DEAD RABBIT REVIEW
EDITOR’S NOTE: Part of my personal mission for the Pop Culture Podium blog is to try and draw attention to deserving works, generally from smaller publishers, that don’t have the benefit of huge marketing campaigns or just get lost in the monthly glut of titles. I was suitably impressed after reading Issue #1 of DEAD RABBIT and considered it for a review. I decided to wait until after reading Issue #2 to see if the story held up or would succumb to the usual crime comics tropes. It’s a good story, and deserving of a larger audience - - although that’s now up in the air after the recent news.
There’s a New York City bar using the Dead Rabbit name that also is in possession of a registered trademark for use in comics and publicity. They also published a graphic novel based on historical data related to early Irish criminal gangs in NYC. So the bar sued both Image Comics and the Forbidden Planet chain of comic stores in NYC for trademark infringement and also selling the DEAD RABBIT comic. Since then, Image has recalled both Issues #1 and 2, and they’ve also been pulled from Diamond Distribution as well as all references to them.
Customers who bought the issues became aware of the increased value and put them up for sale. Naturally, some comic shops didn’t return the books, held onto them, and they showed up on eBay and other sites for rapidly rising prices, as much as $60 for Issue #1. The Comics Price Guide website currently has Issue #1 valued at $25 for a Near Mint copy, with Issue #2 still at the $4 cover price value. We’ll see if that changes.
The books get a RECOMMENDED rating from me. Perhaps Image will republish the series and continue it under a different name. It doesn’t appear to be that difficult, and the story wouldn’t suffer because of the change. Here’s hoping that occurs. Stay tuned. In the meantime, here’s a review of what most of us missed out on . . . . . . .
DEAD RABBIT #1 (Image Comics, October 2018 release date) Writer: Gerry Duggan. Artist: John McCrea. Colorist: Mike Spicer. Letterer: Joe Sabino
I love a good crime comic. This one wasn’t pre-ordered or even on my radar. It was an impulse buy pulled off the comic shop shelves (Captain Blue Hen, in this case), flipped through, and purchased. Here’s evidence of another good reason to visit a bricks-and-mortar actual shop to get your comics - - making discoveries.
The art team got my attention immediately: great facial expressions throughout, well done fight scenes, emotional moments, and creative coloring. The scattering of panels against a solid black background really makes them come to life. Shading the flashback scenes in just two tones is effective.
As the opening splash panel reveals, there’s nothing rabbit-like about the main character except for the name - - except for the clever cover title logo. The criminal’s outfit is a business suit, duckbill pub cap, and hooded black mask with red X-slits where the eyes should be.
Dead Rabbit was a “equal-opportunity offender, stealing from banks and drug-dealing criminals” in Boston during the ’90’s as a tv news program recalls his infamy until his disappearance in 1997. One crimelord, victimized by Dead Rabbit of a cool $12 million, still seeks retribution.
Why should readers root for a criminal, even if he is a loner? Because there’s plenty here to create empathy for Martin (a.k.a. Dead Rabbit). He’s a good guy, taking care of his crippled wife and trying to stretch the old stash of money to pay for the growing medical bills.
He takes a job at a big-box hardware/lumber store to try and identify some rich customers he can later rob. Instead, he spots a thug buying materials to dispose of a body, tracks the murderer to his hideout, and ends up publicly reviving Dead Rabbit. Now there are nasty people looking for him.
DEAD RABBIT #2 (Image Comics, November 2018 release date) Same creative team as Issue #1.
Martin Dobb’s wife Megan has a seizure and is rushed to the hospital. The text-free page where Martin dejectedly returns to the parking garage after receiving the bill for medical services is priceless — sheer agony on Martin’s face as he glances at the outrageous invoice.
Martin needs a big job to finance the hospital stay, and seeks out his former driver, Wheels. Except Wheels isn’t so reliable anymore. There’s a nasty accident that is beautifully choreographed across several pages.
Martin gets away, but has to get Wheels to a hospital, where he is later visited by some very inquisitive criminals.
I’d really like to find out where this is going. The groundwork has been laid for a great crime story. We can only hope that we’ll be seeing the continuation of this, under a new name.
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