Comics
Review: ‘The Spider’ #1
What do you get when you cross Batman and Rorschach? If the answer isn’t obvious, reading the first 3 pages of Dynamites newest vigilante tale, The Spider, has your answer. It’s not often, as The Spider points out, that heroes in comics, tv, movies, etc, get their hands dirty, but when a highly trained military personnel decides enough is enough…well I won’t ruin the blood pumping surprise.
WRITTEN BY: David Liss
ART BY: Colton Worley
PUBLISHER: Dynamite
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: Out Now
Richard Wentworth, a self-sacrificing, former military elite, tends to dip into the booze a bit too often, but as an outlet, Mr. Wentworth has an alter ego who happens to enjoy kicking ass while completely sauced. The Spider does not play place nice. Whether the street thug is shoring up a cash register or trying to get freaky with a fine young woman, they end up with a bullet in the face. Now that’s my kinda crime fighting! The final pages take a wicked turn down Horror Street, and not a moment too soon. Based on the way this issue ended, “The Spider” looks to be another promising series from Dynamite.
As soon as I began reading, I had a distinct feeling of déjà vu, haven’t I seen this style somewhere before? Oh yeah it’s called “Watchmen”. But then again “Spider” is originally a pulp story from the 1930s, which Rorschach was based on. It’s almost as if this hard boiled style of hero has come full circle in the literary world. Dynamite is bringing back the pulp, grit, and noir to their lineup, and so far it’s been a blast. The updated New York streets make the city more alive than ever, and the pulp hero fits oddly well outside of the Depression era.
The story builds up the protagonist’s background in a flash, allowing him to dive right in to the eerie action. While the storyline has a Watchmen/pulp feel to it, the art, on the other hand, does not chime with either of those styles. Colton Worley does an excellent job blending a real world feel with the comic style. The pages are dark and shadow-heavy, yet there’s still a vibrancy to is at times such as the scene in Chinatown. The layouts themselves are product of a J.H. Williams III influence, and it’s a pleasure to see a more experimental style.
All in all, this a very healthy dose of awesome. It’s a solid first installment and shows a lot of potential for future plotlines. Pulp is back, my friends, get it while it’s hot!
– Reviewed by: GreenBasterd
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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