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Published by: Image Comics
Released on: Oct. 1, 2014
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Mike Henderson
Cover artist: Mike Henderson
Purchase at Amazon
The first five issues of the ongoing Joshua Williamson/Mike Henderson-created serial killer horror tale are collected in these very pages, so if you missed them the first time around here's your chance to catch up. Issue #6 of the series came out the same day as this volume, so jump on now if you still haven't. The book's insides are separated by issue number using the cover used for that particular issue as a chapter break of sorts. And as a bonus at the book's end is a cover gallery, featuring all the variant covers, including different covers for second prints. Without further delay, in a nutshell, here's what the story is all about so far.
Detective Eliot Carroll became obsessed with solving a case of an unusual type, and one he became obsessed with after he captured a serial killer by the name of Edward Charles Warren. Warren's m.o. was to kidnap people who chewed their nails, wait for them to grow out, and then he chew them off down to bare bone. Oh and then kill them. But that particular case isn't what fascinated Carroll; it was the fact that Warren's hometown of Buckaroo, Oregon was the birthplace of 16 of the world's worst serial killers, according to owner of the Murder Store right there in town.
Carroll calls his old buddy from Army Intelligence, Officer Nicolas Finch, and begs him to come out to Buckaroo, where Carroll had been working feverishly on his investigation. He thinks he's cracked the case off the Buckaroo Butchers, but needs Finch to fly out there to see it for himself. When Finch gets there the very next day, Carroll has gone missing. With the help of the local badge Sheriff Crane, Finch starts searching for his friend and gets deeper into the same pit of horror that Carroll got himself into, and it includes having to deal with acquitted serial killer Warren. People begin to turn up murdered, Warren is blamed, but it isn't the work of a single person, or so it seems, and that gives Finch and Crane something else they have to deal with as well. And someone wants the two law enforcement officials dead, so there's that to contend with too.
And that's all you're getting here for story info. There is so much more going on in these pages, so just get the book and trust us; it's very much worth reading. Some of it is goofy, like a few of the 16 serial killers that are talked about (not all 16 are revealed as yet), but for the most part it's a high octane story that lets up enough for some important info, but Williamson doesn't dilly-dally around too much. He maintains a great pace and has created a couple of good characters in Finch and Crane. Warren is a dick, as he should be, and Williamson does a great job with not making the character likeable, but still makes him interesting enough to want to see where he ends up.
Mike Henderson's artwork is incredibly appealing, and his facial expressions are right on the money for bringing out a lot in a single panel. It might remind one, in that aspect, of Steve Dillon's work Preacher from the 1990s. His eye for detail is sharp, but his pencils aren't cluttered up with too much and it works so well with Williamson's words. His talent for drawing violent imagery should satisfy those looking for some blood and guts, and his panel construction lends itself to some great visual moments. The coloring is proficient, but in all honesty doesn't add much to elevate the story any further. Issue Five has the first three pages in grayscale (aside from a little red) and to be honest the whole book could have that look throughout and the overall satisfaction level would not suffer for it. Henderson's work is that effective.
Do yourself a favor and pick this up if you haven't already. Things are really kicking in to high gear with the story and it really is 100 percent entertainment.
