Comics
Review: ‘Juice Squeezers’ #2
Weeville, California’s super-sized bug problem continues to grow. I think the cast of our series has grown as well in a good way. “Juice Squeezers” #2 keeps that 1980s kid’s action movie charm from its first issue going strong with great character development and illustrious titles chapter titles like “The Great Bug Elevator”.
WRITTEN BY: David Lapham
ART BY: David Lapham
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: 5 February 2014
We get to see these tween exterminators in and out of action in this chapter. Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of great bug-squashing action to be seen. Creator David Lapham knows how to make young folk sound authentic with their rants and tangents that I know we all did. The new kid in town, Billy Farnsburger, falls into meeting the ‘Squeezers and starts to discover how weird his new home and the kids that live there really are. The pacing is great here, letting everyone have some time to establish who they are and what their roles may be down the road.
David Lapham’s art style also showcases the feeling of old-school horror films. Other than the cult classic Monster Squad, I can’t recall any films made to scare kids but still be exciting and fun. The scenery is dark enough for the big bugs to literally crawl over some of the kids but it’s Lee Loughridge’s coloring that keeps things brilliantly gross or dry and deserted when needed.
The awkwardness of new kids at school, boys liking girls for the first time and the mystery of gigantic insects are all very enticing plot points David Lapham excels at exploring here. This series just screams out fun and adventure. It’s not too graphic that I would hide it from young readers which are a grand achievement in itself. I look forward to seeing who will win – the bugs or the tweens – as well as those of us enjoying The Juice Squeezers.
4/5 Skulls
Reviewed by: Your Friendly Neighborhood Brady
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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