terça-feira, 14 de fevereiro de 2012

Ferals #2 - No friends...

Ferals #2: When no one believes in Werewolves



I was surprised at how much I ended up liking the first issue of Ferals. It was my first time reading any of David Lapham’s work at Avatar and now I head into the second issue of Ferals. I was curious if I would end up liking the second as much if not more than the first issue. Gabriel Andrade was another part of why I had to hang on for another issue. This is my first time seeing his work and his art fits this story perfectly. Lapham’s story started as a murder mystery as Dale, A police officer, trying to figure out what happened to his friend, that reveals itself to be much more than just a murder mystery. Our second issue starts us off as Dale is recovering from his first meeting with the Werewolf. Dale’s world just gets messier from here.
As Dale resting in the hospital, the Werewolf factor is there yet just hovering in the background. David Lapham uses the classic, no one in the town believes that some animal killed these people story.  It works in this situation because when everyone that’s been killed is connected to you, no one is going to believe that you had nothing to do with it. Andrade’s way of showing Dale processing this make the scenes work that much more. As well as Andrade handles the Werewolf, he has a detailed, expressive style, that adds a quiet intensity to the person to person conversations. Dale’s escape scene from the hospital is a favorite of mine from the first half of the issue. painful to watch, yet you know it’s necessary.
As Dale is trying to figure out what’s happening, Lapham starts to reveal the changes that are happening within his character. When the Doctor looks him over, this is the beginning of you learning just what’s going on with Dale’s body. The changes are subtle, which I appreciate and you get the feeling you know how this is going to turn out. The doctor visit also has a sequence that if you’re squeamish you might not like. Though if you know what you’re in for already, it’s not too bad. The last part of Ferals is probably my personal favorite of the issue. An isolated police station, Dale trapped in jail, almost claustrophobic, and then the Werewolf makes an appearance. It’s visceral, powerful, and staged brilliantly. The ending of this issue, will have you wanting the next issue now.

To give a verdict on the second issue of Ferals, I liked it more than the first. Dale’s starting to become more fleshed out and therefore more interesting as a character. David Lapham is doing a take that’s a mix of police procedural, then diving into a twisted Werewolf tale. Now is it perfect? No, yet I find myself liking just what’s happening in this story. I’m interested enough to see just where this ends up going. Gabriel Andrade’s artwork is another aspect in why I like this as much as I do. Would I recommend this to everyone? If you like horror comics and don’t mind a good share of violence, you’ll more than likely like this book. If you’re squeamish, I wouldn’t recommend checking out Ferals. It’s not for the faint of heart. Outside I have to say, it is a good read. If you’re looking for a nice twist on the typical Werewolf story look no further than Ferals.

quinta-feira, 9 de fevereiro de 2012

FERALS #2

New This Week: FERALS #2

by KEITH DAVIDSEN on FEBRUARY 8, 2012
Ladies and gentlemen, we proudly present to viewing audiences everywhere the latest issue in David Lapham and Gabriel Andrade’s monstrous masterpiece (or is it masterful monsterpiece?), FERALS #2!
Available for purchase at the finest comic shops and specialty stores, FERALS #2continues the bloody, brutal tale of Officer Dale Chesnutt, a small town lawman drawn into an ancient culture of primal instinct and secrets worth killing over. Residents of Cypress, including his friends, are being hunted and torn apart by a fearsome beast. Reeling from the loss, Chesnutt is seduced by a mysterious woman, and becomes the target for the murderous, cunning werewolf that is terrorizing his town. Now, after suffering a terrible personal loss, Chesnutt finds himself a suspect on the wrong side of the law, and on a collision course with an animal that can eviscerate its prey with tooth and claw. How will our so-called hero survive?
What does David Lapham have to say about the monsters of FERALS? “Without revealing too much, this isn’t a take on the mystical werewolf, full moon and all that. This is about a different kind of person. There are different forms to them but they don’t change back and forth like the Hulk. A person who is feral could be your neighbor and you wouldn’t know it. He doesn’t change when he’s pissed or when the moon is full. The basic form starts with the idea of Alpha male on crack. There are several other tricks up a Feral’s sleeve, and we’ll see that and some other more altered forms of the Feral condition, but we’ll save that for the comics. The classic werewolf is about a monster. A monster story. This is a drama and a noir where the Ferals are a very real thing.”
We happily have a preview of issue #2 to show you. Check it out!
For folks curious about the new series, Lapham (best known for his work on Stray Bullets, Young Liars, and Crossed: Psychopath) also had this to add: “If you were longing for an HBO series about werewolves, forget that and buy FERALS. It’s everything that TV show would be if it existed — which it doesn’t — and more, because we have no rules. This is a solid series full of true horror and violence, and built on strong characters that has no limits in terms of where we take it. No limits. Plus Gabriel Andrade’s art, besides beautiful, is immersive. This guy was built for an ongoing and this series will suck you in.” Strong words from a beloved creator! Please, tell us you’re sold.
We are offering several different cover editions for issue #2, including the following:
FERALS #2 – Regular Cover
$3.99 Retail, Cover by Gabriel Andrade
Diamond Item Code: DEC110871
FERALS #2 – Gore Cover
$3.99 Retail, Cover by Gabriel Andrade
Diamond Item Code: DEC110872
FERALS #2 – Wraparound Cover
$3.99 Retail, Cover by Gabriel Andrade
Diamond Item Code: DEC110873