Comics
Review: ‘Blackacre’ #3
One of the strongest elements in Blackacre thus far has been its political subtext. Invariably, the series would come to a point where its story would have to take precedence for a certain period of time, and temporarily set aside this distinguishing feature. That time has, at least, begun in issue 3… and it barely hurts the series at all. With the themes and settings prepared in the first two issues, this latest issue of “Blackacre” simply continues the excellent story and character development while managing to introduce new elements of intrigue for the future.
WRITTEN BY: Duffy Boudreau
ART BY: Wendell Cavalcanti
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: February 6th, 2013
It was a testament to Duffy Boudreau’s writing that he was able to incorporate the degree of political commentary that he did while establishing the world and the characters of the story, as well as the plot itself. It’s a separate testament to the fact that those characters, that world and this story are so good that once the series’ philosophical impetus was removed, it was prepared to stand on its own.
Hull, having survived the blast that was intended to kill him and Greene – his former comrade and the man he is searching for – is rescued from the religious zealots who patrol the lands beyond Blackacre by Bird and his team. Bird is another of Sinclair’s men, and Hull is considerably weary of this fact. Even though he was duped by Sinclair, Hull’s beginning to come around to the fact that he can’t trust anyone, even if it’s temporarily convenient for him.
The political machinations of Blackacre, even if they seem to oppose our current antagonist, don’t serve to assuage any fears. It seems as if all actions, even if they are incidentally beneficial to many, are designed to serve the few. Much like Hull, the reader quickly grows suspicious and cynical; no action is interpreted as “good”; it’s just another play for power by a different man with ultimately the same intentions (hmmm… perhaps I overstated the lack of political commentary here).
Wendell Cavalcanti picks up where he left off, with excellent characters and scenery. It’s an odd compliment, but he draws injuries quite well. The scars and bruises on Hull and other characters have an impact, and aren’t there just to look badass. Cavalcanti’s artwork, along with the dialogue, go a long way in defining three new characters in particular; Bird, Kett and Rilus. This is significant, because there’s only so much space to be used in this issue.
“Blackacre” #3 is not without its flaws, but those are mostly to be expected. It’s too early in the series for anything of gravity to truly occur, so this issue can only reach so high. But to the extent that it can, it succeeds.
4/5 Skulls
Reviewed by – GeorgeShunick
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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