Comics
Review: ‘The Strain: The Fall’ #3
Never missing a beat, “The Strain: The Fall” #3 continues to be thrilling roller-coaster ride for horror fans. After “Twilight” sucked all the fun out of being a vampire, “The Fall” reminds horror fans why they are so freaking scary. This is an awesome adaptation of the best-selling trilogy of novels by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan.
WRITTEN BY: David Lapham
ART BY: Mike Huddleston
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: September 18, 2012
The vampire plague has run rampant in the inner-city. Knowing there is a lot of money to be made, local gangs have teamed up to take on the parasitic bloodsuckers. Not only are the gangs getting involved, the average Joe has taken up the fight too. Because of his nonstop drinking, Ephraim though has given up the good cause and watches as his colleagues continue with the war against vampires. Humanity has a bigger chance of winning if they locate the ancient book that will end this demonic strain. But, who will get to this sacred book first, the humans or the vampires?
Writer David Lapham’s continues to employ social commentary about racism and ethnic barriers, which was a big part of the originally trilogy. This is about the portrayal of the so-called “last dregs of society” as heroes. These are minorities, the unwanted, taking charge during the apocalypse. Lapham doesn’t hide away from this theme but rather revels in it. You have interesting characters, such as the ex-wrestler The Angel and the gang leader Gus, who unexpectedly turn out to be the last hope of humanity.
At times, the subplot about Ephraim’s downfall isn’t as interesting as the round-up of the local gangs. As the subplots switch back and forth, I wanted the narrative to go back to Gus and his gang. I feel this is something I haven’t seen in the vampire genre. Then again, it seems Lapham is also aiming to bring both subplots together so hopefully the narrative will gain speed as these different personalities clash.
Mike Huddleston builds a suspenseful and eerie atmosphere as the cities suffer from the vampire attacks. Huddleston presents readers with wide shots of the destruction of Harlem. In these panels, buildings are lit up on fire and the hot dogs stands appear abandoned in the middle of the streets. Readers get a sense of what is going on without the vampires being on the page.
Huddleston knows how to make the action sequences exciting, without going over-the-top. The Angel is depicted as a washed-up old-man, whose wrestling has been over for a long time. When he is being chased by the vampires, the Angel’s body shifts in rough and slow movements. Knowing his age is an issue, the Angel uses his physical attributes for self-defense, never to attack.
Exciting at its core, “The Strain: The Fall” #3 keeps the story moving with an engaging cast of unlikely heroes. If you’re a fan of the novel, you’ll definitely enjoy how the book’s prose is brought to life in the comic book page.
4/5 Skulls
Reviewed by – Jorge Solis
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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