Review: Purgatory Comics #1
There are literally thousands of comics on Indyplanet that never get read, including mine (Karl Vincent: Vampire Hunter for those who don’t know.) And I have decided to dedicate my comic reviews once a month to those little-known titles just aching to get discovered. The one I found interesting this month is a sequel to a movie you can find on YouTube. The first issue begins with a comic book signing at what appears to be a comic store or maybe a convention. Peter Whales is signing his work for erstwhile fans and is bombarded with complex questions about whether his current issue takes place in an alternate universe or not. He displays frustration and remembers a time when comic books were fun! His response reminds me of the William Shatner skit on Saturday Night Live where he asks fans to “get a life” after a nerd asks him about the ph. balance of the soil on Vulcan. Great stuff!
The Creative Team:
Ralph Suarez has his fingers directly on the pulse of those who take comic books way too seriously. Peter Whales experiences a lethargic (which is actually a way understatement) response to his fans and the comic book store owner is worried about his business based on what happened. Think Clerks meets Weekend at Bernie’s as our protagonist must deal with end of life issues. This is a great send-up/homage of the entire industry. I highly recommend this title as it’s unlike anything I’ve ever read.
Rafael Rivera never takes any of this too seriously as he brings us the panels in question as a cartoony take on the creators and has everything from cat’s who are lawyers to a JLA/Avengers knock off called the Revengers. The characters are obviously based on the real creators of the series and it’s a fun read made more enjoyable by the over the top drawings. Great Stuff.
In Conclusion:
The issue laments over every comic book cliché from how female heroes are dressed (or not) to code words and catch phrases like “Avenger’s assemble” and “Flame on.” If you enjoy comics but don’t take them too seriously this is an enjoyable read and free, digitally, on Indyplanet. It’s a delightful send up of the whole superhero genre as well as the current obsession with zombies. Get your copy today!
Purgatory Comics #1
Writer – Ralph Suarez
Art – Rafael Rivera
Colors – Warm Milk Crew
Letters – Ditto
Publisher – Warm Milk Productions
Publication Date – October 2015
About the Author
Kevin Given Kevin Given has studied with "Longridge Writers Group" and "Writer's Boot Camp" a speech/communications major from the University of Maine Presque-Isle/Orono sites. He has created the "Karl Vincent Vampire Hunter" franchise which includes 2 novels and 8 comic books. They can be found on amazon, Indyplanet and Kindle. For a limited time you can get digital copies of "Karl Vincent: Vampire hunter" #1 and "Files of Karl Vincent" #1 for free on Indyplanet. Kevin is producing the third novel in the series "Dracula Rising" (working title) and developing "Foul Blood" into comic book form.
