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.

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.

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.

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.