WEBCOMIC WEDNESDAY REVIEW: Monster Massacre

Creators: Dave Elliot + Various?
Website Link: Monster Massacre

Review: Monster Massacre is a website that seems to host a variety of web-comics, each one single issue or arc long (some shorter). Some are lacking obvious common threads, and some seem to be missing creator listings altogether, so it’s even more difficult to pin down who is responsible for what. Atomeka Presents, referenced in other portions of the site as Atomeka Press, seems to be an indie publisher responsible for these books, and the website almost seems as though it’s meant to serve as a promotion/teaser for them. The site navigation is a bit clunky, and the archive only allows the user to check based on dates of postings, that I could find, and not based on specific stories. All in all: I have no idea who made some of these stories or what is going on with the site. My best guess is that Dave Elliot writes these comics and they’re also sometimes published by Atomeka Press.

But that really shouldn’t deter you.

Because some of these shorts are very promising. (Also some aren’t.)

Writing and art run the gambit when it comes to quality and style, but a very wide variety is represented here. I personally found the newer stories to be much better, though most of them did have their own charm. Take a look at some of these below to get a feel for how different some of them are, with stories ranging from a weird, 80’s metal fan’s wet dream of super-hero-dom, to a story about super soldier cats. Some are just silly, and some tackle tough political issues. It’s confusing and wonderful at the same time.

Additionally, here a quick synopsis/review of the stories hosted on the site so far, from oldest to newest:

Maximum Force: Definitely by Dave Elliot, Simon Bisley, and Lovern Kindzierski. This is a wildly illustrated comic covering a newly formed team of strange anti-heroes that are struggling to even get along. It’s coarse and violent and fun, and it really screams 90’s when it comes to the illustration. It’s far from perfect, but not a horrible read.
Sharky: Definitely by Dave Elliot and Alex Horley, this comic follows one of the members of Maximum Force (Sharky, obviously) on his own adventures with a goddess of thunder, Thor. Weirdly enough, there was already a Thor in Maximum Force, and it was a mangled dude. So I’m not sure if these are meant to carry on a shared canon between issues. This one was less good. The style had a neat metal album cover vibe, but the story is frankly so… gratuitous that I’m unsure as to whether or not it is supposed to be satire.
Hell-O-Kitty: The only name listed on this is Reza Ilyasa. Are they only the artist? Writer too and Dave Elliot is simply hosting the story on his site for them (since I believe he owns the site)? Not a single clue. However, I do know it was very good. Frankly, adorable. The painted style is awesome and simple and smooth, and the story is great fun. I would buy this. Cat soldiers taking down mechs is something I can’t imagine myself not enjoying.
Weirding Willows: It’s really a shame that I can’t find any creator information for this one, because it’s by far the best. The story is a twisted, Alice in Wonderland type affair, and the art is drop dead gorgeous. It’s whimsical but meaningful.
Odyssey “A Question of Priorities”: Once again, no creator info, and a drastic shift in gears. The art style in this one is very stylized and specific, more cartoon-ish than realistic. However the story itself is dark, and carries strong political messages. It’s definitely worth reading, though there seem to be bits missing. I’m not sure if it’s complete.

Conclusion:Â The site is a mess and that is the main thing holding these comics back here. It is in dire need of help. I have no idea who to credit with these stories, and no idea if they even all belong to the same person. The site’s associated social media account is for a fictional character from the earlier comics. Check them out either way though. Some are definitely worth it.

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]