[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Publisher: Ahoy Comics

Writers: Brian Schirmer and Paul Constant
Art: Ryan Kelly and John Lucas
Colors: Paul Little and Filipe Sobreiro
Letters: Rob Steen

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

Death is voted President of the United States of America and Edgar Allan Poe gets a visit from a demon who exposes the horrors of the future internet!

Positives

Both “Putting the ‘D’ in ‘DC,'” and “Silence, A Fable” are clever explorations of satire on contemporary America.  “DC” is in the political vein as the United States votes Death into office as the President.  Death is the traditional representation in the black hooded skeleton.  While it’s clear that this is a commentary on recent American politics it also makes a point in the conclusion that when we approach elections as a joke that even the prankster can have a hard time finding a way out.  There’s a real message that underlies the humor, take elections and political leadership seriously.  This extra step lifts the story above the basic satirical tale.

Next up in Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #6 is “Silence, A Fable.”  This features Poe as he learns about the “horrors” of the modern internet and social media.  The story doesn’t take a position on any of the social media types Poe encounters other than demonstrating that there is no way to achieve the silence Poe is looking for on the internet.  It’s juxtaposed with Poe’s disdain for the noisy public houses of his own time.  That’s where the story begins.  This also creates a throughline that shows how people have always needed silence.

Negatives

There are no obvious negatives to this issue.  It may not be what you’re into, but it’s done very well.

Verdict

Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #6 is a strong finish to this run of the Poe Snifter series.  The stories are genuinely humorous and entertaining and say something significant about their subject matter.  If you’ve been dismayed at American politics or felt unable to escape social media you’ll find yourself in this issue.

The post Indie Comics Review: Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #6 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Publisher: Ahoy Comics

Writers: Kirk Vanderbeek and Norm Fields
Art: John Proctor, Shane Oakley, Joel Ojeda & Juan Castro
Letters: Rob Steen

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #5 features a guilty mourner in “A Pound of Flesh” and an investigatory acid trip in “Postal.”  There are a couple of definite themes in this issue that also reappear in the text stories by Blake Nail and Vickie Smalls.

Positives

It’s interesting that the themes of death and drug use tie all the stories in this issue together.  It shouldn’t be surprising I suppose, but it feels different from previous issues in this way.  Poe obviously wrote about death and was a known heavy drinker- that’s been lampooned in this series consistently.   Poe is also believed to have abused opium, research seems to vary.  Tying an issue together with these themes seems obvious, but it’s just as curious leading one to ask, “Why now?”  It’s not to say that these themes aren’t present in other issues, but rather it’s the way they seem to tie this particular issue together.

The buildup in both “Flesh” and “Postal” both seem to be stronger than the resolutions.  Once you figure out what’s going on, you are waiting for the shoe to drop.  There’s a sufficient amount of tension in both the stories, as well as intrigue- you genuinely want to know what’s going on.   This is assisted by the respective artists John Proctor and Shane Oakley.  Proctor also gives us an establishing shot of the exterior of a pub in the rain that’s fantastic!  “Resurrectland” by Blake Nail is probably the strongest story.  Once you figure out the twist, it’s all over, but it comes late enough in the story that it functions very well.  “The Dope Man Cometh” by Vickie Smalls is similar and a thought-provoking tale as well that suggests there could be a larger story to be told.

Negatives

“Flesh” and “Postal” need more “oomph” on their endings.  “Postal” in particular is a bit obtuse.  Did he figure it out, or did the acid just make him think he did?  Perhaps, that’s the commentary in the story.  Both have the sense that something is missing, another element to make the endings work. 

The third installment of “True Tales from the Life of Edgar Allan Poe” is all too brief.  Unlike his encounter with Robert Louis Stevenson, last issue, meeting H.G. Wells doesn’t provide the same humorous twist.  “Attack of the Fifty Foot Poe” seems more likely to be connected with a B-Movie director from the Fifties rather than the British novelist known for work as an innovator in the science fiction genre.

Verdict

Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #5 is a bit of a mixed bag.  There are some interesting big ideas but the details don’t play out as one might like.  

The post Indie Comics Review: Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #5 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Publisher: Ahoy Comics

Writers: Rick Geary, Norm Fields and Bryce Ingman
Art: Rick Geary, Joel Ojeda & Juan Castro and Ryan Kelly
Colors: Lee Loughridge and Andy Troy
Letters: Rick Geary and Rob Steen

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

A Plague!  A werewolf!  A drunken…TWO drunken authors, plus the scariest birds you’ve ever seen- all in Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #4!

Positives

The standout tale in Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #4 is Bryce Ingman and Ryan Kelly’s “Edgar Allan Poe’s Werewolf of Washington.”  It’s classic political satire disguised with classic horror elements.  Take on Senator, Teddy Cruise and set him loose in our nation’s capitol.  Despite casting the protagonist as a werewolf, there’s no disguising the point of this story.  Liberals will undoubtedly howl with laughter and salute Mr. Ingman’s script, while Conservatives will decry it as disrespectful and idiotic.  For this review, it’s just plain funny, clever, somewhat insightful and awfully good political satire done very well in the sequential art form known as comics.

Part two of “True Tales from the Life of Edgar Allan Poe!” is a quick hitter in its two pages, but it has a great punchline.  It feels quite like classic MAD Magazine parody.  Poe meets up with Robert Louis Stevenson and they go to have a drink at a tavern- imagine Poe having a drink…!  The drink affects Stevenson quite drastically, of course if you’re familiar with his works you can probably guess, and no, he doesn’t suddenly discover a treasure on an island.

Positives Cont’d

Rick Geary’s “A Tale of the Plague” doesn’t quite have the punch of the other two tales, but it definitely has the best storytelling.  Geary’s style that lends an “everyman” quality to the story that works with the message.  That’s not to say his characters aren’t distinct, but this isn’t super-hero comics or even a hard “real world” approach.  There’s a fanciful and humorous element in the giant rolling and bounding virus that seems to be out to get our protagonist.  Additionally, the story is topical and truthful.  There’s a significant message underlying the light humor in the story as well.

Both the text pieces in Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #4 are good, but “The Hieronymus Bosch Guide to Birds” is truly outstanding.  James Finn Garner does his best John James Audobon put through the grinding wheel of Hieronymus Bosch‘s paintings.  The descriptions of these imaginary avians are clever, funny, and intelligent.  It does take some beforehand knowledge of the works of Bosch, but for the astute reader, these will leave you rolling- again a great take on a MAD Magazine approach to “humor in a jugular vein.”

Negatives

Geary’s “A Tale of the Plague” is a thinker.  It doesn’t have the immediate impact or the obviousness of the other two stories.  However,  if you take a second go at it and let it sink in a bit, it’s actually got a poignant ending with the humor coming throughout the visual absurdity of the story.  It may not be for everyone, and the seriousness of the topic does not necessarily translate well to satire.

Verdict

Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #4 is a really good issue with different types of stories, each landing in its own way.  There’s a lot to like in the issue and the series to be geared toward a different type of comic book reader.

The post Indie Comics Review: Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #4 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Publisher: Ahoy Comics

Writers: Tom Peyer, Bryce Abood, and Norm Fields
Art: Greg Scott, Rick Geary, and Joel Ojeda & Juan Castro
Colors: Lee Loughridge
Letters: Rob Steen

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #3 finally answers the question of the Monster of Frankenstein’s progeny as well as settling the medical debate between leeches and electro-shock therapy.

Positives

Tom Peyer and Greg Scott’s “Edgar Allan Poe’s Gore of Frankenstein” owes a lot to previous works in entertainment media.  Firstly, the title mimics the Hammer Horror films of the late ’50s through the early ’70s in its title.  “Gore of…” fits right alongside “Curse of..,” “Horror of..,” etc…  “Humor of Frankenstein” may have been a better title given the nature of this comic.  Like the Universal Monster films of the ’30s and ’40s, we get a crossover between the classic monsters, Dracula, the Monster of Frankenstein, a Werewolf, and The Mummy.

However, it’s the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby homage from the art and story that is really quite enjoyable.  It’s not a parody, really- even though it is.  It feels more like homage because no one’s going to make fun of Jack Kirby, right?  And, probably not Stan Lee either.  Peyer and Scott nail the name and look of Dracula’s machinery, the “Hemotronic Engine” which allows him to feed “virally.”  Reed Richards probably has a patent on that thing!  Hopefully, you’ve read some Lee/Kirby Fantastic Four to understand why this is so good.   Interestingly, it’s clearly an update on Dracula’s need to feed to fit him into the digital age which is sort of thrown away here but has merit for a series on its own.

Gore Positives

“No Country for Old Gargoyles” by Bryce Ingman is the standout of the three text pieces in Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #3.  Ingman brings a lot of humor as he shares the tribulations of a recently out-of-work gargoyle in the 21st century.  Most effective is the twist at the end as our gargoyle Gary describes the modern “evil spirits” he contends with, in his new job. It’s a little tale that adds something serious amidst all the satirical bits.

“Annabel’s Leech” has a tenuous connection to Poe’s poem, Annabel Lee.  The story itself provides a surprise ending while the commentary is a traditional lampoon of 19th medical techniques.  It’s not that it’s surprising that one of the techniques works, but rather how well it works in the end turning Poe’s original poem around and saving Annabel from the sepulcher (though that can’t be said for everyone in the story).

Negatives

While this issue is solid, “Annabel’s Leech” would’ve benefited from a bit more depth.  I know this is a nitpick, but if Gary the Gargoyle can be explored with some real feelings, Annabel could’ve been as well.  Or a more overt connection to Poe’s poem might’ve strengthened the satirical intent.  “Mista Science” was just plain weird, I guess I don’t watch enough public access television.  It may have been more effective to see some of the visual gags that were described in comic form instead of in a text piece

Verdict

Another good issue from the team at Ahoy Comics.  You can’t skip the text pieces in these comics!  You also can’t put these in the same creative box as your average superhero comic. So, learn how to laugh through the fear with Poe and Co.!

The post Indie Comics Review: Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #3 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Publisher: Ahoy Comics

Writers: Dean Motter, Holly Interlandi, Lisa R. Jonte, Anna Ojinnaka and Chris Sumberg
Art: Dean Motter and Greg Scott
Colors: Andy Troy and Leigh Loughridge
Letters: Dean Motter and Rob Steen

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

“Turn about is fair play” as Poe faces a mechanical chess master, and the ridiculous begs the ridiculous as a satirist takes on one of Poe’s more ridiculous tales.

Positives

Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #2 takes a more subtle approach to the humor than last month’s premiere issue.  It may tickly your funny bone, but perhaps not as outrageously as issue #1.  “Chess Player” gives us an interesting premise and plays on Poe’s reputation as a detective story writer.  The set up as solid as you really believe Poe is on the wrong track.  However, the twist at the end is not only ironic, but funny.  You may not laugh out loud, but you will definitely say, “that’s clever.”

“Angle of the Odd” is interesting in that it is the story of someone writing a parody of a Poe story.  Interestingly, as the protagonist tells us, it’s one of Poe’s more ridiculous tales.  Is this the process the writer went through in order to come up with an idea?  It’s a wild ride that ends in two humorous surprises.  

“Much Ado About Note So Much” and “Dinner Date,” two of the text stories in this issue are probably the most satisfying of the five stories in this issue.  They both provide curious endings, and the poetry in the former by Lisa R. Jonte is impressive.  Don’t skip these as they provide a significant part of the issue.

Negatives

“Angle of the Odd” is not one of Poe’s tales that is instantly familiar.  A little quick research reveals the nature of the original story and the parody in this issue becomes clearer with this knowledge.  This happens sometimes with this title, so make sure you do your research.  This contrasts with the antecedent of “Chess Player” which works better even if one has no previous knowledge of the actual facts.

Verdict

If last issue was over-the-top, laugh-out-loud, Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #2 is a more understated humor experience, though there are some wild moments in “Angle of the Odd.”  Overall, it’s an entertaining read with Richard Williams cover producing another endearingly horrifying holiday image.  One can only imagine what’s to come for future issues around Valentine’s Day and Easter!

The post Indie Comics Review: Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #2 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Publisher: Ahoy Comics

Writers: Mark Russel and Stuart Moore
Art: Peter Snejbjerg and Frank Cammuso
Colors: Peter Snejbjerg and Madeline Seely
Letters: Rob Steen

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

Return with us to those thrilling days of yesteryear in the old west…er um, how about the dirty and dangerous streets of Baltimore for a quaff from Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #1!  You’ll laugh you’ll cry, you’ll…you’ll definitely laugh with this remarkable satire as the horrifying becomes hilarious!  It’s a dose of humor in an alcoholic vein!

Positives

If you’ve tasted the contents of the snifter before, be it blood or death, you know things are exactly on a direct line as the fetid becomes funny.  Sometimes, pre-requisite knowledge of a particular Poe story is necessary to really get the humor.  That’s not the case with Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #1.  The inmates at Ahoy Comics come out fangs dripping (is that blood or chocolate?)- the return of The Monster Serials is enough to make a corpse jump for joy.  There are so many little details that enhance the tale,  a tavern with the moniker “Ye Crisp’d Rice” is but one.  And as much as I like oatmeal, that Quaker fella’ isn’t too bright, is he?  There is a larger bowl that Moore and Snejbjerg are working in as the Count de Cocoa searches for his love, hopefully he reaches fruition at some point and we don’t have to wait till the next Snifter series for a new box of the serial.  To top it off, Snejbjerg’s rendering of the Quaker couldn’t be more perfect. 

Stuart Moore takes the reigns of the biographical Poe tale in this issue as he imagines the origins of Poe’s life as a poet and intertwines it with the text of Poe’s most famous work, “The Raven.”  Moore sets us up with enough information to get the tale even if we don’t know the poem, although I can’t imagine anyone reading this isn’t familiar with “The Raven.”  Told by Poe himself from beyond the grave (he died in Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Blood #6), you’ll be amused al we see Lil’ Poe’s first fateful meeting with Lenore and the empathy he receives from the boys in the pub ic house.  It’s a truly inventive way of presenting the basis for the poem and it furthers the ridiculous continuity of Poe’s life that we’ve seen in the volumes of the Snifter.

Positives Cont’d

Richard William’s cover is brilliant as well as it imagines a kid from the ’70’s/’80’s in a Ben Cooper style Poe Halloween costume.  That mask style is unmistakable and his is appropriately labeled as well.  Parents back then probably had questions- I mean the Ben Cooper Batman costume has “Batman” in the middle of the Bat-symbol.  I’m not kidding.  We won’t even mention the inappropriate treats the kids are receiving- airplane bottles of liquor!  Ooops, I mentioned it.

The text pieces in this issue by Kirk Vanderbeek are just as funny and should not be skipped just because they don’t have pretty pictures to help you follow along the story.  “Every Last Crumb” is a brilliant twist on the Hansel and Gretel Fairy Tale and “Scaptegoat” not only gives an imagined origin for the term, it will make you think about how we handle personal responsibility and the affect it can have on others- top-notch satire.  As four the final text peace by John Ficarra, ewe won’t believe you’re I’s!

Negative

There’s a very serious negative in this issue of great historical inaccuracy- Baltimore is not the home of the world’s shittiest ball club.  The Orioles have three World Series Championships- 1983, 1970 and 1966.  Yes, you might need Poe to resurrect the careers of Brooks Robinson or Eddie Murray to win another one, but there are numerous teams without ANY rings.  It’s true, these Orioles did have a rough start as the St. Louis Browns (Milwaukee Brewers 1901!), but they’ve fared much better in Baltimore.  I suppose it’s possible this comment could be referencing the old Orioles for whom Babe Ruth played before joining the Boston Red Sox, but does that even count?  Nevertheless, “there’s no crying in baseball!”

Verdict

Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #1 is a fantastic, funny and insightful start to the third volume in the Snifter series.  Despite a baseball gaff, absolutely everything in it is delightful.  The Halloween themed cover is a harbinger of what’s inside- irreverence, humor and intelligence.  For the discerning comic book reader, you won’t be disappointed to take a drink from this issue!

The post Ahoy Comics Review: Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Death #1 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Peter Milligan
Art: Michael Montenat
Colors: Felipe Sobreiro
Letters: Rob Steen

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

As Kim is about to be fed to the swamp, the Happy Police arrive en force and it’s hard to tell if things are going to end happily, sadly…or something else entirely…!

Positives

With a series that has dealt so directly with the human condition, it only seems right that we get life and death in the climax of the conflict.  Additionally, since the human condition cannot be defined in simple terms like “happy” and “sad,” it’s appropriate (and brilliant) that Happy Hour #6 ends somewhere else.  There’s a lot to digest in the final? issue (I suppose there could be more, we are teased with “The End?”}

Ironically (that will be really funny by the time this review is done), this story does have a happy ending.  The basic premise started with Jerry and Kim attempting to escape the government version of happiness in order to be miserable.  Along the way they found something else that brought them happiness.  Of course, it wasn’t the government mandated happiness, but rather a happiness they found on their own terms through falling in love.  Gee, sounds like real life doesn’t it?  That sort of seems to be the thing that’s unfolded.  The story is working on multiple levels.  One the most basic level it’s a soft sci-fi story about a dystopian future- more irony because it’s called “happy hour.”  However we can also look at the whole thing as an analog of sorts.

If Jerry and Kim represent the average person, the happy police/government is people telling you to be happy, or do things “this way.”  Landor Cohen’s commune represents the opposite viewpoint (whatever that might be!).  As one grows and explores life and tries to experience the counter argument because it “feels” right, it comes down to finding one’s own path.  While there are different ways to take this story, stepping back and looking at it from a macro-perspective gives this reviewer this insight.  It may seem too simplistic or obvious, but taking into consideration that the story involves the conflict of two wholly opposite conditions it makes sense that in life there’s got to be a middle ground and a fluidity between these emotions.  The people that are truly happy are those that get to experience both sides, naturally.  There’s even a moment where McSmith of the Happy Police is confronted with the notions that Sullivan has found happiness by going to the misery commune. (There’s other factors at play, but McSmith sees the logic of his turn from misery to happiness on his own terms.)

Positives Cont’d 

The narrative itself finds Jerry standing up for Kim and not letting her die alone.  Love triumphs as Jerry sees he can’t let her die and does what he can, whether it succeeds or not.  It’s better to get those true feelings out there and die together than live in regret.  (More irony.)  In the midst of the assault, Jerry and Kim are pulled from the swamp by Sullivan and they all escape separately.  Jerry and Kim while on the run stumble upon the most bizarre thing, and English double decker bus in the desert.  Irony?  

The story takes an unexpected turn that again ends with a reading on multiple levels.  They end up amongst a group of folks who subscribe to neither happiness or sadness.  From a narrative perspective, they seem to be in yet another predicament, and the end suggests that there could be more to the story (please! yes!)  However, there also seems to be a reading that they have just come to the obvious conclusion for characters  who have found happiness by travelling to a place that embraces misery and sadness.  They have escaped and been swept into a camp surrounded by people who subscribe to Irony.  

There are some genuinely funny moments in this issue that remind the reader for all the serious pontificating above, this is Happy Hour is also satire.  One of the curious decisions by writer Peter Milligan is to name one of the members of the Happy Police (get ready for it)- Milligan!  It’s hard to work out exactly what he’s saying about himself if anything, but it seems significant.  I don’t believe for a second that he chose Milligan because he couldn’t think of any other names.  Michael Montenat turns in another great looking issue, communicating all he can with facial expressions and body language and also making everyone recognizable with a unique appearance.  

Negatives

It’s over…or is it?  It sort of had to end, though- didn’t it?

Verdict

Happy Hour is smart, funny and insightful.  It discusses the human condition in a unique and entertaining manner quite unlike anything else.  Happy Hour #6 ends with a brilliant ending that works on multiple levels and keeps the reader thinking long after the reading is over.  Don’t miss this special comic, even if you have to wait for the collected edition.  It doesn’t get much better than this.

The post Indie Comics Review: Happy Hour #6 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writers: Tom Peyer and Robert Jeschoneck
Art: Alan Robinson and Greg Scott
Colors: Alan Robinson and Andy Troy
Letters: Rob Steen

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

We get two tales in Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Blood #6, the clever “Mask of the Red Death” and the surprise-filled “Bon-Bon.”

Positives

One of the most difficult things about retelling Poe’s stories is making them seem new and different as opposed to simply adapting them.  “Masque of the Red Death” succeeds much like last issue’s “Ms Found in a Bottle.”  Both stories take the title and change what they physically are in the story.  The Red Death is no longer a pestilence, but rather something very familiar to nearly all comic book readers…, but I won’t spoil it.  The surprise is right there on the first page, but it works much better going in blind.  It’s being able to shift the meaning of the element in these stories that makes them fun and entertaining.  While one would expect a book whose title includes “snifter of blood” to be a horror book, it’s clear that this series is a humor book.  It is parody and satire, and when it’s effective it’s great.  

The second tale in this issue is “Bon-Bon” and instead of freely adapting one of Poe’s stories, this narrative is an imaginative exploration of one of Poe’s contemporary literary critics, Rufus Griswold.  The Devil himself is one of the main characters and one needs not have any previous knowledge of the historical events.  This story leans into the horror a bit more as Griswold is invited to a dinner in Hell, but it’s the twist at the end that makes this a brilliant little tale.  Griswold’s defiance is spectacular and his vanity even more so!  Can’t spoil this one either, it’s too good a surprise to ruin!  Just buy and read it!

Positives Cont’d

Both Alan Robinson and Greg Scott do some fine work in this issue.  Robinson’s style fits the approach of “Mask of the Red Death” and Scott’s textural elements add much to the scenes of torture in Hell, doing much to emphasize the suffering.  His depiction of the Devil is particularly effective.  He’s cultured, well-dressed and the fire accents that “halo” his form at particular times are a perfect addition.

Negatives

No real negatives here!  

Verdict

Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Blood #6 once again provides clever and funny takes on the writer’s works and life.  Like so many of the titles published by Ahoy Comics, this is for the more discerning reader.  Well beyond the average super-hero fare, these stories provide something more.  They are truly entertainment for a more thoughtful reader.  And, let’s not forget there’s some awfully good text pieces in their comics as well.  Don’t be afraid!  This is another winner.

The post Ahoy Comics Review: Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Blood #6 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Peter Milligan
Art: Michael Montenat
Colors: Felipe Sobreiro
Letters: Rob Steen

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

It turns out Landor Cohen’s commune is just as evil and sadistic in their methods as the Happy Police.  So where do Kim and Jerry go from here- a quick-mud pit?

Positives

From the beginning of the series there’s been a tacit understanding that there is a range of human emotions that are important for everyone to experience.  In issue #1 we learned how the Happy Police enforce government mandated happiness and how they literally beat the “sad” out of you in readjustment centers.  In Happy Hour #5, we finally get to see that neither side is right.  It’s not just simply that people want the right to be unhappy at times, but rather that people SHOULD be miserable and that life is nothing more than a sad veil of tears.

All this shows how Milligan is using hyperbole to make his point.  In life, we all get annoyed with people who seem perpetually happy or miserable.  While there can be medical reasons for these things, more often than not some people’s personalities gravitate toward one end of the spectrum.  It seems that Milligan is arguing that one needs to be accepting of the other and seek to understand.  Of course, this goes beyond one’s emotional personality.

There’s a further twist in Kim and Jerry’s relationship as well that changes things, and at the same time doesn’t change things.  Not wishing to spoil it, I’ll say that Milligan is going for a complicated relationship that echoes things in real life and it begs the questions of motivation as well as forgiveness and understanding.  Milligan has kept us on our toes for the duration of the series that you can’t tell if there will be yet another twist in the finale next month.

Negatives

What would be the point of having a negative this far into the series?  Despite a really humorous element missing from Happy Hour #5, it doesn’t detract.  If anything it helps intensify the seriousness of the events in the issue and remind the reader that neither side is in the right in their extremism.  Additionally, it makes Kim and Jerry’s relationship all the more intense.

Verdict

It should come as no surprise that Happy Hour #5 doesn’t disappoint.  If anything, it could be the strongest issue of the series.  This penultimate issue takes things to a new place as it also emphasizes the greater theme of the series.  There aren’t many series that are able to provide such a thoughtful statement on the human condition, but Happy Hour seems to do it easily and with a strong emotional component that is palpable.

The post Ahoy Comics Review: Happy Hour #5 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writers: Paul Cornell and Kek-W

Art: Greg Scott and Alberto Ponticelli

Colors: Felipe Sobreiro and Madeline Seely

Letters: Rob Steen

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Blood #5 contains two tales, “The Adventure of the Three Narrators” and “Ms. Found in a Bottle.”  Perhaps, you’ll recognize where these tales get their inspiration!

Positives

 Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Blood #5 is brilliant  return to form all the way through after the uneven previous issue.  As I ponder, not weak, but a little weary, I wonder what goes into a great satire.  These comics are a combination of re-imaginings as well as satire.  If a reader knows the source material well, it’s going to make the response to the satire stronger.  If the tale is a re-imagining, there has to be something clever about it, something different that takes the story in a new direction somehow.  Both of the stories in issue #5 get it right on all counts.

“The Adventure of the Three Narrators” is a satire of Sherlock Holmes and the deductive reasoning found in that type of detective fiction.  The story presents the most ridiculously obvious culprit, but it all goes by Holmes as he is unable to see the obvious.  It’s a great satirization of Holmes’s methods.  Of course we’ve all read a story either about him or some other detective that makes astounding deductions based on what appears to be nearly indecipherable evidence or a “lucky guess.”

It’s the reversal here that works so well.  And, it’s truly funny.  I know there is a Poe story that is referenced in the title and I presume some of the events of the tale, but I don’t know Poe’s entire output.  And, that’s ok, because it works well for the reader in this case.  The only real pre-knowledge necessary is understanding a bit about Sherlock Holmes and his methods which is fairly widely known.

Positives Cont’d

“Ms. Found in a Bottle” is clearly a riff on the tale, “MS. Found in a Bottle.”  You read that right- “Ms.”- an independent, capable young lady!  This story works in two different ways, not only is a miniature woman in a bottle an amusing take on “MS.” but it also goes into some social satire as the Ms. and another lady in the story take the chauvinistic male characters to task in the story.

In the original story, the “m-s” abbreviation stands for manuscript, and in both cases the “m-s” tells a tale of a ship lost at sea pushed further and further south into unknown seas finally coming upon a senses-shattering discovery that changes the understanding of the physical world.  Whereas the first story in this issue is strait satire, this story has a little action/adventure in it.    Again, one doesn’t really need to know anything about Poe’s original story to get this.  It’s humorous and clever throughout, and any pre-requisite familiarity with the Poe’s tale is just a bonus.

The art in this issue suits both tales perfectly.  There is a sequence in “Three Narrators” that focuses on a woman’s teeth and the art serves it up wonderfully, even managing to bring the notion of a dental fetish a visual creepiness.  The art in “Ms.” balances the action aspect with the characters.  There are some great facial expressions throughout especially some of the Ms.’s sneers at the chauvinistic men.

I would be remiss if I didn’t point out the brilliance of the satirical text piece, “Sorry, But You’re Going to Have to Be Nude in this Scene.”  It points out all the fallacies in the “artistic” arguments for including female nudity in films.  It gets right to the point that sex sells and it’s the sexualization and exploitation of women and their bodies that sell.  It cuts through all the crap- a magnificent story by Jake Williams and an hilarious illustration by Joe Orsak.

Negatives

I declare this comic to be free of negatives!

Verdict

Clever and brilliant, Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Blood #5 is a masterclass on satire.  You may not cry, but you will laugh and laugh out loud.  You will also think.  You will absolutely think as these tales challenge the reader to look at aspects of the world differently as well as the inherent holes in the traditional detective story.  Above all, it is gloriously entertaining !

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