And here’s where The Damned falls apart. The entire first series, it was implied if not directly stated people knew the demons lived among them. This issue establishes people do not. Only a select few (namely, all the humans in the first series). Why they don’t tell other people? Bunn doesn’t explain.

This issue is full of action. It’s so full of action, it’s the first time I’ve seen Hurtt get a little light on the facial details. The entire issue feels perfunctory, like Bunn and Hurtt agreed to do Prodigal Sons then realized they didn’t want to do it anymore.

What’s so funny about the issue is how little happens. Eddie travels the underworld or wherever while Morgan fights demons. Morgan doesn’t do anything else, doesn’t get a character, he just fights demons.

I remember this series being a real disappointment, but I’d forgotten just how much of one.

CREDITS

Writers, Brian Hurtt and Cullen Bunn; artist and letterer, Hurtt; editor, Randal C. Jarrell; publisher, Oni Press.

I’m not sure when Bunn and Hurtt came up with the idea for Prodigal Sons, but it seems like it was during the last issue of the first Damned series.

Here, Eddie’s not the protagonist. Instead, it’s his brother (Morgan, I think). And we find out Eddie was always cursed, ever since he was a little kid. Sins of the father it turns out.

Bunn’s story explores a little of Eddie’s past, but mostly it’s just one surprise after the other (the demon and Eddie’s father, the demon’s daughter eating a dove, Eddie killing himself, the singer at the club about to touch him). There’s no thought to the pacing.

There’s very little story here. The first series had all sorts of layers. This issue suggests there will be none in the sequel.

Hurtt’s art is still fantastic… even if he isn’t illustrating as engaging of a script this time.

CREDITS

Writers, Brian Hurtt and Cullen Bunn; artist and letterer, Hurtt; editor, Randal C. Jarrell; publisher, Oni Press.

Bunn brings Damned to a predictable, yet still unpredictable conclusion. The main story about the mob war ends predictably… but there’s a lot unexpected elements here. One’s a new story thread introduced, another’s a conclusion for a character—both have to do with how little Bunn has actually revealed about his protagonist.

Unfortunately, the ending is a little unfinished. Neither reveal is as effective as it could be. One needs more time, one needs less.

Otherwise, it’s a fantastic issue. Bunn plots it with a nice mix of investigation, action and wrap-up so Hurtt gets to draw a variety of styles. There’s some great demon mobster stuff (they never go crazy with the demon fighting though, which surprised me), but also a fine talking heads conclusion.

One of the best things about The Damned is how Bunn just presents the ground situation, never explains it.

It’s an excellent series.

CREDITS

Writers, Brian Hurtt and Cullen Bunn; artist and letterer, Hurtt; editor, Randal C. Jarrell; publisher, Oni Press.

I’m not sure if I just remember the twist in The Damned or if it’s obvious. It’s probably a little of both.

Here, in the fourth issue, Bunn gets around to really establishing the demon mythology (still no word on when they first showed up). Hurtt really shows his range here. He’s got the period architecture, gangsters, street fights between demons… but then he also has this “secret history of demons” stuff to illustrate.

See, as fallen angels left Heaven it was a migration to Hell (this revelation, which maybe doesn’t make much difference, is just a great detail from Bunn) and so Hurtt draws some of it. It’s simply beautiful.

Bunn and Hurtt get a lot done this issue. Hurtt even has two full page panels and they’ve got a lot of story. This issue might be my favorite of the series, just because they do so much stuff.

CREDITS

Writers, Brian Hurtt and Cullen Bunn; artist and letterer, Hurtt; editor, Randal C. Jarrell; publisher, Oni Press.

I think this issue is Bunn’s first all action issue. I guess it’s not all action, but the second half is a long action sequence (a gunfight) punctuated by a mob shootout. The opening is some more weirdness going on with the demons and Eddie talking to the Worm.

Bunn’s dialogue makes the Worm sequence move fast enough it’s not entirely disgusting–it’s still darn gross though.

Eddie continues his investigation (what’s so great about Damned is how it’s a pre-noir noir) and gets into that gunfight. It’s a beautiful sequence from Hurtt. Eddie’s falling flights of stairs, he’s shooting from cover. Just fantastic design and execution. Still, it’s just a big long action sequence.

There’s some hinting at what’s to come–Bunn introduces some more backstory here (though I don’t think we ever hear about demons first appearing on the mortal plain).

It’s good, but it ends wanting.

CREDITS

Writers, Brian Hurtt and Cullen Bunn; artist and letterer, Hurtt; editor, Randal C. Jarrell; publisher, Oni Press.

Hurtt gets really gross this issue. Not so much in the first half. The first half is all demons and bigger demons and Eddie being all beat up. The second half has a multi-eyed demon with all his eyes torn out wrapped in barbed wire. Then there’s the Worm, who Bunn first mentioned last issue. It’s a gigantic, multi-eyed worm thing. Its human sister is Eddie’s love interest.

It’s very disquieting. Especially since the demons look like something out of a Disney movie. They aren’t scary. Unfortunately, it’s also hard to keep them apart. Thank goodness for the narration identifying them.

Bunn’s got a lot in this issue again. He only introduces one more major character (wait, two, the Worm). But he’s talked about both before, so Damned has room for them.

It’s a serious, unpleasant book. Hurtt’s art just makes it even more striking.

It’s great stuff.

CREDITS

Writers, Brian Hurtt and Cullen Bunn; artist and letterer, Hurtt; editor, Randal C. Jarrell; publisher, Oni Press.

It’s amazing how much Bunn fits into this issue. It really shows what a comic can do without ads to worry about.

He does a cinematic opening of the protagonist—Eddie—being resurrected. Then he has Eddie meet up with one gangster (all the major gangsters are demons, not sure Bunn ever bothers explaining it), then another, then he goes off investigating something, then there’s a big conclusion.

Also there’s a girl.

The comic probably has fourteen scenes. All of it with beautiful Hurtt art. He’s doing a thirties gangster picture, only with the occasional horror sequence. Oh, wait, I even forgot Eddie’s memories of the afterlife.

Bunn introduces a bunch of material, a complicated situation, a half dozen characters and gets the reader familiar enough with all of them he’s able to bring even more information.

It’s a beautiful comic. I love Hurtt, but Bunn’s script’s the key here.

CREDITS

Writers, Brian Hurtt and Cullen Bunn; artist and letterer, Hurtt; editor, Randal C. Jarrell; publisher, Oni Press.

This prequel slash teaser slash ashcan ran as a backup in other Oni titles and online. I’ve read The Damned before and… although there’s some nice Hurtt art here (there’s a double page spread, not a lot of action, but the art is beautiful), it’s not a very good preview.

Bunn sort of introduces the premise–but it’s just not long enough so it doesn’t work. It’s not confusing (though, one might wonder why a demon shows up at the end–the opening demon, the protagonist’s friend, isn’t sensational enough), it just doesn’t work.

The protagonist narrates his sequence, explaining he can’t die without coming out and saying it. As written narration, it’s good Bunn doesn’t go too far. It wouldn’t make any sense to be so expository. But as a teaser for the series….

Teaser stories are rarely beneficial to the eventual narrative. Even Bunn can’t escape that fact.

CREDITS

Three Days Earlier…; writer, Cullen Bunn; artist and letterer, Brian Hurtt; publisher, Oni Press.