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Drumhellar (TPBs) #1
Drumhellar, Vol. 1: Badlands and Bad Trips
When shock-induced visions drive Drum Hellar, a detective specializing in the paranormal, to a small town in South Dakota, he finds himself up against a flesh-hungry bog-man, their mutual ex-girlfriend (did we mention she's a werewolf?), and a demon that's stolen his arsenal of psychedelics. Then things start to get weird. With his ghostly sidekick Harold -- who has powers so mysterious even he doesn't understand them -- Drum Hellar sets out on weird, wicked adventures. We live in strange times. They call for strange ways!
Collects Drumhellar #1-5, plus extras.
Collects Drumhellar #1-5, plus extras.
136 pages, Paperback
First published June 10, 2014
3 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Riley Rossmo
361 books26 followersCanadian comic book artist and illustrator, known for his work on various Image Comics titles, as well as Marvel Comics' Daken: Dark Wolverine. Rossmo is an instructor at the Alberta College of Art and Design.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 2, 2014
Welcome to Drumhellar, a weird and wonderful world of floating ghost cats and embryonic radio hosts.
Volume 1 opens with the series' narcotic-guzzling protagonist Drum Heller stood in a puddle, wearing little but an old bathrobe and brandishing a golf club at the raging storm clouds above him. And then it takes a turn for the surreal.
A peacock's head emerges from the puddle at Drum's feet, gradually emerging to lay a glowing egg in the water before taking flight. Drum kneels to wrench the egg from the muck before plunging his head through the puddle and into the sunny disposition of another world...
Drumhellar is the latest in artist and writer Riley Rossmo's (of Cowboy Ninja Viking fame) oeuvre. Since its publication last year, the series has been heralded as this generation's Hellblazer, and I can definitely see where the similarities lie – although this incarnation is a lot more colourful than Constantine's, and contains far less internal monologuing and brooding, probably due to the constant presence of Drum's ghost-cat sidekick, Harold (which really isn't as lame as it sounds).
Our antihero is otherworldly detective Drum Hellar, who deals inclusively with spirits, zombie/spirits, dinosaur spirits, werewolves and other generally abnormal things in trying to resolve everyone's issues and save the world (or at least the nearest village), usually via a method that involves ingesting a truckload of hallucinogenics. (A role model, Drum is not.)
What initially attracted me to the series is the vibrant, surreal and enigmatic art style, and after reading Vol. 1 I still think that that is the series' best feature. The writing is fine, but it suffers from the old comic-book banana skin of being a little confusing at times, since a lot relies on how the reader reads characters' speech as well as how such speech is written – especially at the beginning of a series where characters' past relationships have to be established to the reader in an unforced and natural way. (Looking back through the volume now I'm struggling to find a specific example to quote – but trust me, at the time, there was mild confusion.) As for the story, it does flow, but can seem a bit too convenient/deus ex machina at times (for example, the part that involves a phone call and a floating baby).
Overall, the story and the writing is fine – not terrific, but not bad – and it does pick up towards the end of the volume, once you have a bit of a grounding in how the Drumhellar universe works. The real hook of the series is the art style, which is just a pleasure to look through. Which means that if you're the sort of person for whom pretty pictures aren't much of a concern, then this comic probably isn't for you – but I'll be picking up the next volume, albeit at my leisure, primarily on the merit of the visuals.
You can find more of my reviews at: www.thelittlecrocodile.com
Volume 1 opens with the series' narcotic-guzzling protagonist Drum Heller stood in a puddle, wearing little but an old bathrobe and brandishing a golf club at the raging storm clouds above him. And then it takes a turn for the surreal.
A peacock's head emerges from the puddle at Drum's feet, gradually emerging to lay a glowing egg in the water before taking flight. Drum kneels to wrench the egg from the muck before plunging his head through the puddle and into the sunny disposition of another world...
Drumhellar is the latest in artist and writer Riley Rossmo's (of Cowboy Ninja Viking fame) oeuvre. Since its publication last year, the series has been heralded as this generation's Hellblazer, and I can definitely see where the similarities lie – although this incarnation is a lot more colourful than Constantine's, and contains far less internal monologuing and brooding, probably due to the constant presence of Drum's ghost-cat sidekick, Harold (which really isn't as lame as it sounds).
Our antihero is otherworldly detective Drum Hellar, who deals inclusively with spirits, zombie/spirits, dinosaur spirits, werewolves and other generally abnormal things in trying to resolve everyone's issues and save the world (or at least the nearest village), usually via a method that involves ingesting a truckload of hallucinogenics. (A role model, Drum is not.)
What initially attracted me to the series is the vibrant, surreal and enigmatic art style, and after reading Vol. 1 I still think that that is the series' best feature. The writing is fine, but it suffers from the old comic-book banana skin of being a little confusing at times, since a lot relies on how the reader reads characters' speech as well as how such speech is written – especially at the beginning of a series where characters' past relationships have to be established to the reader in an unforced and natural way. (Looking back through the volume now I'm struggling to find a specific example to quote – but trust me, at the time, there was mild confusion.) As for the story, it does flow, but can seem a bit too convenient/deus ex machina at times (for example, the part that involves a phone call and a floating baby).
Overall, the story and the writing is fine – not terrific, but not bad – and it does pick up towards the end of the volume, once you have a bit of a grounding in how the Drumhellar universe works. The real hook of the series is the art style, which is just a pleasure to look through. Which means that if you're the sort of person for whom pretty pictures aren't much of a concern, then this comic probably isn't for you – but I'll be picking up the next volume, albeit at my leisure, primarily on the merit of the visuals.
You can find more of my reviews at: www.thelittlecrocodile.com
February 12, 2016
This is one of the odder comics I've read. I give it 3 stars for being a little more incoherent than I like and for some of the dialogue and because if the comic were more coherent the connections between pieces of plot could be more complex. I give it 5 stars for oddity and worldbuilding. Drum's "I need to ingest any kind of drug or I can't see the spirit world" gimmick can get old, but the peacock? Harold the invisible floating pyromaniac ghost cat? The diner with the horrible puns? The beautiful psychedelic art? That's weirdness gold. Someone put Riley Rossmo, Daryl Gregory, and maybe Dan Wells in a room together and add amazing artists if the result has pictures.
February 14, 2018
I have no idea what I just read. Incomprehensible story. Art didn't help illustrate what was happening. Can't think of someone to recommend this to. Blah.
May 4, 2021
Reserved this in at my library because I enjoy graphic novels and give most a try. Was not expecting to enjoy this one from the description but was surprised.
Found the beginning very confusing and felt like I’ve missed a book, whether this is a preceding series or just how it begins I’ve not work out. Nearly gave up but continued and eventually let go and enjoyed the story as it came.
Certainly helps that I enjoy surreal, supernatural fiction. Artwork was enjoyable and really pushed that bizarre feeling of the events.
I would be tempted to read another volume if it appears at the library.
Found the beginning very confusing and felt like I’ve missed a book, whether this is a preceding series or just how it begins I’ve not work out. Nearly gave up but continued and eventually let go and enjoyed the story as it came.
Certainly helps that I enjoy surreal, supernatural fiction. Artwork was enjoyable and really pushed that bizarre feeling of the events.
I would be tempted to read another volume if it appears at the library.
June 7, 2014
5/25/14 4.5 stars for how it incorporated a crunchy hippie-ness without making me cringe. Review tk.
6/7/14 http://www.iwantmytwodollars.com/2014...
6/7/14 http://www.iwantmytwodollars.com/2014...
June 4, 2016
Trailer park shaman - definitely has its shining moments.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews