Rebel Blood #1 and Danger Club #1

Rebel Blood
Story by Alex Link and Art by Riley Rossmo

Yeah.

I read this comic twice because the first time I was baffled. The second time? Equally as baffled. This was the most confusing comic I have ever read and not in a good way. The story follows a loser fireman who is demoted and sent to a rural fire station as penance for a botched job. The story then alternates between hallucinations (daydreams, maybe?) and what’s really going on. It also incorporates the very familiar tale of some kind of zombie-like virus that is passed through bites and infects the wildlife and people. I wish I could say this is an interesting and original spin on something that is being rehashed to death right now. That’s be a bold faced lie. I honestly, don’t have anything else to say because once I closed the comic, I shook my head.

I also wish I could say “at least the art is good.” Nope. Sloppy art only hindered the story further. Chicken scratch with random colors splotched on it does not a good comic make. There was gratuitous gore but when it’s exceedingly difficult to make out character from character, it just feels lazy.

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you to not waste your $3 but just in case: DON’T WASTE YOUR $3!

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Danger Club
Story by Landry Q. Walker and Art by Eric Jones

This comic had a much better pretense. Three months ago all the superheroes were summoned to battle the ultimate evil and have not returned. Their children and students are left behind to deal with their powers, the general issues of growing up, and being without proper leadership…well, let’s just say some things go awry. Several super-powered teens are resentful of the growing faction of admirers of a particularly powerful adolescent named Apollo. Apollo is throwing a tournament to find champions “worthy” of being part of his elite, the New Olympians. His proclamation is met with many cheers and Apollo requests their worship and praise, much to the bristling of the small group against him. As Apollo continues to wax poetic, one of the teens, Kid Vigilante, takes matters into his own hands and hurls himself toward Apollo to stop his attempt at growing his army. The golden sun child clearly has the upper hand and Kid takes a beating as we catch glimpses of the other wayward teens starting their own fights. Apollo intends to sacrifice his once friend but just in the nick of time, Kid’s associate drops brass knuckles made out of some type of purpley moon stone that inhibits Apollo’s powers. The audience watches, shocked into silence as Kid beats down their leader into a bloody pulp before he addresses them. He implores them to take a look around and rethink following someone like Apollo when there’s still an evil out there looming. As he leaves, he activates an orbital defense satellite laser to blow up the area, ending the comic on a wonderfully dusty note.

Art wise, I dug the old school look of the first page. It had that cheesy 60’s feel to open up the story with a touch of nostalgia. The rest of the comic is beautifully done. I like the bits Eric Jones did for Hack/Slash (must read!) and for Elric: The Balance lost so I’m happy to see how nice the characters look here. My favorite panel, NAY, page has to be when Kid Vigilante uppercuts Apollo’s haughty ass. It’s fucking glorious.

Give this a try!