By Mitch Barracuda

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #14
Written by Drew Goddard
Art by Georges Jeanty
Dark Horse Comics

Godzilla Dawn invades Tokyo! Finally… she’s useful. Writer Drew Goddard (ABC’s Lost, Cloverfield) continues to lighten up Season 8 with a spark of humor reminiscent of the good old days where Buffy, Xander, and Willow called The Bronz party central. Xander returns with Dracula to fight Tokyo vampires that stole his secrets in becoming one of the more versatile vampire clans on Earth. Especially when they’re also pretty darn smart and figure out how to turn all the slayers back into normal cheerleaders and dog walkers. But you know Buffy. Always gotta make it tough on herself.

Drew Goddard and Georges Jeanty appear to really love this story as the pacing is synced up perfectly, and probably the most flowing out of all the Season 8 story arcs. The quick wit continues to keep it funny, and Goddard appears to hang out with Whedon on the weekends to know this witty, geek-speak. I did, however, cringe like Cringer when Buffy mentioned how her lesbian lover gets her all hot and bothered when she calls her a certain name, (I’d rather not mention the actual word in fear that Prince Adam might show up and laugh at me.) But the rest is golden and original, and it’s too bad this story didn’t make it to television. Sometimes, the boat takes off too early in life… and definitely on TV.

Grade: A
Continue Reading? I’m addicted. I’m a vampire, and it’s my blood, what can I say?

Angel: After the Fall #7
Written by Brian Lynch
Art by Various Artists
IDW Publishing

Wesley does have a purpose, and that’s to mess things up like usual. Maybe he and Dawn should get together since Fred’s dead… ohhhhhh! Bad joke. Issue 7 continues the interruption to the original story, After the Fall, where Angel lays on the ground with a broken spine, and oh by the way, human too, fighting Hell’s most powerful demons. But this issue appears to be special as we get a first glimpse at the new ongoing Angel artist after the short story marathon, Nick Runge, and I gotta tell ya, I’m excited again. This guy can draw!

First up is the Fish story, and it doesn’t do much but drop hints that something big is coming, and I could tell ya, but then if you’re reading this other book, then chances are you’re reading that other book too, and two and two make… nevermind. The second story is where the real goods are as Wesley’s entry brings a solar flare to his backstory after he was killed in Season 5, and wow does it shine. Nick Runge’s art really captures the TV show, something Buffy fans debate about over in their Season 8 series. Runge’s Winifred is both lustful and alluring, but it’s the movement in the panel that really gets me. He grabs the action in his panels easily, and with John Rauch at the colors, really bridges the gap between TV show and comic book. I’m pretty excited to see more of his work in this series. The last story brings back the police officer lady that annoyed everyone but still wanted to bone until Sunday, Kate, as she saves Connor from being beat up like Blood In, Blood Out. (I just showed my age on that one, didn’t I?) It’s a good story, but Connor needs to get out of his head more or just grow up already. All in all, a good issue that has me desperately wanting the next issue with Gwen’s story about to be told. I love that jolt of sexy electricity.

Grade: B+
Continue Reading? Bring me sexy electric!

Halloween: Nightdance #4
Written by Stefan Hutchinson
Art by Tim Seeley
Devil’s Due Publishing
Halloween Comics

And so the curtain closes on our first Halloween mini-series from Devil’s Due Publishing, and I must say, Nightdance started out rough but ended appropriately. Although it borrowed from a few horror movies, Nightdance was structured well enough to get away with the swipe. A hapless victim has his fingers broken like tree branches so when Michael Myers puts one of his masks on the boy, he can’t take it off, thus ensuing the local police force to mistake him for the Boogeyman and shoot him to death. Our main character gets it the worse, and I’m wondering if writer Stefan Hutchinson did this for me since I hated her so much from the beginning. But if it wasn’t for me, then that shows Hutchinson’s superb plotting as I don’t entirely miss her when Michael sneaks up behind her in the dark and sends her somewhere far, far away from the stars.

That reminds me, the stars ended up working with just one panel with her onstage as a ballerina, and artist Tim Seeley makes it bright and clear that she can use the stars metaphor to tell her story; one of the few clichés male writers tend to stumble upon in order to flesh out their female characters. Hutchinson and Seeley let loose the grand finale of fireworks here as all the setup is nicely revealed, especially with the woman that was left on the floor to be carved up back a couple issues now shown in her symbolic position; another great panel from Seeley that will stick like glue in the brain. While I don’t see Nightdance as being a possible movie, I do acknowledge it as a successful comic book. You’re now on my radar, Mr. Hutchinson. Let’s see what you can do with your newly acquired knowledge of the adjective.

Grade: A-
Series Grade: B+

Friday The 13th: Abuser and the Abused – One Shot
Written by Joshua Hale Fialkov
Art by Andy B.
WildStorm Entertainment

So the track record for the Friday the 13th series under WildStorm has been shaky to say the least, but I have to give them kudos for mixing it up a bit. Abuser and the Abused is by far the most unconventional Camp Blood story, and gosh darnit if it don’t love it so. I’m a big Jason Voorhees fan, so it hurts when I have to give thumbs down to some of these books, but when I opened this one to some very unusual art for a horror story, I smiled like a kid getting an X-Box 360 for his birthday. Course, I’m still waiting to get that damn video game system, but hey, there’s always next year.

So if you remember, Nintendo had a video game for Friday the 13th, where you basically run your ass off to get away from him, and then when you do, well, you search for him like an idiot. Abuser and the Abused totally reminded me of that game as the art by Andy B. is very cartoony, but extremely fun to look at. Right away, I thought to myself, “Oh no, Jason is going to look like Frankenberry.” However, Andy B. did a great job in making Jason both fun and acceptable for fellow horror fans. The writing was delicious as J.H. Fialkov tells a tale that has been told before, but puts a spin on it that mixes all kinds of domestic abuse, broken avenues to self-help, and the tale of the boy who drowned only to come back and kill every last person dare set foot on Camp Crystal Lake. The ending is both foretelling and shocking, mainly because you knew what was going to happen, but you kind of didn’t want it to. I felt bad for Maggie, but also, it’s this type of character audiences root for. But hey, if you’re in Jason’s neck of the woods, then you’re risking life and limb, especially if you stab him, light him on fire, and thrust his own machete through his mask. He don’t like that, and he’ll let you know about it! Friday the 13th: Abuser and the Abused is great fun, and one of the more memorable Jason Voorhees stories told by WildStorm.

Grade: A-

Spooks #4
Written by Ryan Schifrin, Larry Hama
Art by Adam Archer
Devil’s Due Publishing
Cover price: $3.50; Available now

It’s war, and I couldn’t yawn more. Vampires, werewolves, zombies, witches, The Headless Horseman versus fake GI Joes. Sounds like a sandbox from hell, doesn’t it? Just think, you can finally do something with your Abe Lincoln doll as this issue has the famous Abe sitting on the throne come to life to battle a Medusa! Now that was corny. So aside from the cool gadgets the fake GI Joes use to kill werewolves and vampires, this series is easily forgettable. Funny part is, a new series kicks off in July. I guess it did well in the sales department.

I think I understand what writer Ryan Schifrin was going for all along, using politics as a subconscious plight that nationalism is something to firmly believe in during this time of regret from our last voting displeasure, but it doesn’t make it enjoyable, much less a fantastic escape from reality. This is more like a Saturday morning cartoon done wrong. Too adult for kids, too childish for adults. If the monthly series heads into a mature direction, then this could be a good series. Just as long as every monster isn’t slapped together like it were a Subway Club sandwich with extra mayo. Gross, I know, and with a bad aftertaste. But Larry Hama can’t be counted out, so we’ll have to wait and see what the future holds for Spooks. Just stay out of the sandbox guys, alrighty?

Grade: C
Series Grade? C

Crawl Space: XXXombies #4 of 4
Written by Rick Remender
Art by Kieron Dwyer
Image Comics

“I’m a virgin.” I think that’s going to be my new pickup line because anytime you say it, girls flock like you just won a billion dollars and give everything to make you not a virgin anymore. Gosh, who’s worse in that scenario, right? Me or the willing foxy ladies? Doesn’t matter when you’re a zombie though. I think you’re pretty much screwed either way.

Crawlspace is an ongoing series much like Tales from the Crypt, but has more than one issue to tell a story, which is good. The first story, XXXombies, needed the space to spin a new tale within the tired genre of zombie invasions. That, and I’m glad there were four issues because there’s nothing better than porn and horror in this world. Well, maybe Chinese food and beerfests, but you catch my drift. So XXXombies wraps up with our virgin, Scott, getting the worst of it. Question is, I don’t know when. Was it the time when the nun held him at gunpoint just so she can give him oral pleasure before the zombies got to her, the foursome with three other adult entertainment stars, or when he met his demise right at the moment he became a man? And yes, I mean right at that moment.

This series was a blast, and I hope it returns to Crawlspace. Written by Rick Remender and art by Kieron Dwyer, XXXombies was an attempt to just go crazy in a world of porn and zombies, and it’s this freedom that really entertains the reader moreso than the $20 spent at the movies seeing a movie about, yawn, twenty-seven dresses. On top of that, you have no idea what’s going to happen on the next page, and the surprises just come out of nowhere. Remender and Dwyer need to continue this craziness because it’s addictive. A thrilling ride all the way through, XXXombies is a story for zombie lovers looking for something new, crude, and sexy. And I’ll drink to that. Cheers!

Grade: A
Series Grade? A-