Comics
Review: ‘The Strain: The Fall’ #4
Kicking things to high gear, “The Strain: The Fall” #4 continues to be an awesome thrill-ride that refuses to slow down. After the “Twilight” franchise sucked all the fun out of being a vampire, “The Fall” reminds everyone why nobody should go anywhere near those bloodsuckers. Without a doubt, this is a terrific 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: Oct. 16, 2012
It’s time for humanity to fight back against the vampire plague that has taken over the city. But the heroes who are going to stand up aren’t the people you would normally expect. These are inner-city gang members who want to make money off of killing vampires. While the gangs of Jersey are slaying the bloodsuckers, Ephraim and his exhausted team have a plan that will definitely hit the Master where it hurts. Ephraim can stop the vampire plague from spreading if he can destroy the subway tunnels. With the clock ticking, will Ephraim and his teammates buy time for the human race to live another day?
What I continue to really enjoy about writer David Lapham’s adaptation is how he uses Del Toro’s social commentary about racism, minorities, and ethnic barriers. Gus and his teammates have added a new member to their crew, a retired Mexican wrestler named Angel. They have been pushed around because of the color of their skin. Now when their oppressors are screaming for help, it’s the unwanted class showing up for a fight.
What I liked about this issue is the return of Zachary, Ephraim’s son. Having lost his mother, Zach is looking for a parental figure to guide him. Never saying anything but always watching, Zach is slowly losing his father as he succumbs to alcoholism. It’s an interesting scene as Zach looks up to the professor, Abraham, for guidance. Because Abraham speaks to Zach as an adult, they can have a personal discussion about prayer and God.
In his artwork, Mike Huddleston sure knows how to add shock value to his vampire attacks. In a wide shot, the vampires have a victim surrounded as they kick him down onto the pavement. The violence isn’t aimed to be pretty as a bunch of naked freaks are plunging their long, forked tongues into a guy’s chest. Because the face is shaped to look like a skull, Huddleston’s character design of The Master resembles closely to the Grim Reaper.
My favorite part of Huddleston’s illustrations is when Gus and his crew start shooting in the streets of Spanish Harlem. Gus and his gang are firing bullets everywhere, always aiming for the heads of the vampires. All in a single panel, Huddleston has Gus, Angel, and another gang member all doing something as they take on the bloodsuckers Heightening the shock value, Angle rips the head off of a vampire with his bare hands.
Readers will definitely have tremendous fun with “The Strain: The Fall” #4. This is how you make vampires scary again.
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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.