Review: Deadbox #1

Back when I was a kid, in the back to the weekly Star Wars comic in the UK there used be a little story called Tales of the Watcher. Now back then I didn’t know that they were reprints, much like Marvel UK’s output, but for me they were probably my first foray into horror comics or at least comics with a dark twist.

Penny is living something of a desperate life. Returning from college to her hometown of Lost Turkey to look after her ailing father, Penny spends her day tending counter at his one stop shop convenience store. Through the store traipse those who are truly lost in Lost Turkey. The only entertainment in town is a cursed DVD machine that seems to know more about the townsfolk and the darkness that lie within. But from where do these twisted perceptions come and what impact do they have on those who watch the cursed movies?

Mark Russell has quietly been going about his business, gaining fans as he goes from a variety of publishers. Here, Russell uses the DVD rental machine as the deus ex-machina to deliver metaphors about a whole range of situations, be it living a life more ordinary, feelings of being trapped and the weight and disappointments of expectations. With all that in play, the books is a long read, especially as there are three distinct story voices in play, be it Penny’s reality, her dream or the movie on show. I found it peculiar that one of these voices held my attention more than the others. It will be interesting to see if the movies down the line work as well as this one.

The art is supplied by Benjamin Tiesma, a name that I am not overly familiar with. His art here has great study in real life quality, that reminds me of European comics, with touches of early Frank Miller. Things get a little surreal when the movie plays, Tiesma does well not to overcook the sci-fi motif, instead encasing the highbrow idea with a level of absurd that matches Russell’s inane napkin protocols. Vladimir Popov also get to play around with the scheme, showing a quaint, if slightly rundown town in Lost Turkey and then not oft colors match that make up an aline world. AndWorld Design provides a different fonts to maximise the different tones in the book, also working hard to ensure that the letters do not detract from the art.

I was unsure what to think of this book, initially. Yes, it could be seen as a tad pretentious, though Russell ideas certainly have resonance in todays world, both on an individual and societal scale. The “twists” in the tale add a level of darkness and enjoyability to yet another Vault Comics hit.

Writing – 4 Stars

Art – 5 Stars

Colors – 5 Stars

Overall – 4.5 Stars

Written by; Mark Russell
Art by; Benjamin Tiesma
Colors by; Vladimir Popov
Letters by; AndWorld Design
Published by; Vault Comics

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