lunes, 20 de diciembre de 2010

VINCENT PRICE PRESENTS # 25 "HOUSE OF THE RAVEN" review





Issue #25 of Bluewater's "Vincent Price Presents" series, is probably the best issue to date! Due out in stores in January of next year, the issue has Vincent Price alter-ego Dr. Pitt, being invited to the home of Dr. Van Horn, an old ex-friend turned rival. The good Dr. Pitt thinks he's being invited to Van Horn's massive estate, to bury the decades old hatchet between them. But Van Horn has other, more sinister ideas. This issue works so well because it tells a very strong story first and foremost. And has some terrific writing. Everything from dialogue, to the story itself, is crisp and strong. The dialogue in fact is so good that you hate that the story actually has to move on from the moments where Van Horn and Dr. Pitt verbally spar and joust with one another over a few glasses of aged wine.
The entire issue could've just stayed with those moments and it would've still been worth the read. Anyways, Van Horn has apparently never forgiven Dr. Pitt for being more of a ladies man than he was back in college. And although Van Horn eventually wound up getting the girl, the same girl Dr. Pitt asked to marry him all those years ago in college...the bitter Van Horn still seeks vengeance upon the good doctor. Thus, he informs him that during a recent expedition, he was bitten by a werewolf. And will change into one in three hours. Three hours that Dr. Pitt has to find a silver bullet, hidden somewhere in the mansion. Before Van Horn's transformation is complete, and he tears Dr. Pitt to pieces. The story leap-frogs from this point, and takes some interesting turns as well with a ghost, and a demon getting thrown into the mix in typical morbid humor fashion. The kind of black humor that this franchise is known for. But the story itself is very interesting, and I couldn't help but think of how it would make for a good movie some day. A film adaptation of this particular issue would be pretty cheap to make I gather, and wouldn't need a huge amount of rewrites. It's simple, yet effective. And reading the story, you really got an appreciation for this series and how far its come. Look for big surprises from this franchise come next year, and as always...more dark, macabre, and interesting stories that the master of horror himself, Vincent Price, presents!

2 comentarios:

The Caretaker of the Manor dijo...

Believe me when I tell you this~ Issue #25 of Vincent Price presents is the best issue of the magazine since its inception. The only thing this magazine had going for it up to this point was the DESIRE to make a great Vincent Price comic...but not the resources to draw in the biggest names in comic art and storytelling.

After all, its difficult to compete with companies owned by Warner Bros. and Walt Disney. Yet, with this single issue Bluewater finally pulls it off. This issues really should have been VPP #1 imho, as its by far the best. PAT'S ART IS EXTRAORDINARY...AND IT LEAVES YOU WANTING MORE!!!! I love the feature of the Raven, and hope to see it as a recurring feature. preferably with such guest stars as Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee making guest appearances.

The creative team on issue #25 needs to be the regular one. I know its an anthology title---but dang if this isnt the best Ive seen out of this comic in the two years its been active. If the president of Bluewater was smart he would get them under contract for a years worth of issues--and fast!!

VINCENT PRICE #25--BEST. ISSUE. EVER.

pat dijo...

Thank you so much for your support and for your kind words, Richard.
As you can see in this blog , there's another story from the Raven in the works for Vincent Price Presents, so hang on and keep visiting PatArt for more Vincent artwork!
Again ,my most profound thanks
pat