Comics
[Comic Review] “Oh, Killstrike” #1 Channels 90’s Nostalgia
“Oh, Killstrike” #1 has an interesting premise, a 90’s superhero somehow enters our world with only vengeance on his agenda. The greatest obstacle standing before this comic is whether or not it’ll grow beyond 90’s superhero nostalgia. So far in the first issue it hasn’t overstayed its welcome but hopefully it can grow into something more in the coming issues.
WRITTEN BY: Max Bemis
ART BY: Logan Faerber
PUBLISHER: BOOM! Studios
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: 20 May 2015
Our protagonist, Jared, was a hardcore superhero fan in the 90’s. Happily gobbling it all up in its time but now he’s all about D.I.Y. indie comics and more importantly he’s a new father. So when his old #1 issue of the fictional 90’s comic gem Killstrike finally sells for $100,000 online he’s ecstatic. His wife doesn’t full understand at first, which acts as a great exposition device as he swiftly brings her and the reader up to date on superhero comics during the 90’s. Then the only step left is to go back to his mother’s house and collect his old issue.
This is where the fun beings and the issue really kicks off. As soon as Jared finds the issue Killstrike himself leaps out from the page screaming “VENGEANCE!” He looks wickedly 90’s, sporting grotesquely bulging muscles, teenie tiny feet, tribal tattoos and pouches for every season. While his look is spot on his dialogue and actions feel a bit at odds with the meathead they’re trying to sell him as. He comes off more like a lost puppy at times than the relentless killing machine we’re told he is.
Even though it comes off a little strange in its own way it makes him endearing. He’s in a world that’s totally foreign to him, one that requires a bit less vengeance in day-to-day life than he’s accustomed to. The promise of Killstrike in Manhattan for the next issue definitely has my hopes up as this issues he only really interacts with Jared. Seeing the world at large react to him will be quite the treat I’m sure.
Oh, Killstrike is a solid first outing for a book that’s true potential will take a few more issues to fully evaluate. I can see it becoming a rad late life coming of age story but it could also flounder under too much 90’s nostalgia.
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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