Review: Cherry Blackbird #1

When you sell your soul to the devil, what do you do when he comes a calling; can one new deal replace the old one? These questions form the back bone for this new Mature Readers book from Scout Comics imprint Black Caravan.

Cherry Blackbird made a deal with the devil that stipulated she would enjoy all the trappings of fame and fortune, but upon her 27th birthday the devil comes to collect her soul. Now a mere year before her move to warmer climes, the devil comes to her with a bit of a situation. It seems that seven demonic souls have escaped. If Cherry can recover them all before her birthday, the devil will set her free.

Joseph Schmalke is the writer artist behind this sordid tale of debauchery, fame and rock ‘n’ roll. From the outset, this isn’t a book for the faint hearted. Graphic scenes of sex pervade the opening (no pun intended) chapter before the foul mouther heroine makes her debut. Schmalke has written a book that feels a little bit like Hellblazer with a character that is even less likeable than Constantine. The idea of trying to get out of a deal with Satan isn’t a new idea; Cherry needs to remember that the devil is in the details. The dialogue is littered with profanity, though this fits the vibe of the book, though there is a contrivance that stand out, poorly. Other influences are also in play as Cherry looks to train in order to take down the demons.

Schmalke’s art is a little out of perspective in places, though you can make out who is who and what is what. The art, has a 70’s feel, in part to the punk music environments. The colors also add a level of darkness to proceedings. When it comes to Cherry herself, Schmalke does well to remain consistent. Other characters are less fortunate for their overall look, though Schmalke works hard to maintain facial elements. Finally, letters are provided Joel Rodriguez who has a scratchy style that unfortunately doesn’t look professional and actually distracts from the reading experience.

I like Scout Comics; there are one of a number of indie publishers that look to diversify their portfolio’s. In doing that, they run the risk of dropping a book that doesn’t appeal to everyone., regardless of its quality Cherry Blackbird could be one of those books. With a specific audience, this book may well need to find its niche.

Writing – 3 Stars
Art – 3 Stars
Colors – 3 Stars

Overall – 3 Stars

Written by; Joseph Schmalke
Art & Colors by; Joseph Schmalke
Letters by; Joel Rodriguez
Published by; Scout Comics / Black Caravan

Author Profile

Johnny "The Machine" Hughes

I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow

Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network