#353-#354 = ASSORTED CRISIS EVENTS #3 by Deniz Camp and Eric Zawadzki (Image Comics, May 2025) With Issue #3, the experimental ASSORTED CRISIS EVENTS realizes its’ potential in a huge way. Just like EC Comic’ various anthology series back in the 1950’s went beyond the quality art and story-telling to speak to topical issues of the times and make an implied statement about our society (like a mini-morality play) Camp and Zawadzki craft a story that reflects on global issues - especially within our country right now.
I am reminded of an old comics story that I once read in an EC paperback reprint that caught my eye from a drugstore book spinner rack back in the 1960’s. In it, an astronaut from Earth visits a new planet inhabited by two classes of robots, distinguished by color from blue to red. One class looks down upon the other, segregates and abuses them, until the astronaut helps them realize that both classes have equal skill sets, abilities, and other commonalities. When the astronaut returns to his spaceship and removes his helmet, we learn that he is a black man. Very powerful story-telling considering the segregation that occurred in the Southern U.S. then, and well into the early ’60’s.
In ASSORTED CRISIS EVENTS #3 there are a multitude of parallel worlds, specifically a small town on Hearth 1 and Hearth 2, both inhabited by “Hearthlings”. The town and its’ citizens are identical in every way (including names and families) except for one distinct difference. Hearth 2 is suffocating from global warming and is dangerous to remain there. The citizens look for a way out and find a portal leading them to Hearth 1.
Imagine opening your front door to be greeted by a family that appear to be duplicates of your family. At first, Hearth 2 residents are welcome and incorporated into the Hearth 1 community. Then, differences begin to appear, suspicion arises, followed by envy, resentment, and conflicts.
The mayor is the voice of reason: “Put yourselves in their shoes! Which are also our shoes!” His political opponent, speaks in opposition: “My question is, where does it end? . . . First, it’s Hearth-Two, next thing you know it’s Hearth-Three and Four, Hearth-52, Hearth-616 . . .”
I won’t spoil by going any further. This deserves several reads, especially for the creative use of mirror images. The left page showcases what happens featuring the point-of-view of Hearth 1 citizens. The right page mirror those scenes, but from the point-of-view of the soon oppressed Hearth 2 residents. Coloring by Jordie Bellaire and letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou also reflect the changes, becoming darker on the Hearth 2 pages.
Camp has crafted a tale that will cause readers to reflect on the current immigration “crisis/invasion”. Issue #3 is one of my favorite stand-alone, one-shot stories of the year and will most likely make the top list at year end. FIVE STARS.
#355-#356 = RED RANGE #1 of 4 by Keith Lansdale and JOK (Dead Sky Publishing, March 2025) If you like pulp-style action/adventure heroic stories, this should appeal to you. The story begins with action and ends with action, with some colorful art from Jok, also done in that old-school stylings with multiple panels per page.
However, we don’t learn enough about the two main characters here, because there really isn’t any flashbacks or backstory to get acquainted enough to care. Keith Lansdale should take some story-telling lessons from his famous father - Joe R. Lansdale.
I had to read the back cover text to learn that Range (who wears the red hood, and why is never explained) had his wife and child stolen by the Klan. In his quest to discover/rescue them and obtain justice/revenge, he becomes washed away to “a place filled with odd tech and creatures long forgotten.” A young castaway becomes his sidekick, also with no explanation for how they came to be together.
In a land of dinosaurs, they meet a man fleeing from barbarians riding dinosaurs, who they plan to sell to the occupants of a flying two-masted sea ship. Range meets the pirate queen operating the ship, who is also a refugee in this land and wants to recover a map and compass to find her way back. They decide to work together.
This is an exact reprint of the 2019 Red Range comic that was crowd-funded by It’s Alive (a spin-off company of IDW). Perhaps Dead Sky will complete the story and provide more explanations.
I don’t care. TWO AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#357-#362 THE GOD LIST original graphic novel by Steve Niles and Scott Hampton (Storm King Comics, July 2024)
With THE GOD LIST Niles and Hampton attempt to bring to the graphic novel format the same kind of mystery and suspense within an ancient religious backdrop that Dan Brown did so well with THE DAVINCI CODE and ANGELS AND DEMONS, although not with the same measure of success (not even close).
In the foreword, artist and co-writer Scott Hampton states that "Steve and I wanted to do something fresh that partakes of storytelling elements that lend themselves to a certain coziness while layering a heavy dose of the unexpected." I'd say they met part of those goals. I really don't know how anyone could feel cozy or comfortable reading this (unless you're a regular Dan Brown reader, which would make this seem familiar and comfy). A heavy dose of the unexpected? - - okay, I get part of that. But, when readers have no idea where the story is going (or why) then everything becomes unexpected - - I really can't say that I was surprised by any twist or turn of the story.
William Clark is a rare book dealer who gets a late-night knock on his door, to find a cloaked woman who hands him a wrapped parcel containing an ancient book. She tells him "if the book is destroyed the treasures will be lost forever." Then she disintegrates in front of him. Next, he gets a text message from an unknown female warning him to get out of the building, and save the book. He is being stalked by a religious cult, who apparently want to get their hands on the book. The caller turns out to be Lydia, an agent for a secret organization. (Later in the novel, she turns out to be someone entirely different, as does their primary foe - - but to say more would spoil it).
William is now in possession of the Book of Hours, a tome commissioned by God to note the inventory of select artistic masterpieces created especially for God and housed in an unknown secret museum. (Why God asked for this is never explained, and neither is why the religious cult wants it). William and Lydia travel to several sites within Europe in search of answers about the List’s origins, pursued by the cult and their vicious leader who likes to rip out hearts and eat them.
The ending is conclusive, but a little bit mundane as it tries for a happy resolution. (I'm trying to avoid using the word - "sappy".) The painted art of Hampton is interesting, and excels in visualization of street scenes of the various cities, outdoor settings and church interiors. But due to the painted look, many of the action scenes look forced and awkward.
A quick and entertaining read, but not really something that I would recommend. THREE STARS.
#363-#365 = SISTER IMPERATOR #1,2,3 of 4 by Tobias Forge and Corinna Bechko with art by Puste (Dark Horse Comics, March-May 2025) Three months ago, I did my best to help a comic shop owner/friend locate copies of Issue #1, which were impossible to find. Now, in May the issues are showing up in abundance and, of course, curious me wants to know more so I bought these.
The story springs from the world of Ghost, a Swedish hard rock band known for cosplay and theatricality. They wear long cloaks and adornments and resemble religious figures straight out of the Spanish Inquisition, all wearing masks. There is a lot of mystical lore created around them, including their membership in “The Clergy.” Sister Imperator is considered integral to the band’s lore, introducing them before concerts and participating in other functions. This four issue mini-series was created by Tobias Forge, the always-masked frontman of Ghost.
This starts out like a horror comic, with a corrupt evangelical priest being crucified upside down by Sister Imperator and almost killed before the police arrive. From that point on, the story centers on a journalist interviewing Sister in her jail cell, and learning her back story / origins.
I’m not going to detail everything, but she was dedicated to her father while growing up in Hartford CT (1953) with two equally loving twin sisters. Their father is murdered by the local minister, who blames it on Sister and then goes on to marry her mother. When the children rebel, he murders her little sisters and she get the blame a second time. She runs away from home, joins a circus, and later partners with a musician (Forge?) whose band she ends up managing. Throughout her life, she experiences haunting visions of her twin sisters in skeletal Halloween costumes.
Near the end of Issue #2, the journalist asks her what’s the point of telling all this backstory, and how does it relate to her almost murdering the priest? (Thanks, because I was getting impatient as well.) She replies: “who’s telling this story? You or me?”
Later, the band starts to catch on, she and her boyfriend attend a party where they are duped into assisting some vampires with a midnight snack (didn’t expect that scene!, but no further details were offered), gets the idea of masking the band in ghoulish makeup, and then gets pregnant, giving birth to twins (or was that a dream sequence?).
If you’re not a fan of the band, I can’t imagine why you’d want to read this. Still, I found it interesting and will most likely see this through to the end. I can’t figure out why Tobias Forge didn’t make this his own biography instead of Sister Imperator? That, at least, should have garnered a bigger audience. THREE STARS.
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