Dead Man's Run #4

After a bit of a hiatus (it's been about seven months since the last issue), Dead Man's Run returns with a visit to a different version of Hell.

As a general rule, I'm a fan of these "what happens after you die" stories, and I'm certainly a fan of Greg Pak's writing.

But this series definitely seems to be straining at the seams. We continue to follow a young man, Sam Tinker, a genius for maps, as he plots an escape and recruits a offbeat group of murderers to make a run at it.

But instead of running away from Hell, they're moving deeper into that realm in an attempt to rescue his innocent sister, Juniper, who has (mysteriously) been sent to Hell.

The story seems to be struggling because it's taken us away from the basic idea of escape and has turned into a rescue mission instead - and it's becoming more difficult all the time to keep rooting for Sam, as he takes on some unheroic attributes.

On the up side, the art by Tony Parker is strong, with powerful layouts and some unsettling creatures and demons to contend with.

But I admit I'm struggling with the chaotic nature of the story - it continues to ramble through different hellish situations with no endgame in sight.

If that can be resolved, and the comic can stay on schedule, there's still a lot of potential here.

Grade: B-

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Dead Man's Run #3

As I've written in past reviews, I'm generally on board with this kind of "what happens after you die" story.

And I enjoyed the first two issues in Dead Man's Run, as they offered a look at the grim existence in hell.

A young man, Sam Tinker, who has a genius for maps, plots an escape and recruits a offbeat group of murderers to make a run at it.

Along the way they face monsters, demons and destruction - but the story seems to be unraveling because of the old problem with magic-based stories: since there are no rules, anything can happen - even if it doesn't make much sense.

So we have the Warden (who's fond of chains) trying an escape of her own for vague reasons, monsters that seem indestructible until they aren't, an innocent guy in prison who shows he's not all that innocent, and a complete lack of sympathetic characters (except for a sister who's never seen).

The art by Tony Parker is good, though liberally sprinkled with gore and grisly moments.

With a lack of sympathetic characters and a muddled story, this series seems to be fading fast.

Hopefully next issue can get this race back on track.

Grade: C+

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Dead Man's Run #2

This is a hell of a comic.

Or at least it's set in Hell, although it turns out that the afterlife isn't what you might have expected.

But Dead Man's Run isn't about religion (as near as I can tell) - it's more of an escape flick.

In the first issue we met Sam Tinker, a prison guard who dies and finds himself in Hell - which looks remarkably like a prison.

But Sam has a secret ability. As a cartographer, he has the ability to instantly memorize an map - and he gets a glimpse of the map of Hell.

But to escape, he'll have to forge alliances and overcome some incredible obstacles. (Apparently you can die again in Hell.)

The story by Greg Pak moves along briskly, but there are a couple of potential problems with the comic: we're in Sam's corner, but the rest of his supporting cast is difficult to get behind (not the best class of people in Hell, I suppose); and some of the transitions seem a bit abrupt and even nonsensical. His escape from the jail, for example, seems terribly... convenient. But those are minor complaints.

The art by Tony Parker is outstanding, running the range from dark and deadly to bright and action-packed.

It's the kind of comic where anything can happen - any character might live, die, betray the others or end up being the hero. Should be great fun to see what happens!

Grade: A-

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Dead Man's Run #1

So what happens after you die?

It's a great question - the ultimate question - and one we (probably) won't know the answer to until it's our turn.

It's a favorite playground for books, television, movies and (especially) comic books. Virtually every hero has been "dead" at least once in his or her career. (Oh, if you're looking for a good movie, try Albert Brooks' Defending Your Life. Great flick.)

It's the topic of this post is the new comic from Aspen, Dead Man's Run.

Written by Greg Pak (whose work I loved on the Incredible Hulk), this comic focuses on a man named Sam Tinker, a prison guard who cares deeply for his sister Juniper.

A surprising series of events (not to be spoiled here) results in death, and Sam finds himself in the worst prison imaginable - hell itself.

Can he escape? Was he drawn there for a reason? What happened to his sister? And most importantly, can he survive?

Those of some of the questions raised, and to tell more would be wrong. The story has a definite Lost feel to it (high praise indeed), as we care about this brother and sister and wonder what will happen next.

The art is by Tony Parker, and it's very, very good. He has a nice style of his own, with clear storytelling, some great flourishes and a dark, compelling design for the afterlife.

The mystery is set, the characters are interesting and in place, there's danger and action aplenty (though no superhero costumes to be seen) - I can't wait to see what happens next.

That's what I call a great start!

Grade: A-

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