Written by W. Maxwell Prince
Artwork by Martín Morazzo
Colors by Chris O’Halloran
Letters by Good Old Neon
Cover A by Morazzo & O’Halloran      
​Cover B by ​Juan Ferreyra
 
As my faithful readers well know, I have been becoming more and more displeased with this series with every issue that comes out.  In a recent review, I posed the theory that the writer might be going through some personal issues.  I am now revising that theory on the basis that this issue has provided me more insight. I now have a suspicion this guy has got to be either on some heavy-duty serious pharmaceutical grade LSD type stuff OR he’s going way out of his way to tiptoe around making some sort of political statement and doesn’t want to be razzed for coming right out and saying it, so it does it in an abstract and roundabout way, so he can cover his ass.
 
So, this issue is a part two to the last issue.  To me that means that if you want part one to be completed or make sense you need to read part two.  However, part one was all in English.  Also, it was definitely NOT a stand-alone comic story.  THIS issue, the first seven pages are in Spanish.  I have nothing against Spanish or Spanish speaking people.  I love foreign languages, I love accents, I’m fascinated by other cultures and traditions.  (I’ve always wanted to be multi-lingual.  I took French in high school.  Little did I know Spanish would have been so much more beneficial, especially in a career.)  But, I don’t read or speak Spanish so I felt like I was watching a foreign film with no subtitles.  
 
I bring that up as a complaint ONLY because if you are going to tie two issues together and make it apparent that they are story dependent on each other, you might want to make them both in the same language.  Honestly, I could have just as easily purchased a copy in German and been just as successful.  (However, had it been in French, I may have had better luck.)
 
The story…hmmm…did it tie into issue nine?  Loosely, I guess.  These stories are getting stranger and stranger.  This issue would have been okay as a stand-alone.  But, like I said, I think this writer is really starting to turn away from the horror aspect and fall into, well, I don’t know what.
 
This story was about a white guy and a Hispanic girl that fall in love.  Now this guy is arguing with another man who I believe to be his brother.  Apparently she is already promised to a General or something like that.  The brother is telling the guy in love that it’s not going to work out the way he wants it to or thinks it will.   Anyways, the two lovebirds make plans to run away to the United States together but, her Aunt rats them out to the General.  A fight ensues between the two men for the hand and fate of the girl. Unfortunately, her true love dies in the battle for her freedom.  And in all her love stricken grief, she turns to her lover’s brother for comfort, showing up unannounced at his home, saying she had nowhere else to go.

Nice girl, huh?  I always thought brothers of boyfriends and former boyfriends were off-limits.  Isn’t that like an unspoken rule or something?  Or am I being old fashioned here?
 
Still, I have NO IDEA what this has to do with the nonsense from issue nine and I don’t care enough to go back and try to figure it out.  These guys better get back to the Ice Cream Man tricking and killing people or they will have lost a reader for good.
 
RATINGS
Overall 2.5/5
Artwork 3/5
Story 2/5

Writer/Letterer: Joel Rodriguez
Artist/Cover Artist: Roman Gubsky
 
This was a fun a different kind of comic to read for a change.  It still had the horror aspect with a little gore.  Yet, it was more nostalgic of childhood fears and thoughts, bringing those same mental processes to life right before your very eyes, bold and in color, leading you down the path NOT chosen.
 
We all had that moment of thinking our parents would be served right if something bad happened to us…or them.  It was a flash in the pan thought but, you’re lying to yourself if you say you didn’t think it sometime between the ages of oh, say, 5-10 years old.  It’s the same thing as in “A Christmas Story” when Ralphie thinks he’d be the winner against his folks if he went blind because of LifeBuoy soap poisoning.  
 
In addition to wanting that revenge for being displeased and angered by our parents, almost all of us feared SOMETHING at one time or another in our childhood…basements, the dark, bugs, snakes, the deep end of the pool, monsters in the closet or under the bed, the dangers that lurk in the woods.
 
The genius makers of this comic book have put together something really for all ages, in my opinion but, then again, I’m totally confused on censorship nowadays. Besides, cartoons have always had violence in them, not to mention slapstick comedy and then you have the news, which we beg kids to watch for what used to be called Social Studies in school.  (I’m not saying let children watch The Exorcist or Saw, I mean, have some common sense.  But, don’t tell me that comic books are not okay and regular TV programming is, have you SEEN the crap on television these days???)  Anyways, I’m getting sidetracked…back to the geniuses!!!
 
These guys have taken the most common thoughts of the most common children and formed them into a comic book series that anyone can relate to and enjoy.  (Unless you’re just a complete moron or outcast from another planet in another galaxy far, far away perhaps.)  The writing is short and sweet, concise and clear.  The addition of levity brings the humorous relaxation of comic relief as we read and remember our own childhoods, smiling in the assurance that no such things happened to US as children.   The artwork completely fits the theme of the comic and I salute the guys for that.  Even though most of the short stories take place at night, the colors are still well used, giving the book a good look and feel, not dull and lifeless.  Plus, it read extremely fast and caught a smile on almost every page.
 
While right now this is only in digital format, the guys have a KickStarter campaign going to help raise funds for the first print run of the comic book.  I have included all of their website and social media information below.  Please feel free to visit them and contribute.
 
Kickstarter campaign - duskcountychronicles.com
Facebook - Metal Ninja Studios - facebook.com/metalninjastudios
Facebook - The Dusk County Chronicles - facebook.com/DuskCounty
Instagram - instagram.com/metalninjastudios
Twitter - twitter.com/MNinjaStudios
 
 
RATINGS
Overall 5/5
Artwork 5/5
Story 5/5

Story: Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco, Dave Franchini
Writer: Howard Mackie
Artwork: Renzo Rodriguez
Colors: Fran Gamboa w/ J.C. Ruiz
Letters: Fabio Amelia
 
In keeping with their theme of twisted tales and urban legends, the people at Zenescope and the makers of Grimm Tales of Terror take the four hundred plus year mystery of The Lost Colony of Roanoke and turn it into a fantastic tale of the environment versus an evil corporation wreaking havoc on the environment.
 
We have a big, bad energy company tearing down trees and poisoning the earth through the fruits of his business.  The President and CEO couldn’t care less and his wife, who is also a real piece of work (drunk or sober) thinks that taking out the trash is pitching it in the river behind their mansion-like house.  Couple of real winners in society huh?  They both are killing the earth and environment and neither care.  In fact, the hubby is outraged that the forest isn’t being chopped down as fast as he wants it to be and starts raising holy hell in hopes that people will get their butts in gear and get the work done.
 
And yet, while walking to their car one night they are approached by a man, an activist, a person that touts a careful warning that they should stop what they are doing. But, like most rich egotists, they don’t listen.
 
So, what happens to the rich and stupid when they poison the earth and seek to destroy?  We could wait for the end of this presidential term to find out OR you could just read this issue and find out for yourself.  It IS much faster and will probably be more satisfying, from what I can tell.
 
RATINGS
Overall 5/5
Artwork 5/5
Story 5/5

Written and Created by WRGII and R. Lopez
Illustrated by Neal Anderson
Cover Art by Mark Bloodworth
 
Okay, so I’m gonna keep this short as not to give anything away.  I do want to tell you that this is a series that is steadily building.  With each new issue the plot thickens and the story becomes more emotionally charged than it already was.  We’re at issue three of four and it seems that the final issue is going to be a doozy.  
 
This issue was packed with blood and violence.  This, of course, comes on the heels of almost non-stop action at the flip of every page. I love the brooding main character, seemingly pushing himself through the world, anger and vengeance guiding his way. A vigilante of sorts, making his way to those he finds unredeemable, unworthy and unloving.  He’s determined to dispense his own version of justice, no matter what the cost, even to himself.
 
The idea of a sole vigilante dispensing his own justice is a favorite of mine.  It reminds me of The Punisher.  A lone man doing wrong in the hopes of doing right in the bigger picture. What I find so intriguing is how Nightcall is centered around so much violence and vengeance and it spirals out from there.  It makes the story incredibly heavy and dark and truly carries the whole weight of the series.
 
The artwork is still awesome as well.  It remains simple yet, pure and effective.  The hard lines and black and white color scheme give an interesting psychological feel to the essence of the tale as our character sees what he is doing in a kind of black/white, right/wrong way.  As if there is no gray area, only right and wrong, only black and white. The bulk of what color we do get is the in your face impact of red that is sometimes splashed in a scene here or there. But the true genius I am finding out, and I don’t know if it was intentional or not, is the parallel between the character’s thinking and logic and the style of the artwork.
 
I don’t have the final issue yet but, it’s coming.  These guys aren’t going to leave us hanging.  You can visit them at crudecomicsinc.comto get this series and others.
 
RATINGS
Overall 5/5
Artwork 5/5
Story 5/5

Part One: Western Story
 
Written by W. Maxwell Prince
Art by Martín Morazzo
Colors by Chris O’Halloran
Lettering by Good Old Neon
Cover A by Morazzo and O’Halloran
Cover B by Kyle Smart
 
Guys, I’m not going to spend a lot of time on this review and I’ll tell you why from the very beginning. There really wasn’t anything in this issue to write about.  I’m not sure what is going on with this author but, he’s almost pulled a bait and switch on his readers here.  The first few issues were full of horror and violence, full of gore and evil.  Now, it seems like we’ve gotten stuck in his world of a depressive search for more meaning in life.  No offense people, but if he wants to go on a philosophical journey to find a deeper meaning to his existence on this planet, he surely doesn’t have to drag the rest of us through the dirt along with him.  Now, not only are we not getting any horror, this series has turned into a family drama series with a father and two feuding brothers at the helm.
 
While the artwork and coloring still remains fairly stellar, the writing is becoming more dull and listless with every turn of a page.  I’m truly starting to wonder if I am just throwing my money away by continuing to purchase this series.  Luckily, I can still find SOME value in the artwork so at this point it’s not a total loss. Yet, with every issue I acquire I feel more and more discouraged and let down.  I mean, when did a depressing family dynamic with no violence or blood become the qualifier for a horror comic?
 
Before you go waste YOUR money on anything in this series, take my word for it and DON’T.  I’ve already wasted mine.  Plus, it’s ten minutes spent reading something I wish I hadn’t read and that I’ll never get back.  Too many more issues like this and I’ll be axing this series from my collection completely.
 
RATINGS
Overall 3/5
Artwork 4/5
Story 2/5