Category: Crime

The Crow Pestilence # 1 / Z-View

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The Crow: Pestilence #1 is published by IDW.

Writer: Frank Bill

Artist: Drew Moss

Colorist: Oliver Lee Arce

Cover Shown: James O’Barr

Juarez, Mexico. A young boxer, Salvador, refuses to take a fall, but has no problem taking a vicious drug gang’s pay-off. When they take their lethal revenge on the Salvador and his family, he returns as THE CROW, in search of vengeance…and forgiveness.

 

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The Good

  • J. O’Barr‘s cover.
  • This is Frank [Donneybrook] Bill‘s first job as a comic book writer!
  • I’m a Drew Moss fan and am happy to see his art on this series.
  • This incarnation of The Crow has an iconic back story and cool look.

The Bad:

  • Some people will be put off by the violence and profanity.
  • The story jumps between the present and the past and sometimes it wasn’t quickly clear where we were in the timeline.
  • Because of the [many] Crow incarnations some may find the story too formulaic.  I have faith that Bill Frank is going to put a unique spin on things as we progress through the tale.
  • Naming all the bad guys with “dog names” – Raw Dog, Flash Dog, Mange Hound and War Hound.

The Ugly:

  • What happens to Salvador when he crosses the guys who paid him to take a dive.
  • What happens to the guys who paid Salvador to take a dive when he comes back as the Crow.

The Crow: Pestilence #1  is a comic for mature audiences due to violence and language.  

Rating: 3 out of 5

Z-View: “Soylent Green”

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The Pitch: ”Hey, what about Charlton Heston and Edward G. Robinson in a big screen scifi film?”

“Let’s do it!”

The Tagline:  “What is the secret of Soylent Green?”

The Overview:   *** Beware –  spoilers are found below ***

The year is 2022.  The world is overpopulated and (thanks to climate change and pollution) without resources to house or feed most of the population.  The divide between the haves and have-nots has never been worse.  Most of the poor survive on rations provided by the Soylent corporation.

Charlton Heston plays a cop assigned the murder of a wealthy man with connections to the Soylent corporation and important politicians.  When Heston refuses to stop his investigation he becomes marked for death.

The Good

  • The state of the world without food, water, shelter and resources for any but the wealthiest is well done.
  • Leigh Taylor-Young as Shirl.  Chuck Conners vs Charlton Heston!
  • Edward G, Robinson in his final role.
  • The scene of Robinson and Heston enjoying a real meal of food Heston had confiscated.
  • Heston going to save Robinson and becoming mesmerized at the video playing.
  • The last line of the movie is a classic.

The Bad:

  • The state of the world.
  • The cops are crooked… including Heston.
  • How much people like Soylent Green.
  • The movie has a bit of a 1970’s futuristic vibe to it, but overall still holds up well.

The Ugly:

  • When your best choice is to check out.

 

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The Last Stand” / Z-View

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The Pitch: ”Hey, what do you think about having Arnold as the police chief of a small town up against a Mexican cartel? “

“Let’s do it!”

The Tagline:  “Not in his town.  Not on his watch.”

The Overview:   *** Beware –  spoilers are found below ***

When a Mexican drug cartel kingpin busts out of custody and makes a break for the border surrounded and supported by his hired killers, the only thing standing between him and freedom is a small town sheriff and a couple of green deputies.

The Good

  • I like the premise.
  • It is always great to see Forrest Whitaker, Luis Guzman and Harry Dean Stanton.  Arnold is Arnold!
  • The kingpin’s escape is well done.  The magnet was a nice touch as were the orange suited running men. [I really liked Forrest Whitaker’s interrogation scene with the Dutch soccer fan.]
  • There is plenty of action.

The Bad:

  • Some of the humor felt out of place [Arnold telling the diner people to leave, the “schmuck” line at the beginning and end of the movie, etc.].  Let Johnny Knoxville be the comedy relief and let everyone else play it straight.

The Ugly:

  • What happens when Arnold dives into you knocking you both off a two-story building.  And landing on a car with Arnold on top of you will be the least of your worries.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Upgunned by David J. Schow / Z-View

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Upgunned by David J. Schow

Jacket design and illustration Tim Bradstreet

Elias McCabe is having one hell of a night:  He gets kidnapped at gunpoint by a professional hit man and is forced to shoot blackmail photos of a prominent politician.  Things go wrong with the shoot… very wrong.  When the night is over, Elias is scared to death … and ten thousand dollars richer.

If he keeps his mouth shut.

But he doesn’t — and now the hit man has targeted him for payback.

As a desperate amateur in the games of death, Elias is up against a seasoned pro.  As his entire life slides into the abyss, he has to stay alive by inventing new ways, moment-by-moment, to avoid, misdirect, and finally confront his ever-more-determined murderer as corpses and collateral damage stack up coast-to-coast in their wake.

The Good

  • Upgunned sucks you in from the first sentence and never let’s up.
  • The lead characters:  Initially I was having a tough time deciding whether I was pulling for Elias [the photographer forced to become an accessory to blackmail and murder] or Chambers [the hitman “forced” to kill everyone involved in the blackmail gone bad including his partners].
  • The supporting characters, especially “Cap” Weatherwax and the freaks at Salon [midgets, a spidergirl, a crocman, and others.]
  • Schow does his research — you’ll learn a lot about guns, Hollywood movie-making and more, but never at the expense of the action.
  • Tim Bradstreet’s jacket design and illustration and yes, that is Thomas Jane on the cover!
  • Ken Mitchrooney [a comic book buddy from way back] is thanked in the Acknowledgements.

The Bad:

  • Chambers – I was pulling for the hitman despite him killing so many people until he did something even worse.
  • What happens to Chambers that prevents him from killing Elias straight away.

The Ugly:

  • What happens to Chambers’ partners.
  • Walking in a dark room with your eyes wide open.

Upgunned is for mature audiences due to excessive violence and sexual situations. 

Rating: 3 out of 5

10 Serial Killers That are Still on the Run

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Listverse posted a piece called 10 More Evil Serial Killers That are Still on the Run.

I thought the Vending Machine Killer was creepy…

At least 10 people were killed by the strange series of murders… The killer poisoned dozens of bottles of juice and soda and hid them in vending machines… dispensing chute(s). When someone bought a drink they would end up with two bottles and accept the unexpected drink as a stroke of luck. After a few mouthfuls, nausea would set in. After a day or two, breathing would stop. On top of the 10 dead, at least 35 people were poisoned but survived. Media coverage of the crimes was accused of inspiring copycats, one of whom left poisoned milk in schools…

Then I read about the Daytona Beach Killer.  An uncaught serial killer in my hometown trumps an uncaught serial killer anywhere else.

Jonathan Maberry and his Action/Horror Novels

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If you’re not a fan of Jonathan Maberry, it just means you haven’t read any of his action/horror novels.

The Big Thrill has a nice interview with Jonathan Maberry.  My guess is if you’re already a Maberry fan, you’ll really enjoy it.  If you’re not a fan, there’s a good chance that once you read the interview, you will be.

Z-View: Dead Body Road #4

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Dead Body Road is a six issue mini-series published by Image.

Writer: Justin Jordan

Penciler / Inker: Matteo Scalera

Colorist: Moreno Dinisio

Gage has taken one of his wife’s murderers captive in the back of his van. In pursuit is a fleet of bikers and other murderous ********.  Are you ready for an interrogation at 100 MPH?!

 

Dead Body Road #4  Last month I said “Great writing, great art and a crime/revenge story that moves.”  This was never more true than in this issue!  Justin Jordan and Matteo Scalera continue to be a team to watch.

The Good

  • Justin Jordan and Matteo Scalera continue to impress.  How do you create a comic book issue that consists entirely of a car chase [Ok. A van being chased by a motorcycle gang] without it becoming boring or repetitive?  Read this issue and you’ll know.
  • This is the first comic I want to read each time it comes out.
  • “Is he snoring?”

The Bad:

  • Some people are going to be put off by the violence and profanity.
  • Last month I asked: “Quint.  Is anyone badder?”  This month we learn the answer.

The Ugly:

  • There is a large panel that truly gross but appropriate to the story.

Dead Body Road #4  is a comic for mature audiences due to violence and language.  If you’re a fan of crime/revenge stories then this is for you.  

Rating: 5 out of 5

 

Z-View: Dead Body Road #3

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Dead Body Road is a six issue mini-series published by Image.

Writer: Justin Jordan

Penciler / Inker: Matteo Scalera

Colorist: Moreno Dinisio

Will a standoff in a diner lead Gage one dead body closer to his revenge? Or is it just a pit stop on the highway to Hell?

 

Dead Body Road #3  Great writing, great art and a crime/revenge story that moves.  Justin Jordan and Matteo Scalera are a team to watch.

The Good

  • Justin Jordan and Matteo Scalera have created a crime classic — and we’re just halfway into the story.
  • The comic feels real… or at least movie real.  It is full of violence, profane language, and takes us into a world where tough ex-cops seek revenge against thieves, murderers and motorcycle gangs.  I love it.

The Bad:

  • Some people are going to be put off by the violence and profanity.
  • Quint.  Is anyone badder?

The Ugly:

  • Not a single panel.

Dead Body Road #3  is a comic for mature audiences due to violence and language.  If you’re a fan of crime/revenge stories then this is for you.  

Rating: 5 out of 5

 

Everyone Knows “The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral”

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Everyone knows the story of The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

Well, let me rephrase that.  Everybody thinks they know the story of The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

You’d be surprised at how many people think the gunfight really took place at the O.K. Corral.  [As an interesting side note, had the Cowboys stayed at the O.K. Corral, they wouldn’t have broken any city laws by wearing their guns, which of course was the “reason” for the confrontation between the Earps, Doc Holiday and the Cowboys.]

If you’d like to read a short, detailed and well written account of The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, by Eddie Deezen, you can, thanks to Neatorama.

“Sabotage” / Z-View

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The Pitch: ”Hey, let’s remake Agatha Christie’s ‘Ten Little Indians’ as a gritty thriller starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.”

“Are you kidding?  No one will come to see that.”

“They will if we cut the trailers to make it look like an action movie!”

“Let’s do it!”

The Tagline:  “Leave No Loose Ends”

The Overview:  Forget what you saw in the trailers… or at least what you think you saw.

The trailers made Sabotage appear as a movie about an elite team of DEA agents led by Arnold Schwarzenegger who take down a cartel kingpin.  In retaliation for the bust, the team is set up to look as if they stole $10 million of drug money and Arnold’s wife and son are kidnapped by the cartel.  Following the set-up of the trailer, we wonder if someone on the team stole the money and will the team go to Mexico and save Arnold’s wife and son.

Well… that’s not exactly what the movie is about.

*** Beware –  spoilers are found below ***

Arnold is the leader of an elite team of DEA agents, but we learn very quickly that his wife and son were kidnapped, tortured and killed by Mexican drug dealers months ago.  We then see Arnold lead his team into a major drug raid that is exciting and violent.  Before the rest of the DEA force is brought in, Arnold’s team steals and hides ten million dollars.

Things go sideways when Arnold’s team goes back to retrieve the money and it’s gone.  To make matters worse the DEA realizes ten million dollars is missing and Arnold’s crew is suspect.  In addition to dealing with everyone suspecting them of stealing the cash, Arnold’s team has to wonder if the cartel is on to them or if one of the team members took the loot.  The stakes are raised when one by one the team begins to turn up brutally murdered.

The Good

  • David [Training Day, Street Kings] Ayer creates gritty cop thrillers and Sabotage is no exception.
  • The supporting cast which includes Sam Worthington, Joe Manganiello, Josh Holloway, Terrence Howard, Max Martini, Mireille Enos and Olivia Williams are excellent.
  • Sabotage gives us something different than expected.  I like that the trailer teased our expectations.
  • The movie feels real.  It is full of violence, profane language, and takes us into a world where brutality and death are ways of life.  This isn’t an action movie where dozens of people get killed and the hero quips one-liners.
  • I liked the ending.

The Bad:

  • Some people are going to be put off by the violence and profanity.  From what I had heard I went in expecting it to be much worse than it was. [Not that I wanted more.]
  • What happens when you cross drug dealers.
  • What happens when you can no longer trust your team.

The Ugly:

  • Parking on a train track.
  • Hanging out on the ceiling.
  • Not being able to see where you’re driving when you’re making an escape.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Schwarzenegger “Sabotaged” By Excessive Violence?

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Sabotage starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and directed by David Ayer opens today.  By all accounts Sabotage is very, very violent.  While I don’t mind a “R” rated film, some reviews indicate that Sabotage goes too far.  I plan to see Sabotage today and judge for myself, but too much violence will keep away viewers and is really unnecessary.

IMPAwards has several Sabotage character posters on display… and not a single one is overly violent.

7 Really-Creepy Unsolved Murder Mysteries

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If you get queasy reading about grisly murders you’ll want to skip this blog post about 7 Unsolved Murder Mysteries to Keep You Up at Night.  They include…

1. Hinterkaifeck… six residents of Hinterkaifeck, a small farmstead in Germany, were murdered with a mattock (a tool similar to a pickaxe)…And days before the murder, Andreas told neighbors he’d discovered a strange set of footprints in the snow leading from the forest to the home, but not back. He’d also heard footsteps in the attic, and a set of keys went missing.

2. Villisca Axe Murders… A string of axe murders across the country prior to and following the Villisca murders closely resembled each other (mirrors in the house were covered; gloves were worn by the killer; a basin in which the murderer washed himself off found in the kitchen), but were never officially connected…

 

3. The Axeman of New Orleans… an axe murderer killed eight people in New Orleans and surrounding communities, with more victims suspected… The Axeman published a chilling letter in the newspaper which, in part, read: “I am not a human being, but a spirit and a demon from the hottest hell. I am what you Orleanians and your foolish police call the Axeman. When I see fit, I shall come and claim other victims. I alone know whom they shall be. I shall leave no clue except my bloody axe, besmeared with blood and brains of he whom I have sent below to keep me company.” …

4. The Moonlight Murders… unknown serial killer called the “Phantom Killer” shot 10 people (five of whom died) in and around Texarkana…

5. Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run… The official victim count is 12, but investigators believe the true number is likely higher. The Mad Butcher was so named for beheading and dismembering his victims…

6. Jack the Ripper… Several letters purporting to be from Jack himself were publicized around the time of the murders, including the one that appointed the name “Jack the Ripper,” though this one was later said to be a hoax. Another letter, known as the “From Hell letter,” in which the author claimed to have fried and eaten half of a victim’s kidney, was thought to be authentic. Delivered with the letter was a small piece of human kidney in a box…

7. The Zodiac Killer… Among the correspondence sent by the Zodiac killer to newspapers were four cryptograms, only one of which has been definitively decoded. It reads, in part: “I LIKE KILLING PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS SO MUCH FUN IT IS MORE FUN THAN KILLING WILD GAME IN THE FORREST MAN IS THE MOST DANGEROU[S] ANAMAL OF ALL” (sic)…

Read the full article for all the facts… if you dare!