Hack/Slash #1 – Review

By: Tim Seeley (writer), Daniel Leister (art), Mark Englert (colors), Crank (letters) & James Lowder (editor)

The Story: Cassie, Vlad and gang are back!

What’s Good: Tim Seeley does a great job of making this issue “new reader friendly” but without making his loyal readers feel like they’ve gone back to kindergarten.  He pulls this off by giving us 2-pages of character synopsis (picture + 1 paragraph) for the major characters and then just having the characters do a little more exposition than is normal.  All comic readers know that Seeley is walking a tightrope with this type of issue, but he nails it.  New readers and old readers alike are going to love this.

If you’ve never ventured into the world of Hack/Slash, you should really check it out if you’re at all fond of 80’s slasher/horror movies.  The main character is a young woman named Cassie Hack who, along with her monstrous sidekick Vlad, hunts and kills slashers.  There is a lot of other goodness buried in the ~40 previous issues of Hack/Slash, but that’s the basic story: hunting and killing slashers in bloody ways and never being afraid to have the ladies wear revealing clothing.  This issue has plenty of those staples as well as tons of comic relief courtesy of Vlad and his hopelessly naive sensibilities about women and the world.  Toss in the fact that this creator-owned comic is doesn’t chase its own tail like Marvel/DC superhero comics and you have a winner.

This particular adventure is a classic as Cassie and Vlad are after a lover’s lane killer who isn’t all he/she seems.  Plus, while we’re getting our arms around that pretty straight forward story, Seeley gets us up to speed slowly on everything else that is going on with the supporting characters.  Bravo.

Daniel Leister’s art does what it needs to do.  He draws a couple of horribly bloody scenes (with a strong assist from the colorist) and a couple of other really screwed up panels (one of the killers victims is half-dissolved in a hot tub of acid or lye or something).  And he also draws the pretty ladies really well.  That’s kinda what it takes to be the artist on Hack/Slash.  It isn’t JH Williams, III type art, but it isn’t trying to be and nor should it be.

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Hulk #29 – I’ve gushed about Parker and Hardman on this title before: Fast moving story with awesome linework.  But, I’d also like to show some love to Bettie Breitweiser’s coloring.  She colors the hulks so that they look like they are covered in actual SKIN and not highly polished/waxed metal.  Wish everyone colored this way!  Very pretty.  Runner-up: Spider-Girl #3 (for being ambitious and not a typical teenage girly comic)

Most Anticipated: Hack/Slash #1 – If you haven’t read the first volume of Tim Seeley’s creator-owned series, (a) what’s wrong with you and (b) now is your chance to jump on!  I love reading the adventures of Cassie Hack and her intrepid companion Vlad as they deal with demonic beasties and slashers.  This is just the thing for us desensitized people.  Yeah!

Other picks: The Walking Dead #81, Amazing Spider-Man #654, Incognito: Bad Influences #3, Haunt #13, 27 #3

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Secret Six #30 – As good as Sweet Tooth #18 was, I’ve got to go with Secret Six this week.  Despite being the first issue in a crossover I’ve been down about with a title I couldn’t care less about, this issue was just so much fun and was the funniest comic I’ve read in a while.  There are so many great, hilarious lines in this one and the new villain is utterly ridiculous on so many levels.  Even if the Doom Patrol were meh, Bane made up for it with ease.  That said, I wonder how long a title called “Secret Six” can go on with eight members.

Most Anticipated: THUNDER Agents #4 – I’ve been absolutely loving this new title by Nick Spencer.  The art is tremendous and it’s one of the smartest books around.  I’ve really been enjoying Spencer’s decision to start out the series by giving each member a sort of origin issue.   He’s done such wonderful jobs on his issues about Lightning and No-Man that I can’t wait to see what he has in store for Dynamo.  And hey, George Perez is drawing some stuff this month.

Other Picks: Punisher MAX #10, New Avengers #9, Amazing Spider-Man #654, The Walking Dead #81, The Flash #9, Wolverine #5.1, The Unwritten #22, Secret Warriors #24

Hack/Slash #1: Halloween Treat – Review

By Tim Seeley (Writer), Emily Stone (Art), Courtney Via (Colors), Stefano Caselli (Intro Pencils), Sunder Raj (Intro Colors), and Sam Wells (Journal Entries)

The Story: A re-print of the very first issue of the Hack/Slash ongoing series, this “Halloween Treat” is an origin tale loaded with special features. In addition to the the full #1 issue, the book features a peek into Cassie’s diary (useful for catching up on some Hack/Slash history), a “slasher” checklist,” and more.

The origin tale is told as Cassie is bound to a chair and tortured while her skinless captor assesses her psychological state and how she came to hunt down “slashers.” If you ever wanted to know about Cassie’s family, her first meeting with Vlad, or how she became the character she currently is, this is the place to look.

What’s Good: This is how you make a re-print worthwhile for both new and current readers. The #1 issue alone is worth the price of admission thanks to a smart, compelling plot scenario and great artwork, but the special features are what push this one into must-buy territory.

What’s Not So Good: There is no denying that Cassie’s past follows a very familiar trajectory. For a series that succeeds in differentiating itself from the more conventional hero stories, the origin of Cassie is surprisingly predictable. Also, on a more personal note, this re-print made me realize how much I miss Stefano Caselli’s Hack/Slash work.

Conclusion: A perfectly executed re-print, Hack/Slash #1: Halloween Treat is a must have for fans and a great read for those that have yet to give the series a shot.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny