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Crossed (Collected Editions) #3
Crossed, Vol. 3: Psychopath
In one terrifying moment, civilization crumbled. An outbreak of insanity swept across the planet, turning millions of people into the scarred homicidal maniacs known as “the Crossed.” For one small band of survivors, the discovery of a starving, injured man in the desert seems like an unexpected blessing. He knows where they could be the location of the last holdout of the scientific community, where the military offers protection and the cure to the Crossed plague is being developed. But Harold Lorre is not the savior they hope him to be. He’s a calculating, lethal man whose mind was dangerously unhinged even before the world went mad. Surrounded by marauding hordes, their nerves shattered by unending fear, the group fall victim to the manipulations and deadly perversions of a psychopath. Writer David Lapham, the critically acclaimed creator of Stray Bullets, returns to the universe of Crossed with a descent into evil so far beyond what you could possibly imagine.
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
January 1, 2021
The Crossed Psychopath volume sees David Lapham double down on the darkness and horror from the previous Crossed volume Crossed, Vol. 2: Family Values, by throwing a hard core psychopath into the mix of the Crossed reality, just when you thought things couldn't possibly get any worse! I can't find any images from the comic book covers that I can use, as they are all too dark, graphic and horrific! MATURE READERS ONLY! 8 out of 12.
February 20, 2014
Let's go straight to the point :
This is the more stupid sick piece of crap that I read in all my life !!!
Don't get me wrong, I don't get offended easily, nor shocked, but I hate stupid things. The vol 1 (written by Ennis) I liked very much, it's bloody, gore-porn, but it is intelligent. But this one, it just get bored, and more bored. I don't even know how I get to read all the book. After the first 2 issues I wanted to stop reading it, not for the gore, or the snuff graphics, but, because it is just stupid. Come on, how much guts, blood, and gore can you see before it gets boring ?
The story is kind of interesting, a group of survivors found a man, get him, care about him, only to know, at last, that he is a psycho, so, he kills everyone in the group, except a girl that remind him of the married woman that he was obsessed with. There is a sub-plot that the psycho (Lorre) wants to get vengeance against the crossed that killed the married woman. In between you've got a bloody gore fest.
But ... I'm really mad about this book, it seams that all that Lapham wants to do is to get you shocked. The thing is, like in vol. 2 (written by Lapham, too), it lacks of deepness, content, something to say, it feels vile, like every other thousands of comics out there, only that this one is plagued with a gore fest.
I don't know if I will continue reading this series, I like my gore being intelligent, having a message, something to say, not a bloody fest only for the shock value.
So, if you never read Crossed, and you want to take a peek on this, buy the vol. 1, written by Ennis, but not this piece of crap.
(I'm grateful I downloaded it, and didn't buy it)
This is the more stupid sick piece of crap that I read in all my life !!!
Don't get me wrong, I don't get offended easily, nor shocked, but I hate stupid things. The vol 1 (written by Ennis) I liked very much, it's bloody, gore-porn, but it is intelligent. But this one, it just get bored, and more bored. I don't even know how I get to read all the book. After the first 2 issues I wanted to stop reading it, not for the gore, or the snuff graphics, but, because it is just stupid. Come on, how much guts, blood, and gore can you see before it gets boring ?
The story is kind of interesting, a group of survivors found a man, get him, care about him, only to know, at last, that he is a psycho, so, he kills everyone in the group, except a girl that remind him of the married woman that he was obsessed with. There is a sub-plot that the psycho (Lorre) wants to get vengeance against the crossed that killed the married woman. In between you've got a bloody gore fest.
But ... I'm really mad about this book, it seams that all that Lapham wants to do is to get you shocked. The thing is, like in vol. 2 (written by Lapham, too), it lacks of deepness, content, something to say, it feels vile, like every other thousands of comics out there, only that this one is plagued with a gore fest.
I don't know if I will continue reading this series, I like my gore being intelligent, having a message, something to say, not a bloody fest only for the shock value.
So, if you never read Crossed, and you want to take a peek on this, buy the vol. 1, written by Ennis, but not this piece of crap.
(I'm grateful I downloaded it, and didn't buy it)
May 18, 2013
I feel the need to warn people away from this series. First, a caveat - I'm ok with "adult comics", so that is not really the issue here.
The so-called "psychopath" is my main gripe. The guy is not a psychopath, in any sense of the word. He's batshit crazy, sure. But he is by no means a psychopath. Source: I'm a psychologist, innit. Also, read "The Wisdom of Psychopaths" by Kevin Dutton and "The Psychopath Test" by Jon Ronson. That will explain pretty well what a psychopath is, how they think and how they act.
Further, the adultness of the comic is pretty over the top. If you are not comfortable with the film "The Hills Have Eyes" then avoid this series. Also, if you are uncomfortable with seeing a bunch of guys bugger and decimate some animals, and then bugger and decimate each other, then avoid this series. That is just an issue of personal taste of course...
Finally, the dialogue can be piss poor in places. The characters are stereotyped and ridiculous.
Why did I buy this in the first place? I was in Waterstones and it was in a plastic cover so I couldn't open it up. The front cover looked cool, and the blurb made it sound spectacular.
The so-called "psychopath" is my main gripe. The guy is not a psychopath, in any sense of the word. He's batshit crazy, sure. But he is by no means a psychopath. Source: I'm a psychologist, innit. Also, read "The Wisdom of Psychopaths" by Kevin Dutton and "The Psychopath Test" by Jon Ronson. That will explain pretty well what a psychopath is, how they think and how they act.
Further, the adultness of the comic is pretty over the top. If you are not comfortable with the film "The Hills Have Eyes" then avoid this series. Also, if you are uncomfortable with seeing a bunch of guys bugger and decimate some animals, and then bugger and decimate each other, then avoid this series. That is just an issue of personal taste of course...
Finally, the dialogue can be piss poor in places. The characters are stereotyped and ridiculous.
Why did I buy this in the first place? I was in Waterstones and it was in a plastic cover so I couldn't open it up. The front cover looked cool, and the blurb made it sound spectacular.
May 28, 2017
I keep thinking eventually this series will stop shocking me, but then every volume comes up with something sicker. I will say I have never seen a series so gruesome that is also so compelling. I would think a series that constantly goes for the "gross out" would be covering up the fact there's not much story there, but it's just not true. These are some of the best written horror comics I've read.
This volume features something touched on in the previous volume (as well as in the Walking Dead) which is that when monsters are everywhere, the real monsters could be the ones you don't recognize. This volume has a human character just as evil, if not moreso, than the infected Crossed. A band of human survivors ends up with a monster in their midst and doesn't realize it until it's too late. Great art, as the art in this entire series has been above average.
As always, I will once again warn readers this is EXTREME horror and not for everywhere. But if you're into gore with your horror, this is definitely for you.
This volume features something touched on in the previous volume (as well as in the Walking Dead) which is that when monsters are everywhere, the real monsters could be the ones you don't recognize. This volume has a human character just as evil, if not moreso, than the infected Crossed. A band of human survivors ends up with a monster in their midst and doesn't realize it until it's too late. Great art, as the art in this entire series has been above average.
As always, I will once again warn readers this is EXTREME horror and not for everywhere. But if you're into gore with your horror, this is definitely for you.
March 8, 2017
Not the same kind of gross out at the previous 2 volumes. I could see this being uncomfortable at best for a lot of people.
June 10, 2016
My rating does not come because of the content. Having read the other two Crossed volumes, I knew what I was getting into. My one star rating comes because of the amazing lack of depth that I felt from the characters. Isn't that sad? I'm unimpressed by this novel because of the lack of character depth, and not because of the many scenes of blood and gore... I'm a bad human being.
Anyway, that being said, I agree with the others in their criticism over the writing in this graphic novel. I spent most of my time rolling my eyes at the predictable dialogue than anything else. The characters of the first volume had way more depth than these few: We see five characters, and ultimately they're dumbed down (even if it's in the mind of the protagonist) to just be goonish man, sex-bag woman. The women were stereotypically caring and naive (strange, given the hellish wasteland that surrounds them), making me groan with annoyance.
But maybe that's just me. At the end of the novel I rolled my eyes and was left unsatisfied, and I'm not sure if that reflects badly on me as a human being, who just spent a few hours perusing page after page of graphic violence and sexual assault (even though those terms don't even begin to cut it), and still felt like I wasted my time.
Hopefully Badlands will be better, if I even bother to get around to reading it.
Anyway, that being said, I agree with the others in their criticism over the writing in this graphic novel. I spent most of my time rolling my eyes at the predictable dialogue than anything else. The characters of the first volume had way more depth than these few: We see five characters, and ultimately they're dumbed down (even if it's in the mind of the protagonist) to just be goonish man, sex-bag woman. The women were stereotypically caring and naive (strange, given the hellish wasteland that surrounds them), making me groan with annoyance.
But maybe that's just me. At the end of the novel I rolled my eyes and was left unsatisfied, and I'm not sure if that reflects badly on me as a human being, who just spent a few hours perusing page after page of graphic violence and sexual assault (even though those terms don't even begin to cut it), and still felt like I wasted my time.
Hopefully Badlands will be better, if I even bother to get around to reading it.
August 22, 2019
Ok. So! I was pretty disturbed from the beginning with this series but I did like the first volume of Crossed.
I decided to continue down the reading list & stopped because I found Crossed, Volume 3: Psychopath to be a major PTSD trigger and a lot of scenes stick with me and give me nightmares. This Volume ruined it for me.
I came across this comic series after googling a good alternative for The Walking Dead. While it is post-apocolypic and what I was looking for.. the severe sadistic nature of this comic turned me off. I didn't know anything about this series prior, but I noticed Garth Ennis was the writer of the first, so I decided to indulge in this series. Which may be the reason I didn't enjoy this Volume, it wasn't written by him.
I'm not easily offended and I like limit pushing reads, so I figured I'd enjoy it.
I found Volume 1 bearable, storyline was meh but still kept me curious.
Volume 2 was pretty unsettling, but again, bearable & curious.
Volume 3 though, it was brutal. I could barely get through it. I can normally read a Volume in one sitting, but it literally took me two days to read it I was that disturbed. I hated it.
I will probably get into Badlands, but I can't say it will be anytime soon.
Despite all that, the art was probably the best part. I liked how they framed most pages and scenes with something pertaining (hair, body parts, etc.). The art also had a much darker & disgusting feel to it than the previous two, but it suited. I also enjoyed learning more about how the Crossed behave.
I would not recommend to the faint of heart.
I am glad I read these online & did not purchase.
I decided to continue down the reading list & stopped because I found Crossed, Volume 3: Psychopath to be a major PTSD trigger and a lot of scenes stick with me and give me nightmares. This Volume ruined it for me.
I came across this comic series after googling a good alternative for The Walking Dead. While it is post-apocolypic and what I was looking for.. the severe sadistic nature of this comic turned me off. I didn't know anything about this series prior, but I noticed Garth Ennis was the writer of the first, so I decided to indulge in this series. Which may be the reason I didn't enjoy this Volume, it wasn't written by him.
I'm not easily offended and I like limit pushing reads, so I figured I'd enjoy it.
I found Volume 1 bearable, storyline was meh but still kept me curious.
Volume 2 was pretty unsettling, but again, bearable & curious.
Volume 3 though, it was brutal. I could barely get through it. I can normally read a Volume in one sitting, but it literally took me two days to read it I was that disturbed. I hated it.
Despite all that, the art was probably the best part. I liked how they framed most pages and scenes with something pertaining (hair, body parts, etc.). The art also had a much darker & disgusting feel to it than the previous two, but it suited. I also enjoyed learning more about how the Crossed behave.
I would not recommend to the faint of heart.
I am glad I read these online & did not purchase.
December 11, 2013
When it boils right down to it, everyone will have a perspective on where art crosses the line and becomes poor or disgusting in taste. And Volume 3 set in the world of Crossed represents that marker for me.
Psychopath seems to have been written purely to disgust, outrage, upset, or even titillate its readers (and if you fall into the latter category, please do not track my ISP from this post). There was little on offer other than one scene after another of violence, death and rape - often in that order. Character growth is limited to the titular psycho, rendering any impact his manipulation and destruction of the other survivors might have had as virtually non-existant. And the less said about the ridiculously unsatisfying ending, the better.
I'll stick with the next entry, Badlands, but only because Garth Ennis is back to take over story duties.
1.5 Carnage Strewn Landscapes for Psychopath.
Psychopath seems to have been written purely to disgust, outrage, upset, or even titillate its readers (and if you fall into the latter category, please do not track my ISP from this post). There was little on offer other than one scene after another of violence, death and rape - often in that order. Character growth is limited to the titular psycho, rendering any impact his manipulation and destruction of the other survivors might have had as virtually non-existant. And the less said about the ridiculously unsatisfying ending, the better.
I'll stick with the next entry, Badlands, but only because Garth Ennis is back to take over story duties.
1.5 Carnage Strewn Landscapes for Psychopath.
March 27, 2024
Haha!
What an ending this one had!!!
Unexpected to say at least!
The story wasn`t so bad, not so great, readable overall, but I must warn you that this series it`s not for everyone.
Usually, I`m not a big fan of body horror, but here, in the context of a general scenario for an infection/changing that affects some of the people, it`s working.
Oh, well, better to stay away from this series so that your sanity could stay in check !! :)))
What an ending this one had!!!
Unexpected to say at least!
The story wasn`t so bad, not so great, readable overall, but I must warn you that this series it`s not for everyone.
Usually, I`m not a big fan of body horror, but here, in the context of a general scenario for an infection/changing that affects some of the people, it`s working.
Oh, well, better to stay away from this series so that your sanity could stay in check !! :)))
March 10, 2018
A new set of characters.
Nothing to do with the previous volumes.
In the midst of the crossed outbreak, a small band of survivors stumble upon an injured men. Little did they know, the harmless looking sicko has his own agenda. I love the progressive reveal from issue to issue. Right from the start, we could figure out Harold Lorre is bad news. The tension is compounded when threats are from within.
Just when I thought things couldn’t possibly get any more disturbing, yet again I’m proven wrong. Compared to the first two, this volume is many times sicker and more disgusting. It shocks you right from the start. Story-wise, this volume is slipping. I particularly disliked the unresolved ending. Hopefully, the writing doesn’t go even more downhill after this.
Nothing to do with the previous volumes.
In the midst of the crossed outbreak, a small band of survivors stumble upon an injured men. Little did they know, the harmless looking sicko has his own agenda. I love the progressive reveal from issue to issue. Right from the start, we could figure out Harold Lorre is bad news. The tension is compounded when threats are from within.
Just when I thought things couldn’t possibly get any more disturbing, yet again I’m proven wrong. Compared to the first two, this volume is many times sicker and more disgusting. It shocks you right from the start. Story-wise, this volume is slipping. I particularly disliked the unresolved ending. Hopefully, the writing doesn’t go even more downhill after this.
April 22, 2022
This one was decent, but it didn't have the heart that the other volumes had. What makes Crossed good is that you have the actual Crossed committing vile acts of torture and rape, but then in the next page you have the surivors having real, human interactions and you get to experience their fear and sadness. When the human survivor is just as much of a monster as the Crossed are it cancels itself out.
February 22, 2018
Pretty sweet!
October 31, 2021
My least favorite. Didn't care for this storyline.
May 7, 2022
Хижак, що видає себе за жертву. Історія про маньяка Гарольда в світі, що втратив глузд. Ця арка виділяється серед інших сюжетів "хрестоносців" хоча б тим, що показує сторону зла, яка страшніша за божевільних хворих людей, бо може використовувати обставини на свою користь. Але в силу свого божевілля це втілене зло необачно ускладнює свої накручені плани, чим робить перебіг подій цікавішим.
Гарольд повторює собою одного з персонажів першого тому, підстаркуватого маньяка, який трохи вспокоївся після апокаліпсису, бо опинився в групі людей, які його не цуралися... Ну, до моменту, коли він захотів поділитися з іншими історією свого життя. В цьому плані Гарольд хитріший. Він адаптується, виживає там, де звичайну людину вже відмали б хрестоносці. Крім того, Гарольд може влитися в групу інших виживальників. Що і трапляється, коли на свою біду маньяк падає в ущелину та ламає там ногу, а гурт простого люду визволяє його з пастки.
Гарольд не просто маньяк, у нього є ціль, і ось ця нова компанія завдяки маніпуляціям дозволила йому її досягти.
При цьому самі виживальники якісь занадто наївні - і це у світі хрестоносців. Маньяк кілька разів ледь не палиться кількома фразами, по ньому бува помітно, що він не в собі, але це все ігнорується. Більш того, аж занадто швидко збита спільнота старих знайомців ведеться на маніпуляції новачка. З іншого боку, Гарольд підступний та до самого кінця намагається не видавати себе жертві. Аж поки не робить висновку, що вже можна...
Цікавий для цієї серії персонаж. Історія подається так, що реальні події перемішуються з фантазіями Гарольда, але цього разу художник постарався зробити такі переходи дуже явними. Те минуле, про яке розповідає Гарольд, на словах вигляда як звичайна людська драма, хоча візуальний ряд говорить про зовсім інше, бо сам персонаж у багатьох ситуаціях аж ніяк не жертва, до якої варто проявляти емпатію.
Поставлю цьому тому четвірку. Багатьох дратує ця частина, але мені вона видається вартою уваги, бо далі у серії дуже багато шаблонів.
Гарольд повторює собою одного з персонажів першого тому, підстаркуватого маньяка, який трохи вспокоївся після апокаліпсису, бо опинився в групі людей, які його не цуралися... Ну, до моменту, коли він захотів поділитися з іншими історією свого життя. В цьому плані Гарольд хитріший. Він адаптується, виживає там, де звичайну людину вже відмали б хрестоносці. Крім того, Гарольд може влитися в групу інших виживальників. Що і трапляється, коли на свою біду маньяк падає в ущелину та ламає там ногу, а гурт простого люду визволяє його з пастки.
Гарольд не просто маньяк, у нього є ціль, і ось ця нова компанія завдяки маніпуляціям дозволила йому її досягти.
При цьому самі виживальники якісь занадто наївні - і це у світі хрестоносців. Маньяк кілька разів ледь не палиться кількома фразами, по ньому бува помітно, що він не в собі, але це все ігнорується. Більш того, аж занадто швидко збита спільнота старих знайомців ведеться на маніпуляції новачка. З іншого боку, Гарольд підступний та до самого кінця намагається не видавати себе жертві. Аж поки не робить висновку, що вже можна...
Цікавий для цієї серії персонаж. Історія подається так, що реальні події перемішуються з фантазіями Гарольда, але цього разу художник постарався зробити такі переходи дуже явними. Те минуле, про яке розповідає Гарольд, на словах вигляда як звичайна людська драма, хоча візуальний ряд говорить про зовсім інше, бо сам персонаж у багатьох ситуаціях аж ніяк не жертва, до якої варто проявляти емпатію.
Поставлю цьому тому четвірку. Багатьох дратує ця частина, але мені вона видається вартою уваги, бо далі у серії дуже багато шаблонів.
May 4, 2021
Just when you didn't think the gross out factor could get any worse...just yuck. This volume becomes more gore-filled, more pornographic, more rapey, more torturous than previous entries and the main character is in love with a bagged tit. There is really just no value in this story and that's two strikes for David Lapham. I maayyy read the next volume since it's Garth Ennis again, but I definitely won't read another by Lapham.
The art does kind of remind me of old alternative comix, like some Mad magazine stuff and other more punk based type stuff, but it's just so damn vile.
The art does kind of remind me of old alternative comix, like some Mad magazine stuff and other more punk based type stuff, but it's just so damn vile.
April 22, 2024
A decent story where the plot follows a deranged and dangerous man who is just as bad, if not worse, than the crossed themselves.
January 16, 2018
Worst book of the series so far. As the title of the volume implies, we're following another psychopathic character in the Crossed universe. He meets up with a group of survivors and then sets about murdering them all in gruesome fashion. As is a common theme in Crossed, he deals with them with ways that are no less extreme than the titular sadist rape cannibals.
There is a lot of media that deals with things from the "bad guys" perspective and the best of these work because they make the protagonist compelling. So even if you're rooting for them to get caught, you're enjoying the ride, so to speak. Despite the bad deeds of the character, at least a little part of you wants them to get away with it for a little longer, to see what happens, and how this affects the characters. I didn't feel this at all here. I really hated Lorre, and he didn't have any redeeming qualities to make me want to keep reading despite that. I get that this is a horror book, but he just presented as so over the top evil it was hard to swallow.
And again, the gross out behaviours that happen are just so monstrous that they make it even less enjoyable. Was just not a fan.
There is a lot of media that deals with things from the "bad guys" perspective and the best of these work because they make the protagonist compelling. So even if you're rooting for them to get caught, you're enjoying the ride, so to speak. Despite the bad deeds of the character, at least a little part of you wants them to get away with it for a little longer, to see what happens, and how this affects the characters. I didn't feel this at all here. I really hated Lorre, and he didn't have any redeeming qualities to make me want to keep reading despite that. I get that this is a horror book, but he just presented as so over the top evil it was hard to swallow.
And again, the gross out behaviours that happen are just so monstrous that they make it even less enjoyable. Was just not a fan.
July 31, 2015
Hasta ahora, el más desagradable de la saga, para bien y para mal. El protagonista: completamente repulsivo, que para el caso viene a ser más que adecuado, y los secundarios: bastante acartonados (además de cumplir con un par de clichés innecesarios). El final: medio cualquiera. Ahora veré si salto directo al +100 de Moore o le doy una repasada a algún otro de los títulos de Crossed.
April 28, 2016
Aunque el arte no fue mi favorito y la violencia contra los animales hizo que mi estómago se retorciera, honor a quien honor merece: Harold es uno de los antagonistas que más me han gustado y perturbado, y su historia de amor sigue siendo mejor que Twilight :V
October 9, 2023
this series has been garbage since the first issue and i know i am still going to read all of it
November 22, 2021
(Zero spoiler review) 2.75/5
Sometimes when you read a book can be as important a factor in determining how much you enjoy it as the book itself. six months ago, on a rainy Sunday morning, I sat in my car outside a yoga studio in the city where I live, waiting for the class to start. I wasn't bored though, as I had Crossed volume 2 to read. The previous title in the series, also written by David Lapham. I gave that one five stars, rating it higher than the Garth Ennis penned volume one before it. Sadly, in the intervening months, my impressions of David Lapham' writing (Stray Bullets and Crossed 2 aside) has plummeted, in no small thanks to the wretchedly sub par The Strain series I just finished earlier this week. But the remaining Crossed hardcovers in the series arrived yesterday, and wouldn't you know it, its a rainy Sunday morning again, so I picked up Volume 3 and started reading. As you can no doubt tell by the score, I didn't like this one anywhere near as much as volume 2. In fat, if it wasn't for the fantastic Raulo Caceras art, you would likely be looking at something in the 2's, and maybe you still should be anyway. The characters are poorly developed and uninteresting to the point of tedium, with the main protagonist (antagonist) being a pale shadow of the enigmatic force he could, and should have been. The overall plot was weak, and poorly executed. Despite being entirely ridiculous, it could have worked with a more engaged writer or with a serious rewrite, but what we are given is clumsy teen levels of competence, not only in execution, but narratively speaking as well. Lapham seemed far more interested in trying to pen the most disgusting and disturbing tale yet, to the detriment of good storytelling. No shrinking violet am I, I love Crossed and its gore and debauchery, but the sex and violence needs to be interspersed between good, engaging storytelling, and this is little more than a nonstop collection of poorly executed gory plot points. Shock value with little substance. Maybe this is enough for some, but its not enough for me. I like my splatter to have a modicum of smarts about it. Hell, is competent writing, regardless of the genre too much to ask? When it comes to David Lapham, I'm afraid mediocrity is fast becoming the norm. Most disappointing. 2.75/5
OmniBen.
Sometimes when you read a book can be as important a factor in determining how much you enjoy it as the book itself. six months ago, on a rainy Sunday morning, I sat in my car outside a yoga studio in the city where I live, waiting for the class to start. I wasn't bored though, as I had Crossed volume 2 to read. The previous title in the series, also written by David Lapham. I gave that one five stars, rating it higher than the Garth Ennis penned volume one before it. Sadly, in the intervening months, my impressions of David Lapham' writing (Stray Bullets and Crossed 2 aside) has plummeted, in no small thanks to the wretchedly sub par The Strain series I just finished earlier this week. But the remaining Crossed hardcovers in the series arrived yesterday, and wouldn't you know it, its a rainy Sunday morning again, so I picked up Volume 3 and started reading. As you can no doubt tell by the score, I didn't like this one anywhere near as much as volume 2. In fat, if it wasn't for the fantastic Raulo Caceras art, you would likely be looking at something in the 2's, and maybe you still should be anyway. The characters are poorly developed and uninteresting to the point of tedium, with the main protagonist (antagonist) being a pale shadow of the enigmatic force he could, and should have been. The overall plot was weak, and poorly executed. Despite being entirely ridiculous, it could have worked with a more engaged writer or with a serious rewrite, but what we are given is clumsy teen levels of competence, not only in execution, but narratively speaking as well. Lapham seemed far more interested in trying to pen the most disgusting and disturbing tale yet, to the detriment of good storytelling. No shrinking violet am I, I love Crossed and its gore and debauchery, but the sex and violence needs to be interspersed between good, engaging storytelling, and this is little more than a nonstop collection of poorly executed gory plot points. Shock value with little substance. Maybe this is enough for some, but its not enough for me. I like my splatter to have a modicum of smarts about it. Hell, is competent writing, regardless of the genre too much to ask? When it comes to David Lapham, I'm afraid mediocrity is fast becoming the norm. Most disappointing. 2.75/5
OmniBen.
January 10, 2022
Check it out; this one is horrible for all the same reasons as the previous two…
…but it’s also really interesting and suspenseful.
This is fucked up series. I don’t recommend it. Something about the no holds barred awfulness is keeping my attention. Not sure what that says about me, but I guess it is what it is. For now, I’m still invested. Even if a part of me dies every time I see one of the numerous atrociously awful rapes and murders peppered throughout.
…but it’s also really interesting and suspenseful.
This is fucked up series. I don’t recommend it. Something about the no holds barred awfulness is keeping my attention. Not sure what that says about me, but I guess it is what it is. For now, I’m still invested. Even if a part of me dies every time I see one of the numerous atrociously awful rapes and murders peppered throughout.
May 4, 2021
Absurd. The only Psychopath here is the writer himself, with no shame, no remorse, Utter crap.
September 2, 2022
3/5
This was a lot once again... The art wasn't as nice in this one and the sexual violence was more... in your face I guess. Good story and good ending though
This was a lot once again... The art wasn't as nice in this one and the sexual violence was more... in your face I guess. Good story and good ending though
July 21, 2024
Nuke the site from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.
August 4, 2019
After vol. 2, this Crossed volume felt tamer. It takes a different tactic and follows the narrative of a non-Crossed. Still all of the gore and WTF of the other volumes but with more suspense as the narrator slowly unravels his lies to the truth.
Read
February 18, 2023This is hands down the most fucked up comic series i've ever come across. I'm traumatised for life.
December 28, 2016
This book was truly disgusting. The story was lackluster and I could barely stand to finish, the only reason I continued was to see if there was any redeeming qualities, and not to my surprise, there was none. I have read various iterations of crossed comics and found them to be decent and somewhat interesting (the "wish you were here" series was superb) but this was one of the most depraved and vile things I have ever seen printed. The gratuitous sexual violence was intolerable, the gore was gut wrenching, the characters were poorly developed and only used as means for the main antagonist to to brutally murder and rape. I would be shocked to find someone who truly enjoys this comic without feeling any regret for liking such repulsive material. In all honesty, this book should be burned and forgotten for it is truly perverted to an irredeemable extent. Please if you are considering reading this comic, do not. Spare yourself
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September 30, 2019Another useless Crossed story by David Lapham. This is even more disgusting than Family Values, epitomizing the notion of “shock value for shock value’s sake.” I don’t mind gore, but it has to be in service of a good story, which this is not. A disturbed (non-crossed) loner joins a group of civilians with the false promise of leading them to safety. The idea here is that non-crossed people can be just as cruel and perverted as the crossed. Well, that’s about as subtle as a sledgehammer, and Lapham doesn’t do the story any favors with his piss-poor dialogue and narration. I will say that the artist does a good job visualizing the carnage, even utilizing creative (read: gross) panel construction and borders. But it’s not enough for me to recommend this pile of garbage.
October 21, 2016
There's a part of me that really enjoys the sickness and depravity that exists in the Crossed universe. Unfortunately, many of the stories not told by Garth Ennis fall flat for me. It's like there's too much emphasis on the gore and violence and not enough humanity to balance why that level of brutality is so shocking. So, while I appreciate some of the twisted concepts and characters created in this book, there doesn't seem to be a grounded reality to give the horror of those that have been Crossed a real impact.
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