Publisher: Dark Horse
So, this review is going to be a little different. Because DHP is an anthology, I’m going to rate and list the creatives for each story independently. Which may make a bunch of people hate me…
The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot
Words and Pictures: Geof Darrow Colors: Dave Stewart
Rating: 3.6/5
It’s new Big Guy and Rusty by Geof Darrow. Of course it’s amazing! Yes, each page is just a splash page but so what? It’s Geoff Darrow.
Though I would have liked more from the pin ups that followed.
Kabuki: The Psy-Chic
Words and Pictures: David Mack
Rating: 3.5/5
I’ve never read a single Kabuki story before in my life*. And David Mack is definitely an artist’s artist. Still, as much as he was pushing the limits, I understood the story he was telling. And, as he is a professional, it did seem to give me a deeper understanding of what was going on.
Resident Alien: The Sam Hain Mystery Chapter 1
Story: Peter Hogan Art: Steve Parkhouse
Rating: 3.5/5
I’ve been enjoying the Resident Alien stories so far. They’re a bit low key, a bit odd, but they’re enjoyable. They’re something different. It’s not your standard comic fare.
Dream Gang
Story and Art: Brendan McCarthy
Rating: 3.3/5
It’s Brendan McCarthy doing whatever he wants. So of course, it’s completely batshit insane. And that’s cool. Because it’s fun to see where it goes.
Wrestling with Demons
Story: Jimmy Palmiotti/Justin Gray Art: Andy Kuhn/John Rauch
Rating: 3.3/5
Father takes teenage daughter to ghost town. Ghost town is revealed to be demon infested with a literal underground fighting ring. I love it. The only thing I have against this story is that it (like many of the DHP entries) was clearly created as complete story and then cut to fit space. Which is nothing against the creators, but it would have be nice to see actual anthology pieces. As difficult as that is.
Sabretooth Swordsman: Colossal Casuals Crusade
Story: Damon Gentry Art: Aaron Conley/Joseph Bergin III
Rating: 3.0/5
Sabretooth Swordsman has appeared in some previous DHPs. And while I find the character/idea cute and decent, I’m not a big fan of it. But everyone deserves a chance to grow. Even fictional characters.