Vassillis Gogtzilas and K.I. Zachopoulos are spinning a wild horror/noir crossover tale in their indie book, Misery City. This is a crazy comic that melds together your favorite elements of classic hard-knocking, hardboiled fiction with elements of surreal horror for a book unlike anything else. Drinking booze, punching skeletons, scary clowns, and a femme fatale, what more could you ask for?
1. It’s a comic about a hard boiled-detective with a right hook like Mike Tyson, a mouth like Tosh.0 and a thirst for the booze like the Hoffmeister.
Do you remember Eddy Valiant from Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Imagine that type of character swigging straight from the bottle and tossing out lines like, “More shit ‘n decay than the Devil’s asshole.” Classy, and they just keep comin’.
2. He punches a skeleton in the FACE.
Like most private eyes, this guy, Max, carries a .357 Magnum. Unlike most private eyes, he decides to go for a few rounds of boxing with a skeleton instead of using it or calling the Ghost Busters. He also delivers his punch with a sweet one-liner for maximum effectiveness, “You’re too skinny, FUGLY, so I made you a knuckle sandwich!” BOOM and the eye goes flying.
3. He likes Latina derrière.
Seriously, what would a dick… Er, private eye, do without a damsel in distress? I’ll tell you what Max would do – absolutely nothing if the damsel was an anorexic white girl (except maybe punch her in the face, see reason #2), but for Pakita and her booty Max will do anything. Especially if it means ruthlessly beating the shit out of her scumbag boyfriend so he can then shack up with her. A true gentleman. And maybe a little bit of a scholar?
4. He is a bit of a scholar.
Out of nowhere Max starts dropping some Faustian knowledge on the reader and quoting Dante’s ‘Inferno.’ I wasn’t expecting this, but everyone loves a drunk who can rattle off a few good quotes, especially after defeating an evil scientist and horde of clown minions.
5. Clown minions (SPOILERS).
Yes, there is an evil scientist in this comic. Yes, he has a grudge against Max. Yes, he abducts Pakita with the creepiest evil clown minions imaginable. Yes, Max smashes the shit out of the clown minions and blows up the evil scientist’s lair. Somehow he survives and gets freaky with Pakita. Then he drops some more scholarly knowledge on us.
Max, you had a hell of a day. You deserve that drink, or 13. I’ll be looking out for you in your next adventure. (END SPOILERS)
Bonus reason to read ‘Misery City,’ is this awesome quote from right before he punches the skeleton in the face, “Whatever wants to get out to the world above can’t be stopped, not even with a skyscraper for a tombstone.” Because apparently in “Misery City” skeletons pop out of the ground in front of you all the time.
You can purchase it all on
Comixology.
3.5/5 skulls
Reviewed by – theSandman.
Read the original review on
Bloody Disgusting
