Hack/Slash #18 – Review

By Tim Seeley (Writer), Emily Stone & Kevin Mellon (Art), and Mark Englert (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The recently completed Re-Animator crossover left me itching for a stand alone, one-and-done Hack/Slash story about Cassie and Vlad taking care of some random slasher. Unfortunately, it looks like I may have to wait at least a little while for something like that. Why? Well, for starters, there is some serious character work to be done in the aftermath of the crossover. In addition, a few overarching plot threads are in serious need of some advancement. Luckily, it looks like Hack/Slash #18 is going to start dealing with those very issues so that the series can get back to what it does best sooner rather than later.

The Story: Picking up shortly after the traumatic events that involved Dr. Herbert West, the latest Hack/Slash finds Cassie and Vlad at a crossroad of sorts. Both characters question the status of their relationship and how they exist in the world in general. Vlad takes his questions to the bar where he finds himself facing off against a plethora of guest stars. Cassie, thanks to Vlad, spends some quality time with her lady-friend Georgia. Meanwhile, the demon from another dimension introduced last issue on a rampage in search of Cassie and the dog-like alien currently living with Cassie’s friends.

What’s Good: Tim Seeley’s character work for both Cassie and Vlad is incredibly effective considering how easily it could have come off as forced or overly dramatic. It’s next to impossible not to feel for the characters in some way, especially considering what went down over the past few months. As for the visuals, the best thing in the issue is Vlad’s brawl with a number of familiar comic characters. It’s a fun, well-choreographed surprise among all the weighty themes.

What’s Not So Good: The whole alien dog storyline just doesn’t do it for me as a whole. It has been going on for a while now and to this very day, it still seems out of place in a series so heavily based around the things that make the horror genre so fun. Hopefully the arrival of the demon-warrior thing signals the beginning of the end for that particular plot thread, because it feels like it just gets in the way of the good stuff.

Conclusion: Hack/Slash #18 is very good when dealing with Cassie and Vlad. On the other hand, it definitely loses a bit of momentum anytime anything else takes the spotlight. That said, the good most definitely outweighs the bad in what ultimately amounts to a strong, character-driven issue of an entertaining series.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Hack/Slash #16 – Review

By Tim Seeley (Script & Story), Barry Keating (Story), Emily Stone (Art), and Matt Englert (Colors)

The Story: Cassie Hack finally gets a chance to speak with her long lost father face-to-face. Meanwhile, Dr. Herbert West (of Re-Animator fame) continues his experimentation with the body of the Lunch Lady, Cassie’s slasher mother.

What’s Good: Hack/Slash, as a series is at its best when dealing with what made the series a hit in the first place, namely slashers. I mention it because Hack/Slash #16 is definitely at its best when slashers figure into the dialogue or action. Tim Seeley and Barry Keating bring an interesting twist to the slasher formula by attempting to break down their very nature through the discussion between Cassie and her father concerning Mr. Hack’s former line of work.With the well-written guest appearance by Dr. West (I can almost hear Jeffrey Combs speaking his lines), this book serves as a very satisfying read for any horror fan.

What’s Not So Good: The fact that the issue as a whole is extremely hit or miss. The artwork suffers from a few odd angles and the same facial inconsistency that continues to plague the series. I enjoy Emily Stone’s work for the most part, but the same type of artwork snags continue to pop up. On the writing end, my biggest complaint is that Cassie’s reunion with her father falls a bit flat. It feels both rushed and incredibly generic, making it fall a bit short of packing the emotional punch needed to make it resonate with readers.

Conclusion: I was hoping for a bit more from this crossover as a whole, but I have to give credit for how well it is succeeding in advancing the overall plot of the series in a natural manner. There is some good stuff in this issue, and it only looks to get better. I just wish Dr. West functioned as more than just a plot device.

Grade: C+

-Kyle Posluszny

Hack/Slash #15 – Review

By Tim Seeley, Barry Keating, & Brian Yuzna (Story), Emily Stone (Art), and Mark Englert (Colors)

I was sold on the Hack/Slash Vs. Re-Animator crossover the moment it was announced. Two of my favorite comic characters against an 80’s horror icon? Sign me up! Now, the fanboy in me loves that the tone, use of continuity, and characterization are spot on. The critic in me is forced to acknowledge the slow burn storytelling, disappointing artwork, and the sense (so far) that Dr. West seems to exist more as a storytelling device than the classic character he is.

The storyline for this crossover arc is, surprisingly, quite continuity heavy. It mostly revolves around clearing up the mystery surrounding Cassie’s father (going by the clever alias of Gordon Stuart) as he assists in Dr. Herbert West’s quest to “cure” death. Cassie and Vlad play a fairly minor role in the issue as their scenes mostly center around the search for Mr. Hack. It is a slow and fairly uneventful issue, but it works rather well putting the plot pieces in place. I can’t help but wish that the story wasn’t so steeped in continuity though. While Dr. West’s appearance feels shockingly natural given both Hack/Slash and The Re-Animator storylines, I wish he had gotten some chance to interact with the main characters. At least for this one issue, he feels more like a (well written) plot device than a villain. I hope there is some sort of confrontation before this is all over or else the Herbert West appearance will have been wasted.

I can’t stress enough how well written Dr. West is. Tim Seeley absolutely nails the character and manages to fit him into the Hack/Slash world in an incredibly smooth manner. As for the rest, it’s standard Seeley stuff. He writes a well told story, good character interactions, and clever in-jokes.

Emily Stone’s artwork is solid though somewhat underwhelming. Everything has a somewhat sketchy look to it and the coloring does nothing to hide it. While I generally enjoy her style, I just don’t feel that it fits the story well this time out. Still, as a whole, it’s a book that presents well.

Hack Slash #15 is a solid start to what I hope will turn into a great story. The necessary background is given, the pieces are moved into place, and the guest-star is (for the most part) used quite well. While not quite as strong as I was expecting, it holds loads of potential. Hack/Slash and horror fans in general should make sure to give this one a look. (Grade: B-)

-Kyle Posluszny