Comics
Review: ‘Juice Squeezers’ #4
Kids squashing bugs is always fun. Growing up near forests and mountains, my summer times always made it a necessity or the horse flies and mosquitoes would eat you alive. Imagine that but these critters are the sizes of dogs, deer, and buses. The Great Bug Elevator comes to a crashing and squishy conclusion in “Juice Squeezers” #4. Everything literally falls apart in spectacular fashion.
WRITTEN BY: David Lapham
ART BY: David Lapham
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: 2 April 2014
These bug-stomping tweens are scrambling from start to finish of this finale issue. Weapons of all shapes and sizes are brought out to stop the worst infestation of all time from spreading topside in the town of Weeville. The new kid Billy is cleverer than his friends gave him credit for and comes prepared for anything. Creator David Lapham has done a tremendous job wrapping up this fun mini-series while leaving enough bread crumbs for fans to come back and find down the road.
The muted color scale by Lee Loughridge is great too. The emphasis of the yellow insides of the various giant insects really highlights how gross this would be but makes it light and not horrific at the same time. Lapham’s artwork isn’t too overly detailed and isn’t too simplistic. It’s just right for the feel of this light-hearted but still kind of a monster movie. I am pleasantly reminded of the classic Monster Squad and other 1980s classics as I read this series.
David Lapham has made a kid-friendly book which seems to be rare nowadays. I’m seriously going to consider using this book to teach English to some of my students in my day job. It’s eye-catching enough to keep them interested. The story isn’t too overwrought so it’s easy to follow. And, like every good storyteller, there’s enough left to explore in the next story. I sincerely hope Juice Squeezers pops back in the not-too-distant future. I think this book can be a great gateway into this wonderful world we all know and love called comic books.
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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