Curse

Curse #1-4

by Michael Moreci

Laney Griffin est prêt à tout pour sauver son fils de la leucémie qui le tue à petit feu, et qui ruine sa famille… Dans le but de récupérer une prime, il traque un meurtrier insaisissable, qui se trouve être un loup-garou ! Laney capture la créature extraordinaire, mais celle-ci reprend sa forme humaine et bouleverse sa vie, l’obligeant à affronter les démons de son passé, et accélérant sa course contre la montre.

Genres: Comics, Horror, Graphic Novels, Werewolves, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book

114 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Michael Moreci is a bestselling comics author and novelist. His original works include the space adventure novels Black Star Renegades and We Are Mayhem, as well as the comic series Wasted Space, The Plot, Hexagon, Curse, Archangel 8, and more. The Plot appeared on numerous best of 2019 lists, and Wasted Space has been hailed as one of the best comics of the past decade. Moreci's comic trilogy Roche Limit was called one of the best sci-fi comics of all-time by Paste Magazine, and Black Star Renegades was an Audie Award finalist for best sci-fi of 2018.

Moreci has also written for Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and the DC universe--including the YA graphic novel The Lost Carnival: A Dick Grayson Story. He's also adapted Eoin Colfer's bestselling Artemis Fowl series into graphic novels.

He lives outside Chicago with his family.

Reviews

[Sam Quixote · Rating 2 out of 5]

Laney Griffith’s wife was murdered and his son has leukemia. Oh and here’s another kick in the nards: his money’s running out because of the stupid American healthcare system which bankrupts the sick and vulnerable. So when a maniac killer is running about the woods near his home slashing up innocents, Laney’s forced to take a major risk in trying to hunt down the murderer and claim the sizeable bounty. And then he finds out the killer’s a kerazy werewolf, say whaaaaaaat?!

If a comic could be a cheap made for SF Channel movie, it’d be this one. Writers Michael Moreci and Tim Daniel serve up an uninteresting and clichéd horror story with overwrought scenarios, one-dimensional characters, and a predictable plot with one rather large hole. That one would be that when Laney captures the killer, he takes him down to his basement and leaves him there chained up. Why doesn’t he turn him in for the bounty? Who knows. He finds out some information about his wife from the werewolf later on but there’s no way he would’ve known he would get that information so I don’t know why the whole jailer/prisoner scenario was set up.

Laney is your average, uninteresting put-upon father tryna do right by his blah blah, let’s just call it what it is: unconvincing “motivation”. He has some tedious conflict with his sister-in-law sheriff and hillbilly in-and-out-of-jail neighbour, whom he suspects had something to do with his wife’s disappearance. To be fair four issues isn’t a long time to do much but that doesn’t mean a hackneyed story has to be trotted out either.

I did like one detail which was that the werewolf, when in human form, slowly builds up to the transformation over the course of the month rather than instantly turning at once. That’s a more troubling situation for werewolves and really sells the tragic aspect of their existence.

Riley Rossmo and Colin Lorimer’s art is definitely the best part of the book. It’s detailed, it’s sleek, it shows a lot of potential, and I liked some scenes’ framing. The art easily outweighs the writing here. The one failing would be, unfortunately, at the crucial part of the story when the resolution to the werewolf and Laney’s story collides and it’s utterly indistinguishable as to who’s doing what on the page. Which character am I looking at? Is that a blur effect or are there really three figures in this panel? Which one is duplicated or are they all dissimilar? It’s like watching a Transformers movie once the good and bad robots start fighting – you can’t tell who’s who!

I can’t recommend Curse – and that’s another thing, “Curse”? Could you come up with a more generic, forgettable, hard to find when typing into a search engine, name for your book?! Then again forgettable is what this comic is so it’s an appropriately chosen title! Curse is a badly written/conceived horror comic that’s definitely miss-able.

[Tom LA · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had read some of the negative reviews here I would probably have missed this masterwork. Stunning, atmospheric panels and a fantastic use of the medium (comic book). I loved the splashes of red that are scattered a bit everywhere in the book whenever there’s a blood loss.

Such solid writing - especially the dialogue - and exceptional art that deserves some extra eyeball-time to truly appreciate when flipping through the pages.

[Etienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Une BD avec de grands points forts, mais aussi quelques faiblesses. Les illustrations sont magnifiques, un peu «trash», mais avec un style qui sort de l'ordinaire et que j'ai beaucoup apprécié. L'histoire contient en quelque sorte deux histoires, très liées certes, mais pour lesquels j'ai eu un intérêt très différent. La partie avec le loup-garou est excellente, un cinq sur cinq sans la moindre hésitation. par contre, les parties avec les polciiers et avec l'enfant malade, brise l'action, apporte trop peu de profondeur, le côté sentimentale passe assez peu et m'ont fait perdre de l'intérêt. Ceci étant dit, j'en recommanderais tout de même la lecture, car au final, l,Oeuvre en soi en vaut amplement la peine! Pas parfait, mais très bien!

[Cale · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are one or two interesting ideas in this story of a werewolf in the modern world, but overall, it's lacking. The 'twist' is clear from the first issue, and the decisions made by pretty much everyone in the book seem really dumb. Either the author has a really low esteem for humanity or he couldn't figure out a more believable way to get the characters to fit his story. The art is jagged and stark, which is in keeping with the story, but makes it unpleasant to read. There really isn't anything here that would make me recommend it to other readers.

[William O’Pomegranate · Rating 3 out of 5]

A washed-up, ex-NFL hopeful, single father is in a custody battle with his sister-in-law, who happens to be the sheriff of the small town they live in, for his sick son. And this father stumbles upon a werewolf.

It's an okay story, but it doesn't come across as very original. For instance, it reuses that tired old story there are two wolves in every man. And it doesn't really get that deep into any story element because it's so short.

The art is great though.

[Zedsdead · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an odd one, in that it opens in full sprint and never stops. Right from page one, the protagonist's son has leukemia and we're on the fifth in a series of murders and our hero runs over the werewolf responsible with his truck and it's just balls to the wall full speed ahead!! Could easily have been told in four or five volumes.

But while I'd prefer a little more room to breathe, this isn't a terrible way to tell the story. It's solid.

[Devon Munn · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the story itself is ok, the main art from Colin Lorimer is solid and the ending was quite an interesting way to end this story

[Etienne Melton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read curse in the trade format. For this reason I believe that my experience may differ from those that read it issue to issue. The pacing is reminiscent to an episode of The Twilight Zone. We get to know the characters in brief, the stage is set, chaos ensues and while the sequence of events is predictable the art style compliments the story well and the plot is absent of filler. Two things that I think many have missed are the best points of the story in my opinion. The monster doesn't put on aires. The werewolf is a villain because in nature only prey are victimized. This representation of the werewolf as a simple predator sharing existence with a broken man is beautiful. While its very subtle,there is a creeping doom that culminates when you understand just how tragic the resolve of the story really is. Curse at face value is just another traditional werewolf story but coupled with the examination of a desparate father enduring horrific circumstances in order to save his child gives it depth. Salvation in one hand, damnation in the other, they both weigh about the same and in the end, its all a matter of perspective I suppose.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good little werewolf story. Nothing too groundbreaking, but the artwork was fantastic. I liked how it got scratchier and rougher when the werewolf was present. The use of color was interesting as well. I didn't expect the ending.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect graphic novel to kick off the month of October. Terrific art, and scary plotline, and intriguing characters. No one was quite what they seemed on the surface and motivations were complex. A very satisfying, quick read to jump-start a month of spooky reading.

[Darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want you to bear in mind that this 4 issue collection is only 128 pages long. In it, there is a story line about a young boy with Leukemia. Another follows his father, whose glory dreams were shattered, who lost his wife in a horrible fashion and who would do anything for his ill son. Then there is the boy's aunt, the local sheriff, who is up for re-election and is trying to solve a series of grizzly murders, while also looking out for her nephew and harboring suspicions about her brother in law. There is the town loser out for himself and, oh yeah, a werewolf with an incredible back story. This is the stuff of an entire novel, yet appropriate service is paid to all of these plot lines and results in very satisfying read.

I am not the biggest horror guy out there, but, lycanthropy aside, this tale is all about suspense. By the time I had completed the third chapter I was wound up pretty tight and I had no idea how events were going to play out. This was one of those reads where I thought I had it figured out, then no I didn't, then maybe I was partly right, and so on. I just ended up being completely engaged by a damn good story. Written by Michael Moreci and Tim Daniel this could easily be converted into a very watchable movie.

Part of being able to pack so much punch in such a short venue is the work of talented artists and colourers. The mood has to be right and action has to take the place of narrative. In this case, Colin Lorimer, of whom I am a big fan, works with Riley Rossmo and this combination works very well. When they switch off the illustrating chores it makes sense in terms of the story and helps with a change of perspective. As always with Colin, it is very easy to follow his panel designs, even though he uses a variety of different forms it always seems to flow smoothly. I could go on and on, but you want to see it for yourself and I do not want to give away too much. Suffice to say, this is an example of what the medium is capable of and is very highly recommended.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is almost a trope of a werewolf story at this point. There's a man who is going broke struggling to stay afloat while his son gets Leukemia treatments. Meanwhile, something is ripping people apart in the woods.

The two artists work well together though. Riley Rossmo handles the werewolf scenes while Colin Latimer handles the rest of the book. I'm by no means a fan of Rossmo's (I think his DC work is hideous.) but his ill-defined art works pretty well in a horror setting, except for the end when a 2nd werewolf appears and they both look exactly the same. I couldn't tell who was who. Colin Latimer is pretty talented as an artist. I am definitely more of a fan of what he was doing.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend lent me the four issues of this series and I have to see I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. What I knew going in: this was a horror comic from a small press. What I took away from it: this is a fairly unique take on a werewolf story where life's situations are portrayed as being far more cruel than the actual monster of the piece. Recommended reading for anyone into darker comics that both say something significant while spinning a thrilling yarn.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this look at a different kind of werewolf story. I wished there was more as the book was short. Anton could have been explored more. The family drama was good and helped move the story along. I thought Laney's actions were odd at times, especially at the beginning. The end was tied up much too quickly and conveniently. The art was a great match to the story. Overall, a good story that never got a chance to breathe.

[Rackam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absolutely sick art, but I wish the story was longer. You don't get enough time to really explore the characters and get to know them, especially the side characters. All the side characters have one personality trait that just makes boring. And you don't get to learn that much about the supernatural element, which was disappointing. It was a cool comic, but I wanted more.

[Trike · Rating 5 out of 5]

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel to tell a compelling story. You just need to do it competently. And Moreci does that in spades. Maybe it;s the fact that I’ve been suffering through so many bad books the past 6 weeks, but the writing here was really superb.

The art by Riley Rossmo and Colin Lorimer is terrific, as well.

[Buck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably closer to 2.5 stars but I’m feeling generous. The dialogue is horrible, making the exposition filled first episode slow. After that it picks up. The plotting could have used more time to breathe and less idiot plot.

[Michael Malloy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this werewolf story and what a father is willing to do to save his son. Artwork was also on point. Definitely a must read.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

The series begins showing a monster in man form chained up in a basement. That and the dark, realistic art style tells us that we're beginning a horror story, but we aren't sure what kind. The scene shifts to the difficulties ex-football hero Laney is having paying for his sick child's medical care, then to a mysterious creature that has been killing people in the woods, mangling them horrifically.

As the story goes on it becomes clear that the monster is a werewolf--which also explains the series title--and the two story lines come together in the end. I saw the ending coming a little too soon, but it was still an effective short horror story. It would be right at home in Dark Horse's horror line (or even at IDW), where I probably would have been aware of it sooner. I'm happy to see that Boom! has the range to publish a story like this.

[Albert Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not one typically for werewolf stories but the cover of this intrigued me.

certainly glad that I picked it up. this story tells the typical story of a lone in-car to a small remote town picking up and meeting someone once a month in a gruesome and grizzly fashion.

Where it differs is in the approach it takes to family and the lengths that one will take to save a loved one no matter what the cost. How far would a person be willing to go to save the life of someone who only had days to live...

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

average comic. comic follows a father desperately trying to make money to save his dying son. he traps the werewolf that has been terrorizing the community, for a reward offered by the community. but for some reason, he doesn't collect right a way. :( the plot is what you except on a short run. artwork is awesome though.

[Jasmine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well-illustrated. You know how with some plots, even though you know how they'll end, the authors still manage to keep it interesting? Curse totally lacks that. *womp, womp* It would have been more interesting if the wife hadn't died (not a spoiler), and she took an opposing stance against what the husband wanted to do. Or give that role to the sister-in-law. Not enough genuine conflict.

[Mhorg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

This is one of the best werewolf stories I've ever read. It's not just about gore and violence, it's about a father desperate to save his dying son. All the stupid remakes Hollywood constantly makes and they're paging up something great like this? Amazing. Read it!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

[JacLyn]

Issues #1-4

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good little werewolf yarn.

[Jimmy Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is slight, the art is striking and this werewolf story is a quick enough read. You can spot the ending a mile away, though.

[Jacob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. Love the werewolf art. It really set the emotions off well. Interesting enough to read on through!

[Nomad nimrod · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was bad.

[Lindsey.parks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why haven't more people read this? You can borrow my copy.