre artistic director Rob Saucedo.
In the new graphic novel, “Being a werewolf sucks. Reporter Larry Chaney wanted to be a hero. Instead, he became a werewolf. Now, caught between incredible new powers and a desire to eat everything (and everyone) in sight, Larry must find a cure for his curse. Or die trying.”
“With Where Wolf, I wanted to tell a whodunit set in a furry convention, so the story was pretty contained within a very specific setting and genre. With Curse of the Where Wolf, I wanted to celebrate everything I love about the possibility of comic books. Curse of the Where Wolf is a funny book, in every sense of the phrase, but it’s also an earnest look at a person’s struggle to become a better version of themselves, especially when the alternative is to become a literal monster,” Saucedo says of Curse.
The original graphic novel was previously serialized as the first webcomic hosted on Fangoria before being collected by Encyclopocalypse Publications in 2023 and has already been optioned for film, podcast, and television development ahead of launch by producers James Fino (“The Freak Brothers” for Tubi, “Rick and Morty” for Adult Swim) and Charles Horak (First Date for Magnolia Pictures).
Expect Larry to find himself in even weirder situations in the 362-page full color sequel; Saucedo has provided Bloody Disgusting with exclusive art pages from the upcoming graphic novel that showcase lupine humor.
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