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The Damned #1
The Damned, Vol. 1: Three Days Dead
During the prohibition era, gangsters grew rich on our vices, and rivalries between criminal organizations resulted in open war. But unknown to the masses, a more sinister power controlled the crime cartels, using greed, gluttony, lust and other sins to fuel a much more lucrative trade: mortal souls. The long-standing feud between two of the families is about the come to an end thanks to a brokered deal to consolidate power. But before things can be finalized, the bookkeeper tasked to brokering the deal is kidnapped along with a ledger that could spell doom for all the families. Hoping to find the missing bookkeeper before the deal falls apart, Big Al pulls Eddie's corpse out of a ditch and puts him on the case. Now Eddie, cursed and unable to rest, finds himself caught up in the middle of a sinister web of kidnapping, murder and damnation.
160 pages, Paperback
First published July 17, 2007
10 people are currently reading
354 people want to read
About the author
Cullen Bunn
2,101 books1,058 followersCullen grew up in rural North Carolina, but now lives in the St. Louis area with his wife Cindy and his son Jackson. His noir/horror comic (and first collaboration with Brian Hurtt), The Damned, was published in 2007 by Oni Press. The follow-up, The Damned: Prodigal Sons, was released in 2008. In addition to The Sixth Gun, his current projects include Crooked Hills, a middle reader horror prose series from Evileye Books; The Tooth, an original graphic novel from Oni Press; and various work for Marvel and DC. Somewhere along the way, Cullen founded Undaunted Press and edited the critically acclaimed small press horror magazine, Whispers from the Shattered Forum.
All writers must pay their dues, and Cullen has worked various odd jobs, including Alien Autopsy Specialist, Rodeo Clown, Professional Wrestler Manager, and Sasquatch Wrangler.
And, yes, he has fought for his life against mountain lions and he did perform on stage as the World's Youngest Hypnotist. Buy him a drink sometime, and he'll tell you all about it.
Visit his website at www.cullenbunn.com.
All writers must pay their dues, and Cullen has worked various odd jobs, including Alien Autopsy Specialist, Rodeo Clown, Professional Wrestler Manager, and Sasquatch Wrangler.
And, yes, he has fought for his life against mountain lions and he did perform on stage as the World's Youngest Hypnotist. Buy him a drink sometime, and he'll tell you all about it.
Visit his website at www.cullenbunn.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
July 9, 2017
This was short so I thought I'd give it a try.
The story is about two very influential crime bosses that fight for power during the prohibition era. The twist? Both are demons so their commodity is souls. Other than that, this is a typical crime noir story. After both sides decide to be nice, their mediator goes missing so in order to prevent one side from blaming the other, the mystery of the mediator's disappearance / possible murder needs to be solved, which is why a guy named Eddie is brought in on the case. There is a supernatural twist to him, too, and one that is supposed to explore the depths of a human soul.
However, unfortuantely there was nothing groundbreaking or new about this. The art was nice enough but not stunning either. All in all, a nice little story, but ultimately not enough to make me continue the series.
The story is about two very influential crime bosses that fight for power during the prohibition era. The twist? Both are demons so their commodity is souls. Other than that, this is a typical crime noir story. After both sides decide to be nice, their mediator goes missing so in order to prevent one side from blaming the other, the mystery of the mediator's disappearance / possible murder needs to be solved, which is why a guy named Eddie is brought in on the case. There is a supernatural twist to him, too, and one that is supposed to explore the depths of a human soul.
However, unfortuantely there was nothing groundbreaking or new about this. The art was nice enough but not stunning either. All in all, a nice little story, but ultimately not enough to make me continue the series.
July 9, 2017
Now this was different. Very well done.
During the Prohibition Era two crime families- the Aligheri and the Roarke families are planning on a truce. A high level broker from out of town is coming in to broker the meeting. But this isn't an average crime story. The Aligheri and Roarke "families" are all demons. So is the broker. While human gangsters ply alcohol and fight over money-the demons trade is souls. A peace would be mutually beneficial, but the broker goes missing. Enter human fixer Eddie. Cursed to never truly be able to die, he is brought in to help solve the mystery. More than that I will not say since this is a story worth reading.
What can I say? This was my first experience with this author. Reminds me of Mike Mignola's work but with a Prohibition Era setting. The artwork is also similar to Migonla's, though not nearly as polished. Few colors-that truly accentuate bright colors like red. Still-it works extremely well with this noir story. The plot is tight and excellent. Eddie's character rocks. That's all I'm going to say about this excellent piece of work. Go read this. Enjoy it. I did.
During the Prohibition Era two crime families- the Aligheri and the Roarke families are planning on a truce. A high level broker from out of town is coming in to broker the meeting. But this isn't an average crime story. The Aligheri and Roarke "families" are all demons. So is the broker. While human gangsters ply alcohol and fight over money-the demons trade is souls. A peace would be mutually beneficial, but the broker goes missing. Enter human fixer Eddie. Cursed to never truly be able to die, he is brought in to help solve the mystery. More than that I will not say since this is a story worth reading.
What can I say? This was my first experience with this author. Reminds me of Mike Mignola's work but with a Prohibition Era setting. The artwork is also similar to Migonla's, though not nearly as polished. Few colors-that truly accentuate bright colors like red. Still-it works extremely well with this noir story. The plot is tight and excellent. Eddie's character rocks. That's all I'm going to say about this excellent piece of work. Go read this. Enjoy it. I did.
April 14, 2018
Gangsters, demons and broads
"When it comes to demons, there's always blood"
Eddie has a bit of a problem. Or an advantage, depending on how you look at it. Eddie just can't die.
And oh, he works for a demon. If you think about it, an immortal human could be pretty damn useful for demons. Eddie works for Al.
But Al is double-crossing Eddie and Eddie's doing the same to Al. Eddie's also friends with this "guy" called The Worm.
Like any good prohibitionist gangster era piece of work, there's back-stabbing, face-slamming, gut-punching and fist-wrenching stuff going on here.
Only difference is, there are demons, demi-gods and wyrms in this one.
The concept
"You got a lot of nerve, Eddie, showing your ugly mug around here."
"Then again, you were always long on nerve and short on smarts, weren't you?"
The world-building and concept sucked me in immediately. Many comics and books attempt to implement a mafia-centric world and fail miserably. But this pulls it off neatly and succinctly in an intricately woven fabric of plot and intrigue.
Narration: I'll have him swimming with the fishes
I enjoy the first-person narration so much. It's dark, it's noir and so masterfully stylised. Comics often lack in the dialogue department, but not Damned. It soars. The dialogue is not only a masterful mimic of Chicago talk, but it's natural and flows so well.
Realism despite the unrealism
"Drop dead, Eddie."
Eddie escapes death each time, and his experience is harrowing. Every time he comes back, it's as if he's lost a little bit of his mind along with this death. His torment and ways of dealing with this supernatural event are all very human.
What's a matter with you?
"Tommy wouldn't have turned on my men. And he wouldn't have killed himself, neither."
"Maybe you haven't heard, but suicide's a sin."
"Yeah? Maybe he got homesick."
The humour is laced with sarcasm and the romance is a real tension-filled treat. This comic definitely doesn't fall for tell-and-not-show syndrome.
I also really enjoy the aspects of world-building; this isn't just a Prohibitionist piece. The curveballs and plot twists get thrown at you regularly. And for the most part, you don't see them coming.
When NetGalley gives good comics:
NetGalley has kindly provided me with this comic in exchange for an honest review
Edit: spelling and grammar
"When it comes to demons, there's always blood"
Eddie has a bit of a problem. Or an advantage, depending on how you look at it. Eddie just can't die.
And oh, he works for a demon. If you think about it, an immortal human could be pretty damn useful for demons. Eddie works for Al.
But Al is double-crossing Eddie and Eddie's doing the same to Al. Eddie's also friends with this "guy" called The Worm.
Like any good prohibitionist gangster era piece of work, there's back-stabbing, face-slamming, gut-punching and fist-wrenching stuff going on here.
Only difference is, there are demons, demi-gods and wyrms in this one.
The concept
"You got a lot of nerve, Eddie, showing your ugly mug around here."
"Then again, you were always long on nerve and short on smarts, weren't you?"
The world-building and concept sucked me in immediately. Many comics and books attempt to implement a mafia-centric world and fail miserably. But this pulls it off neatly and succinctly in an intricately woven fabric of plot and intrigue.
Narration: I'll have him swimming with the fishes
I enjoy the first-person narration so much. It's dark, it's noir and so masterfully stylised. Comics often lack in the dialogue department, but not Damned. It soars. The dialogue is not only a masterful mimic of Chicago talk, but it's natural and flows so well.
Realism despite the unrealism
"Drop dead, Eddie."
Eddie escapes death each time, and his experience is harrowing. Every time he comes back, it's as if he's lost a little bit of his mind along with this death. His torment and ways of dealing with this supernatural event are all very human.
What's a matter with you?
"Tommy wouldn't have turned on my men. And he wouldn't have killed himself, neither."
"Maybe you haven't heard, but suicide's a sin."
"Yeah? Maybe he got homesick."
The humour is laced with sarcasm and the romance is a real tension-filled treat. This comic definitely doesn't fall for tell-and-not-show syndrome.
I also really enjoy the aspects of world-building; this isn't just a Prohibitionist piece. The curveballs and plot twists get thrown at you regularly. And for the most part, you don't see them coming.
When NetGalley gives good comics:
NetGalley has kindly provided me with this comic in exchange for an honest review
Edit: spelling and grammar
November 11, 2014
Before The Sixth Gun there was an earlier collaboration between Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt: The Damned. Instead of the wild west, it’s prohibition-era America with gangs of demons trafficking in the souls of humans, in particular two crime families who have been warring for years. Except when peace is finally brokered, the emissary for the two is kidnapped along with a ledger containing deadly secrets that’ll bring down both houses. It’s up to Eddie, a cursed small time fixer, to come back to life and find the missing demon and his book of souls.
There are some wonderful noir crime comics out there: Road to Perdition, Sin City, and A History of Violence (all of which have coincidentally been made into brilliant films) – unfortunately The Damned isn’t one of them. I think Brian Hurtt’s art style, which looks very comic book-y and not very edgy, doesn’t suit the genre. For noir, the more realistic or stylised, the better, and what works for a western like Sixth Gun, doesn’t work well for a noir/horror tale. They did go for the black and white look though so it resembles a 1940s gangster movie.
Cullen Bunn can write the expected snappy dialogue associated with the genre, but generally can’t make any of the characters rise above their archetypes. Eddie is the same main character in every noir story, there’s the double-crossing femme fatale, you get the idea – besides having the gangsters as demons, there’s nothing new here. Even the supernatural aspect of Eddie’s character felt lifted from Will Eisner’s The Spirit.
The story is very surface-level and uninvolving while the characters are paper-thin and not particularly interesting. The art and writing is ok, they just didn’t click, at least for me, in this book.
I think if you’re more of a fan of noir/crime comics – it’s not really a horror comic despite the monsters – you’ll enjoy this more, especially if you enjoyed Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ Fatale. I’m less inclined to like this book because I’m not much of a noir fan but there are noir/crime comics that I’ve really enjoyed, so if it were better, it might’ve left a better impression. As it is, The Damned? No dice.
There are some wonderful noir crime comics out there: Road to Perdition, Sin City, and A History of Violence (all of which have coincidentally been made into brilliant films) – unfortunately The Damned isn’t one of them. I think Brian Hurtt’s art style, which looks very comic book-y and not very edgy, doesn’t suit the genre. For noir, the more realistic or stylised, the better, and what works for a western like Sixth Gun, doesn’t work well for a noir/horror tale. They did go for the black and white look though so it resembles a 1940s gangster movie.
Cullen Bunn can write the expected snappy dialogue associated with the genre, but generally can’t make any of the characters rise above their archetypes. Eddie is the same main character in every noir story, there’s the double-crossing femme fatale, you get the idea – besides having the gangsters as demons, there’s nothing new here. Even the supernatural aspect of Eddie’s character felt lifted from Will Eisner’s The Spirit.
The story is very surface-level and uninvolving while the characters are paper-thin and not particularly interesting. The art and writing is ok, they just didn’t click, at least for me, in this book.
I think if you’re more of a fan of noir/crime comics – it’s not really a horror comic despite the monsters – you’ll enjoy this more, especially if you enjoyed Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ Fatale. I’m less inclined to like this book because I’m not much of a noir fan but there are noir/crime comics that I’ve really enjoyed, so if it were better, it might’ve left a better impression. As it is, The Damned? No dice.
June 22, 2017
Bullet Review:
How do you make a Roaring Twenties setting filled with demons boring?
Follow this book's tired outline:
1) Pick a by-gone era that isn't the 70's
2) Pick a horror classic
3) Get a good artist that can draw your horror classic well
4) Create a generic "dude" with one mildly interesting ability
5) Throw in a cheesy "whodunnit"
6) Write some action scenes with old-timey guns
7) Have a woman tossed in for the dude to bone at one point
8) YAWN
It could have been worse, but it also should have been MUCH better.
And hey, you do realize women exist beyond being a dude's arm candy or a dude's sister, right?
How do you make a Roaring Twenties setting filled with demons boring?
Follow this book's tired outline:
1) Pick a by-gone era that isn't the 70's
2) Pick a horror classic
3) Get a good artist that can draw your horror classic well
4) Create a generic "dude" with one mildly interesting ability
5) Throw in a cheesy "whodunnit"
6) Write some action scenes with old-timey guns
7) Have a woman tossed in for the dude to bone at one point
8) YAWN
It could have been worse, but it also should have been MUCH better.
And hey, you do realize women exist beyond being a dude's arm candy or a dude's sister, right?
December 15, 2017
The Damned is a graphic novel mash-up of gangster noir with horror comics. Set in gangland-era Windy City Chicago, it features dudes in trench coats with guns, comic book crazy demon families, and other crazy monsters, as well as a guy who keeps coming back from the dead, nightclubs, and bordellos. The artwork is compelling. The storyline is a little hard to follow.
December 13, 2016
The Damned, Vol.1: Three Days Dead by Cullen Bunn is the kind of independent comic book that reminds us why the independent market is so important in the wave of popularity that comic books are once again enjoying. It is now, when the market is so hot, that the big publishing houses, DC and the Evil Empire (Marvel), flood the shelves with big name titles that lack depth and story. So instead they come up with gimmicks, like embossed or variant covers and characters changing their race, sexuality or sexual orientation in a effort to garner attention. All gimmicks. when what they should do. All they need to do really, is tell a good story.
The Damned by Cullen Bunn is just such a damn good story.
It is during the prohibition, when gang warfare was fought on the open streets, that our tale takes place. But behind the criminal organizations is a far more evil trade taking place. It is not illicit booze that these two gangs trade in, instead it is the trade of mortal souls. Two gangs, each run by powerful demons control the soul trade in the city, between them lays an uneasy peace. A deal is about to be brokered to end their war and consolidate power. Only the bookkeeper tasked with the deal is taken hostage along with a ledger that could destroy both families. Each one thinks the other is behind it. Hoping to keep the peace and find the bookkeeper, the demon Big Al has one last resort. He must resurrect the Damned.
Eddie is a corpse, laying in a ditch, his throat slit open. But Eddie has a curse, he just cannot die. Only that isn't actually true, Eddie can die, he just can't stay dead. For Big Al, Eddie is the perfect answer and he brings Eddie back to find the bookkeeper, stop a gang war and maybe stay alive long enough to consolidate all the power of the demon underworld for Big Al, until its time to send Eddie back among the Damned.
This is Sam Spade meets Sandman Slim. The supernatural element is not overplayed, this is mystery, crime noire. The demons are simply part of the tale, a darker version of the criminal underworld. Eddie must navigate them as deftly as he does their human counterparts, never really knowing which one is the real danger. There is a mystery here, both normal and paranormal. There is greed and lust and larceny. And yes, there is a femme fatale, because it just wouldn't be noire without one.
This is one of Bunn's earlier works. He is now pegged to helm one of the new X-Men releases and yes he has sold his soul to the Evil Empire. Hope he is being paid well for it. Hope he doesn't forget his earlier audience and his independent work. Because this is something that Marvel just wouldn't get. Make it bloodier and racier and Vertigo might snap it up, but Marvel, nope this is outside the box for them.
Maybe that's what makes it so good.
The Damned by Cullen Bunn is just such a damn good story.
It is during the prohibition, when gang warfare was fought on the open streets, that our tale takes place. But behind the criminal organizations is a far more evil trade taking place. It is not illicit booze that these two gangs trade in, instead it is the trade of mortal souls. Two gangs, each run by powerful demons control the soul trade in the city, between them lays an uneasy peace. A deal is about to be brokered to end their war and consolidate power. Only the bookkeeper tasked with the deal is taken hostage along with a ledger that could destroy both families. Each one thinks the other is behind it. Hoping to keep the peace and find the bookkeeper, the demon Big Al has one last resort. He must resurrect the Damned.
Eddie is a corpse, laying in a ditch, his throat slit open. But Eddie has a curse, he just cannot die. Only that isn't actually true, Eddie can die, he just can't stay dead. For Big Al, Eddie is the perfect answer and he brings Eddie back to find the bookkeeper, stop a gang war and maybe stay alive long enough to consolidate all the power of the demon underworld for Big Al, until its time to send Eddie back among the Damned.
This is Sam Spade meets Sandman Slim. The supernatural element is not overplayed, this is mystery, crime noire. The demons are simply part of the tale, a darker version of the criminal underworld. Eddie must navigate them as deftly as he does their human counterparts, never really knowing which one is the real danger. There is a mystery here, both normal and paranormal. There is greed and lust and larceny. And yes, there is a femme fatale, because it just wouldn't be noire without one.
This is one of Bunn's earlier works. He is now pegged to helm one of the new X-Men releases and yes he has sold his soul to the Evil Empire. Hope he is being paid well for it. Hope he doesn't forget his earlier audience and his independent work. Because this is something that Marvel just wouldn't get. Make it bloodier and racier and Vertigo might snap it up, but Marvel, nope this is outside the box for them.
Maybe that's what makes it so good.
December 26, 2017
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really cool concept and I loved the art but the story was pretty average all things considered. It's basically just your average bland male gangster/detective character solving a 'classic' old timey murder mystery. And of course the only woman to be seen for miles is his love interest. Sigh. The demons were cool and it was fun in a really superficial way but these kinds of things could be so much more interesting if authors would just try to write more interesting characters.
This was a really cool concept and I loved the art but the story was pretty average all things considered. It's basically just your average bland male gangster/detective character solving a 'classic' old timey murder mystery. And of course the only woman to be seen for miles is his love interest. Sigh. The demons were cool and it was fun in a really superficial way but these kinds of things could be so much more interesting if authors would just try to write more interesting characters.
March 21, 2017
What if the mobs during Prohibition were actually controlled by demons? Well then, we'd have The Dammed. Eddie is a cursed man working for Big Al. The demon brokering a peace between two rival gangs has gone missing and there will be war is Eddie can't find him. Can you really go wrong crossing noir with the supernatural?
Received an advanced copy from Oni and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Received an advanced copy from Oni and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 4, 2016
I've been literally searching for this book for years! I bought it when it was first released in trade, and fell in love with the rich black and white art. I thought the story was great, too!
But then it disappeared from my collection! I must have lent it out and forgot who borrowed it. But I couldn't remember the name or author or artist or anything, and I've been trying to figure it out ever since.
Then it appears on NetGalley! What a crazy coincidence.
And it's in color, too.
I'm not sure how I feel about that. I mean, the art was already beautiful and rich. I felt like I could hear the rain coming down in these wonderful panels.
Well, the good thing is, the color is minimalist and it does contribute to the mood, so I'm not going to complain.
This really is a wonderful story. And the art is still beautiful. So pick this one up!
Thanks to NetGalley, Diamond Distributors, and Oni Press for a copy in return for an honest review.
But then it disappeared from my collection! I must have lent it out and forgot who borrowed it. But I couldn't remember the name or author or artist or anything, and I've been trying to figure it out ever since.
Then it appears on NetGalley! What a crazy coincidence.
And it's in color, too.
I'm not sure how I feel about that. I mean, the art was already beautiful and rich. I felt like I could hear the rain coming down in these wonderful panels.
Well, the good thing is, the color is minimalist and it does contribute to the mood, so I'm not going to complain.
This really is a wonderful story. And the art is still beautiful. So pick this one up!
Ain't that always the way? Lucky to be alive. Better off dead.
Funny thing about walking into a room full of angry demons. It makes all your other worries just fade away.
Thanks to NetGalley, Diamond Distributors, and Oni Press for a copy in return for an honest review.
May 22, 2018
Call me a chump but I really liked this book. Tough guys, mobsters, demons from hell and the undead, mix in a few criminally inspired monsters and how could I NOT like this book? On top of a great premise was great storytelling and fun black-and-white noir-style artwork. Soul-trafficking demons in a prohibition era setting, this was Goodfellas meets Hellblazer.
I can't wait for volume 2.
I can't wait for volume 2.
December 27, 2022
Cullen Bunn is a pro and he knows what he's doing. The Damned is a solid comic book with an interesting premise and world. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get fully into it. Neither story nor the characters absorbed me. I guess it's the case of a wrong fit because it is, by all means, a competent story.
March 12, 2018
More 3 1/2 but rounding up. Solid storyline where the mob is run by demons. Eddie's already lost his soul and his life numerous times so he's just the guy to send out to find out why a deal shit the bed.
*Digital review copy provided by NetGalley and the publisher.
*Digital review copy provided by NetGalley and the publisher.
March 29, 2018
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy:
Demons, dames, a horrid curse, more demons… What’s not to love? THE DAMNED: THREE DAYS DEAD is a spooky, Mike Mignola-esque romp through the prohibition era excesses. Only half the men aren’t men at all but demons from hell in tight, sexy 20s style suits.
Our main character isn’t a hero. He’s a crook with a curse that makes him very useful for the local demon-mob families to keep around. Eddie sold his soul a long time ago, and has managed to avoid getting killed no matter how badly people have tried. Unfortunately for him, living that long means you accrue lots of debts and demons always collect on their debts. When a deal threatens to go south, Eddie is brought it to figure out who is trying to double-cross who.
As the stakes get bigger and bigger, Eddie must ask for help from increasingly dangerous and unwilling allies. I adored the variety of characters and curses found within the books. Some of the characters’ curses were never explained, and other curses made them social pariahs that could never interact with the world ever again.
With greed, vengeance and indulgence running the world of THE DAMNED, it’s not surprising that our main character is messed up. The dirty little secrets of the demon world come crawling out of the woodwork, sometimes literally, and Eddie is stuck mopping it up.
The art is spooky, the human suffering feels real and the demons add both a sense of levity and dread to the whole story. The end of the story was both satisfying and gut-wrenching. In a world full of demons, can a man resist turning into one himself?
Demons, dames, a horrid curse, more demons… What’s not to love? THE DAMNED: THREE DAYS DEAD is a spooky, Mike Mignola-esque romp through the prohibition era excesses. Only half the men aren’t men at all but demons from hell in tight, sexy 20s style suits.
Our main character isn’t a hero. He’s a crook with a curse that makes him very useful for the local demon-mob families to keep around. Eddie sold his soul a long time ago, and has managed to avoid getting killed no matter how badly people have tried. Unfortunately for him, living that long means you accrue lots of debts and demons always collect on their debts. When a deal threatens to go south, Eddie is brought it to figure out who is trying to double-cross who.
As the stakes get bigger and bigger, Eddie must ask for help from increasingly dangerous and unwilling allies. I adored the variety of characters and curses found within the books. Some of the characters’ curses were never explained, and other curses made them social pariahs that could never interact with the world ever again.
With greed, vengeance and indulgence running the world of THE DAMNED, it’s not surprising that our main character is messed up. The dirty little secrets of the demon world come crawling out of the woodwork, sometimes literally, and Eddie is stuck mopping it up.
The art is spooky, the human suffering feels real and the demons add both a sense of levity and dread to the whole story. The end of the story was both satisfying and gut-wrenching. In a world full of demons, can a man resist turning into one himself?
March 12, 2017
'The Damned, Vol. 1: Three Days Dead' by Cullen Bunn with art by Brian Hurtt is kind of a weird alternate world where prohibition era gangsters are ruled by
demonic overlords.
One crime family is run by Big Al, a red and horned demon. In order to find a missing bookkeeper, he brings a guy named Eddie back from the dead. Eddie can't die, but that doesn't mean he can't be killed. Every time he is, he spends some time in a weird shadowy world where things make even less sense than in his world. He finds the bookkeeper, along with a missing ledger. Unfortunately, that discovery could lead to a gang war, and when you're dealing with demons, that may not be something you want to stick around for.
I'm familiar with this creative team from the series The Sixth Gun. I wasn't familiar with this earlier book, but I'm happy to have gotten the chance to read this reprint. The story feels fairly standard underneath all the weird demonic trappings, but I liked it. The art works really well for this story and I loved it.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
demonic overlords.
One crime family is run by Big Al, a red and horned demon. In order to find a missing bookkeeper, he brings a guy named Eddie back from the dead. Eddie can't die, but that doesn't mean he can't be killed. Every time he is, he spends some time in a weird shadowy world where things make even less sense than in his world. He finds the bookkeeper, along with a missing ledger. Unfortunately, that discovery could lead to a gang war, and when you're dealing with demons, that may not be something you want to stick around for.
I'm familiar with this creative team from the series The Sixth Gun. I wasn't familiar with this earlier book, but I'm happy to have gotten the chance to read this reprint. The story feels fairly standard underneath all the weird demonic trappings, but I liked it. The art works really well for this story and I loved it.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
November 7, 2016
Thanks to Netgalley for the digital ARC.
This was 2 stars for me; the third star is pretty much for Brian Hurtt's art, which is reminiscent of his work in Queen and Country.
This didn't have anything that bugged me about it, but I just didn't find it engaging whatsoever. The Damned didn't contain any of the feeling of dread that I've enjoyed in the past in Cullen Bunn's horror titles, and it just felt like a gimmick that there were demons in this attempt at Prohibition-Era noir tale. I remember thinking, "Eh, this isn't Hellboy."
This was 2 stars for me; the third star is pretty much for Brian Hurtt's art, which is reminiscent of his work in Queen and Country.
This didn't have anything that bugged me about it, but I just didn't find it engaging whatsoever. The Damned didn't contain any of the feeling of dread that I've enjoyed in the past in Cullen Bunn's horror titles, and it just felt like a gimmick that there were demons in this attempt at Prohibition-Era noir tale. I remember thinking, "Eh, this isn't Hellboy."
June 20, 2011
After reading this and Sixth Gun, I have become a fan of Cullen Bunn. This is basically a detective comic, but with demons involved who run the under world crime syndicate of the city. If you like demons, and like detective/crime comics, then check this out.
November 17, 2017
I really enjoy artist Brian Hurtt's work, so finding a used copy of this was a treat. The story involves a lot of demons and gang warfare; just look on it as an opportunity for great cartoon storytelling.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
November 15, 2016
Thank you, Netgalley. I received an ARC for an honest review.
This is more a 3.5. It's basically a mob story that tries to do something different but essentially I'm not sure it really does. Maybe this 1st volume is setting the stage for the next one but to get the next one you have to care about one of the characters and I'm not sure I actually did.
Eddie's curse is interesting and you can see its benefits and its drawbacks. The place he goes to when dead is interesting and I wonder if we will learn more about it and the demon that presides over it in coming volumes. However, you don't know why Eddie was cursed with this, or really anything about Eddie's back story. All we do know is that he was cursed by the Verlochin and his curse is better than some. I know I would have cared more about Eddie had there been some kind of backstory. As it is, I don't know if I got into his story enough to bother with volume 2.
We don't even see the Verlochin until the end, which is fine as it creates a mystery around them. It's obvious they were once to be feared but you don't get the sense throughout that they are still around. It seems as though they were the strongest demon family until Al and Bruno took them down? If this is the case, how did they take them down? Are they gaining strength to reclaim their post? We don't know.
We also don't know what happened between Al and Bruno. If they actually did work together to bring down the Verlochin then they were allies. So what happened to this? Why did they become warring families? We know they want to get back into an alliance but is this because the Verlochin are gaining in power? Who knows, we just know it's mutually beneficial.
As for the other characters- Sophie and Worm- why did they sell their souls? Why is Worm the only one cursed right now? All we know is that they are brother and sister. But again- we don't get backstory and so do we really care about them? No. I am curious but I don't care about their characters. Does this really matter for a first volume- not necessarily if we can get that backstory in future volumes as I don't see Worm's part in things ending. I mean- he does have information it seems that others can't get or will have a hard time getting. So he's useful in this kind of story. The question is- do you even want to read the next volume if you are not invested in the story in the first one?
The artwork, is simple and not really detailed. It kind of fits that noir style that the story is kind of portraying.
Overall, this is basically just a mob story with demons thrown in. It could have worked better had we gotten more involved with the main character and if the whole demon aspect could have been explored a little more.
This is more a 3.5. It's basically a mob story that tries to do something different but essentially I'm not sure it really does. Maybe this 1st volume is setting the stage for the next one but to get the next one you have to care about one of the characters and I'm not sure I actually did.
Eddie's curse is interesting and you can see its benefits and its drawbacks. The place he goes to when dead is interesting and I wonder if we will learn more about it and the demon that presides over it in coming volumes. However, you don't know why Eddie was cursed with this, or really anything about Eddie's back story. All we do know is that he was cursed by the Verlochin and his curse is better than some. I know I would have cared more about Eddie had there been some kind of backstory. As it is, I don't know if I got into his story enough to bother with volume 2.
We don't even see the Verlochin until the end, which is fine as it creates a mystery around them. It's obvious they were once to be feared but you don't get the sense throughout that they are still around. It seems as though they were the strongest demon family until Al and Bruno took them down? If this is the case, how did they take them down? Are they gaining strength to reclaim their post? We don't know.
We also don't know what happened between Al and Bruno. If they actually did work together to bring down the Verlochin then they were allies. So what happened to this? Why did they become warring families? We know they want to get back into an alliance but is this because the Verlochin are gaining in power? Who knows, we just know it's mutually beneficial.
As for the other characters- Sophie and Worm- why did they sell their souls? Why is Worm the only one cursed right now? All we know is that they are brother and sister. But again- we don't get backstory and so do we really care about them? No. I am curious but I don't care about their characters. Does this really matter for a first volume- not necessarily if we can get that backstory in future volumes as I don't see Worm's part in things ending. I mean- he does have information it seems that others can't get or will have a hard time getting. So he's useful in this kind of story. The question is- do you even want to read the next volume if you are not invested in the story in the first one?
The artwork, is simple and not really detailed. It kind of fits that noir style that the story is kind of portraying.
Overall, this is basically just a mob story with demons thrown in. It could have worked better had we gotten more involved with the main character and if the whole demon aspect could have been explored a little more.
April 24, 2019
The Godfather with demons from hell. The main character reminds me of Hellblazer's John Constantine. He isn't the strongest character in the story, but everybody knows him and most have reason to fear him. Also he smokes, often travels between our world and the one beyond, never smiles and is consistently set up against bigger, stronger characters.
Three days after being killed, Eddie is resurrected by his boss Alphonse Aligheri. He agrees to work for him one last time to find Lazlo, a demon chosen to negotiate peace between Al and his rival, Bruno Roarke. He needs to move fast as both parties are heading for all out war if the negotiations are delayed further. Meanwhile Eddie has to deal with the veiled figures that talk to him while he is on the other side.
Three days after being killed, Eddie is resurrected by his boss Alphonse Aligheri. He agrees to work for him one last time to find Lazlo, a demon chosen to negotiate peace between Al and his rival, Bruno Roarke. He needs to move fast as both parties are heading for all out war if the negotiations are delayed further. Meanwhile Eddie has to deal with the veiled figures that talk to him while he is on the other side.
September 14, 2023
(3,9 of 5 for this demon-mobster "action-crime" comics)
The first thing I need to address is I got very Goon-y vibes from this comic. The mobster theme is similar, but the fantasy-supernatural element is a bit different, but works in the same means and the art is more on that side too. The story is fine, even if it operates in classic crime-mobster-story tropes. The storytelling varies. It starts well but the end feels a bit weak. I think this comic story appreciates novice readers more than experienced ones.
The first thing I need to address is I got very Goon-y vibes from this comic. The mobster theme is similar, but the fantasy-supernatural element is a bit different, but works in the same means and the art is more on that side too. The story is fine, even if it operates in classic crime-mobster-story tropes. The storytelling varies. It starts well but the end feels a bit weak. I think this comic story appreciates novice readers more than experienced ones.
January 27, 2018
Full review to come!
March 1, 2018
It was interesting at first but that's about it.
July 29, 2018
meh mafia demons...really?!? uh wtf...smh
February 12, 2017
It was within the last year that I heard of Cullen Bunn for the first time. The first work of his I ever read was when he started writing for one of the X-Men series at Marvel. I guess since he's becoming such a big name now someone decided to republish one of his earlier works in a colorized version. (The original publication was in black & white.) I stumbled upon this Netgalley.com and thought I'd give it a shot since I've enjoyed what I've read from him so far.
This story takes place in prohibition era so it automatically has that crime noir feel. The interesting twist that Bunn throws in is that demons are in charge of the mobs that run the booze, broads, guns, and pretty much whatever else they can get into. Then there's Eddie, the main character, who is cursed by said demons so that even if he dies, he comes back once someone has touched his corpse. Eddie is left scarred from each killing blow, but the wound that killed him this last time is transferred to the person that touches him so that they die in his place.
When the story starts out, Eddie is dead, but one of the crime bosses sends some people out to resurrect Eddie because the boss needs Eddie to work a case for him. The boss that employs Eddie and the boss of a rival gang have decided to call a truce. The mediator to the truce has gone missing and tensions are high. What follows is part gangster movie, but the demons being involved adds interesting parts that you would not normally see. Crime noir thrillers and stories with warring factions and someone trying to muck up a truce are far from original ideas, but the mixture of the demons into the story and Eddie's unique situation make this unlike anything you've ever read. I don't think this is the best thing I've ever read from Cullen, but for it to be one of his first published works, it's easy to see why he became popular. 3.5 stars for the writing.
Brian Hurtt is the illustrator for the book. His art is by no means the best that I've ever seen, but it totally fits the story. I've never liked black and white comics and probably would not have liked it the original printing of this series either. While Eddie and the normal gangsters may have seemed right at home black and white drawing due to their suits, hats, and trench coats, the boss that hires Eddie would not have popped off of the page without his red coloring. His look, along with him being red, makes him stand out as one of the highlights of the art. The locations and the humans all look good, but the demons are where Hurtt's art really shines. The art gets 4 stars.
My overall rating for this book would be 3.75 stars. I'm not much a fan of modern police or crime dramas, but I do love a crime noir tale. I also enjoy supernatural stories. It just so happens that I enjoy the two mixed together, especially when Cullen Bunn is the mixologist. If you like crime noir and/or supernatural dramas, check this one out. You may enjoy it as much as I did.
This story takes place in prohibition era so it automatically has that crime noir feel. The interesting twist that Bunn throws in is that demons are in charge of the mobs that run the booze, broads, guns, and pretty much whatever else they can get into. Then there's Eddie, the main character, who is cursed by said demons so that even if he dies, he comes back once someone has touched his corpse. Eddie is left scarred from each killing blow, but the wound that killed him this last time is transferred to the person that touches him so that they die in his place.
When the story starts out, Eddie is dead, but one of the crime bosses sends some people out to resurrect Eddie because the boss needs Eddie to work a case for him. The boss that employs Eddie and the boss of a rival gang have decided to call a truce. The mediator to the truce has gone missing and tensions are high. What follows is part gangster movie, but the demons being involved adds interesting parts that you would not normally see. Crime noir thrillers and stories with warring factions and someone trying to muck up a truce are far from original ideas, but the mixture of the demons into the story and Eddie's unique situation make this unlike anything you've ever read. I don't think this is the best thing I've ever read from Cullen, but for it to be one of his first published works, it's easy to see why he became popular. 3.5 stars for the writing.
Brian Hurtt is the illustrator for the book. His art is by no means the best that I've ever seen, but it totally fits the story. I've never liked black and white comics and probably would not have liked it the original printing of this series either. While Eddie and the normal gangsters may have seemed right at home black and white drawing due to their suits, hats, and trench coats, the boss that hires Eddie would not have popped off of the page without his red coloring. His look, along with him being red, makes him stand out as one of the highlights of the art. The locations and the humans all look good, but the demons are where Hurtt's art really shines. The art gets 4 stars.
My overall rating for this book would be 3.75 stars. I'm not much a fan of modern police or crime dramas, but I do love a crime noir tale. I also enjoy supernatural stories. It just so happens that I enjoy the two mixed together, especially when Cullen Bunn is the mixologist. If you like crime noir and/or supernatural dramas, check this one out. You may enjoy it as much as I did.
February 13, 2008
1930’s-set supernatural noir horror, gotta love that combo. This is one of my top two favorites of the many good titles I discovered at the 2007 ComiCon. I look for more Damned every time I visit a comic shop.
My blog has a full review, with images.
My blog has a full review, with images.
September 11, 2008
Everybody's doing the crime novel with monsters boogie these days. Here's another one and it ain't bad but nothing astoundingly different. It's the Prohibition gang war with devils shooting it out with creepazoids. The artwork reminded me of Joe Orlando in his Mad Magazine heyday. C+
January 28, 2015
This is a very entertaining crime comic mixing gangsters and demons during the prohibition era. The tough guy period dialogue is pitch perfect and the black and white art is a great mix of creepy and cartoony. A nice surprise.
February 11, 2008
A world where demons and the mafia co-exist is one I can't get enough of. The second volume of this wonderful comic series hits the shelves later this year -- definitely worth checking out.
March 23, 2009
Book is an excellent take on old school mobster story with a twist. I really enjoyed it
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