Comics
Review: “Veil” #2
Rats. Rats are very important. These vile little creatures skitter through life unknowingly breeding disease and disgust. Yet, Veil embraces them entirely. The mystery of “Veil” is deepened, the world is fleshed out, and the stakes are raised even higher in this second issue of Greg Rucka’s mystery about the objectification of beauty.
WRITTEN BY: Greg Rucka
ART BY: Toni Fejzula
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse
PRICE: $3.50
RELEASE: April 2, 2014
Rucka said himself that the story of “Veil” would become much clearer with issue two. Bullshit. Not that I’m calling him a liar, because it does, but only somewhat. I mean the larger world of the comic comes into play, and now we know nefarious people are after Veil. That’s it though. We don’t know much else.
Which is part of the charm. Dante is our conduit for this beautiful and haunting journey. He’s a bad dude caught between his reputation and trying to do the right thing. He can’t understand Veil for the life of him, and the harder he tries the harder she pulls away.
The real magic in this issue comes with well… literal magic. We’re treated to some nefarious dudes who have performed sacrifices seemingly in their quest for Veil. One dude in particular harnesses power much like Veil’s. Rucka does a fantastic job at expanding his world and deepening the mystery of how this beautiful and lost girl relates to it.
There is a moment here that shows even the most “upstanding” of people find something magnetic about Veil. It stands to reason that most people lose control around her, and cannot resist her otherworldly charm. Although its not clear why Dante seems immune. In any event Rucka manages to make it all compelling by never answering these things. It’s not important to the story, at least not yet.
Toni Fejzula’s art has apparently gone through some progression before reaching the look that has come to define this book. Everything feels like a neon soaked fever dream that is captured in stained glass. It’s absolutely gorgeous and hard to shy away from. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it, but the style imbues the adventure with a distinct otherworldliness that only deepens the mystery. I can’t sing the art’s praises enough. You’ve never seen anything quite like it.
“Veil” is this unique concoction of ideas that might seem a little cliché at first. The amnesiac with great powers has been done before, but never like this. The thematic implications within the narrative tell a story about objectification. Dante is an exciting and almost tragic character who is about more than likely about to enter what Walter Sobchak called “a world of pain.”
Dark things are brewing on the horizon, but the charm of this book far outweighs its grim implications. The mystery still runs rampant through the pages, but the pieces are moving across the board. We know more than we did before, but we still don’t know much.
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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