Hey everyone,
Just wanted to mention that 'The Devil’s Handshake' is finally out. It’s a 48 pg one-shot we’re pretty proud of. Sample pages are in my gallery. I hope you can check the book out. It's in comic shops and Amazon.com
I’ll post a few comments and a review. Thanks so much!
Adam A
"A delightful romp mixing Pulpish delight with bold, eye-catching graphics and instantly likable characters. It's old-school fun for the 21st century."
- Guillermo del Toro
"Highly recommended for adventure lovers who like their thrills served up with even helpings of fun and creepiness." - Aint It Cool News
Reviewer: Ambush Bug - Aint It Cool News
These days, taking chances on new comics is a hard thing to do. With the price of comics rising and money being tight all over, it’s no wonder when I talk to folks, they are reluctant to venture outside of the Big Two. But the thing is, now more than ever, there are comics out there that are so much better that venture outside of the superhero box comics has wedged itself into. Case in point: a new release that hits stores in November from Archaia called DEVIL’S HANDSHAKE.
The first thing I noticed about this book is the phenomenal art by Adam Archer. The action depicted is as varied as the colors are rich. Archer puts personality in not only the main characters of the story, but the background characters that would normally be overlooked by other artists. The scenery, which is a big part of this story, is vibrant as well. From the darkest parts of the jungle, to a volcano cliff, to a desert oasis, Archer fills each panel with variety and authenticity. He also draws some damn fine women.
The second thing I noticed about this book is the fact that it’s got some very cool characters in the form of Moebius and Basil. Immediately after meeting this pair of adventurers, I wanted to know more about them, how they first met, and what kind of predicaments they can get themselves into. Like most pairings, they couldn’t be more different. The best way of describing them is that Moebius walks between the raindrops while Basil steps in the puddles. Both characters work for an enigmatic character called The Collector, who sends the pluckish pair on adventures around the world.
The thing that appealed the most to me about this book was the fact that it read like an old school pulp, but it was set in modern times. There are definitely shades of Allan Quartermain and Indiana Jones at work here, but the mismatched buddy cop pairing brings an all new energy to it. The pair trots all over the globe in this 42 page graphic novel and like the INDIANA JONES films, the locales are as important as the stars. The intensity of the action is set high and this book doesn’t offer a lot of time to breathe. It just barrels through giving this reader exactly what he was looking for…fun characters doing exciting things I haven’t seen before.
Did I mention that there’s also a supernatural, Lovecraftian element at work here? Well, there is. The undercurrent of the weird flows through this entire story, never overpowering the book, but enriching the story all the more with its enigmatic presence. And the Ghoul Brothers, a rival pairing of thieves who appear to be zombie monsters in trench coats and bandages, are as spooky as they are cool.
Having read Schifrin and Hama’s last collaboration, SPOOKS, I knew the team could do action and the supernatural pretty well. The thing that differentiates this book from SPOOKS, though, is the element of fun that oozes off of every page. Venturing outside of the Big Two can be scary, I know. But when you get to read treats like DEVIL’S HANDSHAKE it makes the risk worth taking. With a debut as strong as this one, this is the first of what I hope to be many adventures for Schifrin and Hama’s Basil & Moebius. Highly recommended for adventure lovers who like their thrills served up with even helpings of fun and creepiness.
spooks action figures?
