REVIEW: Madman's Two-4-One Special

Reviews: Madman

Dead of Winter #1

Writer: Kyle Starks
Illustrations and Colors: Gabriel Bautista
Letters: Crank

For the most part I’ve recently not strayed too far from the usual titles cemented on my weekly pull lists, due to the fact I’ve been funneling my extra money into other hobbies and the like. The other reason being my give-a-damn is busted. In my opinion there are far more crap books saturating the market then there are quality books…just my humble opinion. Sometimes even this Marvel fanboy needs to take a step back, catch his breath, and scrap the poo off his shoes.

In recent weeks, however, I’ve decided to venture into uncharted waters once again and explore some random books that I would otherwise left rotting on the shelf of my LCS. This book is one such curiosity I picked up. I had no clue what the book was about, in fact, I knew nothing of it other than the cover was pretty rad and curious at the same time. We have a cape wearing pooch licking blood off his paws as a horde of zombies approach from the background.
Now, I readily admit; I’m pretty zombied out at this point. Don’t get me wrong I still religiously watch The Walking Dead when it’s on the picture box and half-heartedly choke down an issue or two of TWD comic now and then, even that has my interests in the zombie genre waning. I had serious doubts about this book as soon as I pulled it from the shelf, but that dog…what’s up with him, and why is it wearing a cap?
I just had to know, so here we are.              

Other than the zombie overdose, my other reservation about this book came from the fact it was from Oni Press. I’ve had zero luck with Oni books and can’t even name one I liked off the top of my head. First off, the artwork in this book is absolute drek in every way. In fact, these are probably the worst zombies that have ever graced my eye holes, and the regular humans are just as bad. Someone needs to teach Gabo how to draw chins.
Nary a chin to be found.

That being said, the plot line of this first issue could’ve been taken straight out of TWD or any other zombie apocalypse in print or on film for that matter…except the cape wearing dog.
I won’t spoil the deal with the dog in case someone actually decides to buy this book for the same reason that I did, but I assure you will be disappointed on all fronts.

Elsewhere #1

Writer: Jay Faerber
Artist: Sumeyye Kesgin
Colorist: Ron Riley

I’ll read anything that Jay Faerber puts out, no questions asked. In fact, I’ve never read work of his that I didn’t like…not once. I’ve been reading Copperhead since the first issue and loved it from the beginning…
Near Death? Read it, loved it. So on and so forth, and after just the first issue I can safely say that Elsewhere will be no different.

The story is interesting and original, as Faerber’s work tends to be. Newcomer Sumeyye Kesgin’s art is pure eye candy across the board, and Faerber tapping Ron Riley again was pleasant surprise. Riley does the color work for Copperhead as well and his work is consistently fantastic.

Faerber has created a strange yet familiar fantasy setting and plopped real life historic figures into said setting and so far it’s so working. The first issue graces us with the presence of Amelia Earhart and DB Cooper.  It seems that whenever people come up missing in the real world they materialize here in Faerber’s world.
Sold. I am already hooked, line and sinker, with this one.
High five, Faerber.