Comics
Review: “Pretty Deadly” # 3
Kelly Sue Deconnick and Emma Rios’ “Pretty Deadly” makes the effort to make more sense this month and is infinitely better for it. The motivations of the primary characters become clearer and the depth of the world is deepened in the series best chapter yet.
WRITTEN BY: Kelly Sue Deconnick
ART BY: Emma Rios
PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: $3.50
RELEASE: December 18 2013
Following Fox has been a blind pursuit up until now. The reader seemingly had no reason to be doing so, but followed the man on his quest because Deconnick willed it to be so. The journey was mysterious and often disorienting but was always painted with such beauty that it was almost impossible to look away.
This month the motivation of Fox becomes much more clear. We’re treated to a story of his past. We come to understand what motivates him and how Ginny plays into the entire thing.
Let’s be honest. Not everything is entirely clear as of yet. However, this month marks the biggest effort to create a coherent sense of motivation since the series began. Almost everything is briefly touched upon here, so the larger scope of the world seems condensed and focused.
Which breathes new life into “Pretty Deadly.” The world is robust with details. Magic has taken hold, and the western has become something else entirely. Which make it something special, something that defies the conventions of what came before it to make something entirely new and inescapable.
The charm of this book is its ability to surprise you with the conventions of the western. Its seamless blend of the magic of the west and literal magic culminate into something otherworldly and beautiful.
Which is to say Emma Rios’ wispy art creates a world unto itself. What began as a tribute to the west has created a fantastical fantasy in its spirit. The incredible color work done by Jordie Bellaire, gives the entire thing a washed out feeling that is still vibrant and full of its own life.
The large panels, and the frail lines make for a world that could break apart at any moment. The delicate balance at play within each panel shows a world that could potentially fall apart with one conflict, and indeed it will. But the otherworldly elements really allow Rios to shine. The final moments with the devilish symbolism of the hands emerging from the river absolutely blew me away. I was attracted to the danger in a way that I couldn’t fully explain and couldn’t look away for the life of me.
I have a feeling that Deconnick and Rios have a masterpiece on their hands. The gamble with the narrative in the first couple issues has now seemingly paid off to create a more coherent story that is in line with the beautiful art. Now, the final two chapters of the first arc will hopefully continue the threads sewn here to create an even more coherent sense of the journey. There are still characters I lust to know more about, and the world seems ripe with elements I have yet to experience. Show me more, tell me more, and teach me more. I’m absolutely loving it.
Rating: 4/5 Skulls.
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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