Comics
Review: “The Squidder” #1
An action-packed sci-fi thriller, ” The Squidder” #1 takes readers on a surreal journey into the alien apocalypse. The experimental artwork will keep readers glued to the impressive pages. If it’s butt-kicking action you crave “The Squidder” series will definitely fix that appetite of yours.
WRITTEN BY: Ben Templesmith
ART BY: Ben Templesmith
PUBLISHER: IDW Publishing
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: July 16, 2013
Reviewed By Jorge Solis
An innocent little girl is brought to the religious tent. The parents say nothing while an old, hagged woman places her sickly hands on their daughter’s forehead. This innocent child is frightened by the moving suckers on the elderly woman’s palm. Today is a special occasion because a sacrifice has been brought to the alien gods. Death is only the beginning as the Squids have invaded earth and have wiped out humanity.
In the opening pages, writer/artist Ben Templesmith takes readers to a vivid and weird futuristic setting. There are aspects of the western genre in the colorful imagery as Earth has become a nuclear wasteland. Because there is no more technology, notice how the light source always comes from torches. In just a few pages, Templesmith tells readers exactly what kind of hostile environment these characters are living in.
I really liked the character design of The Squidder. This lone anti-hero has a huge gun in one hand and a sword tied to his back. The sharp blade is also chained to his worn-out belt. I don’t know why the lone alien slayer would need chains, but all I can say is that it looks very stylish. The trench coat is drawn out long as if the loner is wearing a cape.
Templesmith keeps the readers inside the Squidder’s mindset through his bleak first-person narration. When you see the man’s face, notice how the side is scarred by self-inflicted battle wounds; as if he himself had stitched his wounds. Because there are no doctors and hospitals anymore, the exiled solider cannot rely on anyone else to help him.
The first installment has done a great job introducing the setting and main protagonist. I was surprised to see how much action Templesmith could fit into one panel. In a jaw-dropping scene, the Squidder approaches his target, while being shot at point-blank. In an extreme close-up, you will see someone’s eyes gouged out.
“The Squidder” #1 is an action-packed romp that never slows down. I definitely want to see happens next issue.
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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