Comics
5 Skull Review: “The Wicked + The Divine” #1
A gorgeous book cover to cover, with rich colors, and a wildly imaginative premise that will hold from page one Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie’s “The Wicked + The Divine” is not to be missed. It defies high expectations and manages to surprise on almost every page.
WRITTEN BY: Kieron Gillen
ART BY: Jamie McKelvie
PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: June 18, 2014
The opening pages of this comic will have you captivated. Gillen and McKelvie continue their trend of playing with comic paneling to create a more dynamic pace. There are panels that are left filled with large numbers, or entire pages devoted to a human skull. But everything is done with a masterful sense of purpose.
Quickly the book hooks its simple premise by blending musical culture with Gods. The attribution of deity like status onto musical icons is reality here. They are gods, and they are treated almost the same way. Gillen’s script uses razor sharp dialogue to quickly introduce the expectations of a fan and the tongue in cheek manor in which these beings refer to themselves. We’re easily brought into this world and made to think we know how it works.
McKelvie takes Lucifer and makes the abominable creature into a slick Bowie wannabe with style to spare. His work is marvelous throughout and manages to even make pages of dialogue pop off the page. His character work is absolutely stunning. His thick lines give way to vibrant creations that look incredibly real.
What’s more is that he can cut a page with whatever paneling he likes and manages to make the entire thing radiate. When Lucifer confronts her attackers, the symmetry on the page is a stunning visual orgasm. Holy hell. And the raw displays of Lucifer’s power and exemplified by Matthew Wilson’s phenomenal color, honestly, he may be the best colorist in comics right now. He doesn’t miss a single beat here, his vibrant and neon soaked colors are irresistible.
The issue easily introduces the core premise of the book thanks to an outside being sheparded in and a nonbeliever making an ass of themselves. It even manages to flip the core of its premise by the end of the final page and leave you fearful for the future of the characters. Amidst the incredible stakes weird godly reincarnations lies incredibly sharp dialogue and relatable characters that create the core of the book.
Which is a deconstruction of modern myth laid out for a new century of creatives and layabouts who’d rather worship than create. The very creatures of myth that Gillen and Mckelvie have created on these pages will surely propel the team into a godlike status of their own. This is a first issue pulled off with incredible confidence and mastery, it’s irresistible and all consuming. It’s your new obsession.
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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