The Wretch, Volume One: Everyday Doomsday

The Wretch #1

by Phil Hester

Somewhere in America lies a small town haunted by every manner of bizarre horror. The only thing weirder than the dangers threatening Glass City is the silent hero who protects it. This volume collects every story from Phil Hester's original Amaze Ink series, plus previously unpublished material.

Genres: Comics, Horror, Graphic Novels

120 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2003

About the author

This Eisner Award-nominated artist was born in eastern Iowa, where he went on to study at the University of Iowa. His pencilling credits include Swamp Thing, Brave New World, Flinch, Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Clerks: The Lost Scene, The Crow: Waking Nightmares, The Wretch (nominated for the 1997 Eisner Award for Best New Series), Aliens: Purge, and Green Arrow.

Since graduating from the University of Iowa, he has been in the comics industry for over 15 years.

Reviews

[Chris Browning · Rating 3 out of 5]

At heart this is another of those weird nineties alternative comics where a sort of vaguely demonic figure bravely battles worse demonic figures, but in a sort of strangely impenetrable world. It feels very much of a certain time, but also of the tail end of that era - Hester’s own notes about what he was trying to write are very revealing about a writer and artist trying to find their own voice, albeit one considerably more talented than he clearly believes he is. The artwork is nice and fluid where the stories feel a bit stilted and uncertain, and you can definitely see an improvement as Hester grows in confidence (although the final, odd Kirby pastiche feels like it’s one step backwards in writing while several steps forward in art). It’s never bad but it’s very frustrating that Hester doesn’t see his own skills at this stage of his career, because when he does play to them he’s absolutely *sublime*

[Dakota · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5.

Very early Phil Hester work but he is still able to pull out comparisons to Kirby and Mignola on the art which carried this volume up until the last two issues. Last two issues were preachy but the message was clear and honest and I enjoyed both.

[Alex Fyffe · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[H. Givens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly good. It's Phil Hester's early work, according to the introduction, and you can tell it's someone's early work because it's very simple, but in the last two issues in this collection, there are some beautifully delicate and honest things. I really like it.

[Johnny Mayall · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wish I could remember who recommended this book to me so that I could punch them in the crotch. What a turd of a book.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some solid story telling in here but the world is left rather undeveloped so far.