Comics
Review: ‘Ten Grand’ #5
After a long three month hiatus, J. Michael Straczynski’s Ten Grand returns sans the incomparable Ben Templesmith. With a new artistic vision and style that’s vastly different, though still committed to reader enrichment, C.P. Smith does a commendable job rising to the challenge of filling in the rather large shoes of his predecessor. Unfortunately, the new vibe of the book will take some getting used to, but unsurprisingly, the narrative is as solid as ever.
WRITTEN BY: J. Michael Straczynski
ART BY: C.P. Smith
PUBLISHER: Joe’s Comics, imprint of Image Comics
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: November 6, 2013
If there’s one less thing to worry about, it’s Straczynski’s ability to weave a wholly original and complex tale that holds the reader’s attention from cover to cover. The author has this innate gift of stringing words together to deliver a thoroughly satisfying narrative in a mere 22 pages, and that’s something that was sorely missed these last few months. Keeping with the tone of the previous installments, there’s a palpable theme of anxiety and urgency that Straczynski and Smith really evoke through the narrative in both script and art, as the “Ten Grand” universe continues to expand.
The fifth installment of the series is entitled, “Nothing Interesting Ever Happens in Heaven”, and Straczynski draws upon existentialist thinking to engage readers in his surreal and mysterious world building. The issue follows Joe as he makes his way through the sorrows and deceptiveness of Purgatory on his way into Hell, in order to find his lost love, Laura. Without giving too much away, the supernatural Private Investigator must stay resilient in his quest, as he’s confronted with the miserable souls of the lost, the ravenous howlers that feed off them, and his enemies from the past who are none too happy to see him. The story takes an unexpected turn when Joe is faced with an individual he knows all too well, and with that, Straczynski has opened up a world of possible scenarios for how this book might play out.
In terms of the interior artwork, yes, the pages are visually shocking upon first glance considering the perfectly suitable fit that was Templesmith’s style. But that doesn’t take away from Smith’s talent as an artist, and it doesn’t take away from Straczynski’s amazing narrative, which is as engaging as it is thought-provoking. Yes, it is pretty disappointing that Templesmith can’t continue his work on the book due to time constraints and general work-overload, but he’s illustrated another great cover, and has once again provided his accompanying panels to the usual series rundown which opens the installment. Regarding Smith’s style, he does manage to stay true to the hypnogogic and surreal nature of the series. It’s just that his art is definitely an acquired taste. The colour palette he uses, and the way he renders the pages is a definite highlight, especially when illustrating the scenes with the fantastically imagined Reaper. Honestly, it will probably take a couple more installments for readers to get used to his style, but as long as everyone keeps an open mind, they’ll eventually take to him.
Templesmith is definitely going to be missed. But as long as Straczynski continues to flesh out amazingly written installments that keep his readers on their toes, and C.P. Smith continues to immerse himself in Straczynski’s universe in order to effectively bring his story to life with absolute clarity, then “Ten Grand” will remain one of the better series’ of 2013.
4/5 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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