Comics
Review: ‘R.I.P.D.: City of the Damned’ #3
Dark Horse Comics’ R.I.P.D.: City of the Damned #3 reaches critical peak in the story’s action, as Peter Lenkov and Jeremy Barlow set the stage for the epic finale. And with only one more issue ready for release next month, the dramatic tension is layered on thick with the introduction of a new villainous character, whose blasphemous intentions will surely make for a riveting conclusion that’s not to be missed.
WRITTEN BY: Peter Lenkov, Jeremy Barlow
ART BY: Tony Parker
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
PRICE: $3.50
RELEASE: January 30th
The third installment sees the anachronistic old west adventure continue for R.I.P.D. officer Roy Pulsipher and his Puritan partner Crispin Mather, as their investigation into Black Pool reveals the vile culprit behind the missing souls both men are seeking. Lucifuge, a lord of Hell whose raison d’être is to torture “souls so corrupt their very presence fouls the already putrid air,” explains that the worst of them, David Sterling, escaped from his torture sentence and is collecting stray souls via Death train.
A choice needs to be made; sneaking onto said train seems to be their only hope of saving Creation, but by doing so they’d be joining forces with a dark enemy and forsaking their beliefs.
To the casual reader, “R.I.P.D.” is merely a horror-western comedy on its surface, but the strong religious themes and symbols presented by Lenkov, Barlow, and Parker lend themselves to a formidable intensity that the series fantastically projects. Crispin Mather comes off as the more interesting character in this issue, as the writers showcase how far Mather is willing to go to fulfill God’s will. It’s a series that can probably be interpreted as a critique of religious fundamentalism, and it’s blatantly obvious that it’s a subject Barlow loves writing about.
As expected, Tony Parker’s artistic contribution is a definite highlight. Not only does he remain consistent in terms of quality, but he’s definitely upped his game for issue #3 as he showcases more impressive artwork and panels. There’s a fluidity in the action scenes depicted on the pages that’s worth noting, and Michelle Madsen’s colours only add to his fantastic renderings.
The creative team delivers a thrilling issue that’s jam-packed with elements of humor, horror, action and plot development; but the accelerated speed in which the narrative is told will almost make readers feel as though the issue is abridged. On the other hand, this could be the impatience for next month’s installment talking.
4.5/5 Skulls
Reviewed by – ShadowJayd
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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