Hack / Slash Annual 2010: Murder Messiah – Review

By: Tim Seeley (writer), Jethro Morales (art), Mark Englert (colors) & Crank! (letters)

The Story: A proper introduction to the Hack/Slash universe (since the property moved to Image in Summer 2010) with two stories.  In one, Cassie Hack deals with a serial killer who it hitting close to home and in the future, we see a possible apocalyptic wasteland dominated by slashers.

What’s Good: Too much is made of “jumping on points” in modern comics.  The recently completed Hack/Slash: My First Maniac was such a jumping on point in that it didn’t make any demand that you had read any prior issues of Hack/Slash.  It was a LOT of fun, but at the same time, it probably didn’t do a whole lot for long-time Hack/Slash fans.    Well, this Murder Messiah Annual is not a classic “jumping on point”.  Mr. Seeley is flinging you right into the deep end of the pool and making you very aware that he’s already written 50+ issues in this universe.  If you haven’t read Hack/Slash before, you will understand a lot of what is going on, but you will also be a little confused.

Wait, why is this a good thing?  Well, don’t you hate it when you’ve been reading a title for 2-3 years and suddenly the creators decide they need to create a “new jumping on point” to make the series accessible for new readers?  When that happens, existing readers are forced to sit through a boring 6-issue arc that just chases its tail from a story point of view.  This stuff is why characters in mainstream superhero comics haven’t changed in 30+ years.  If this Annual represents the most Mr. Seeley is going to slow the car to allow folks to jump on, you know that you are not going to feel shat upon in 12 months when we have to have another “new jumping on point” (and again in 12 months after that).  So, don’t be a baby… Grab on and catch up as we go along or go find the back issues which are readily available in collected editions or digitally.