Dark Horse Presents 66 (September 1992)

Obviously, the major attraction is the second chapter of An Accidental Death. The pace changes throughout; it opens with the body being hidden, then Brubaker moves to summary, then to scene again. The final scene–the discovery–comes after the two boys (the protagonist and the murderer) start to discover where they really live. Reality, in more ways than one, rushes in on them. But Brubaker’s writing is nuanced, never obvious. It’s just lovely.

Then Dr. Giggles, hopefully, finishes up. I don’t think I’ve mentioned how inept Coto is at plotting this narrative. The plot developments get stupider and stupider. At least it’s over.

The Concrete story is a little overwritten… lots of narration, but it’s amusing and Chadwick and Hotchkiss do a great job with the art.

The issue ends with two one page Alec comics from Campbell. Both are quiet, wonderful and somewhat profound. It’s such good work.

CREDITS

Concrete, Byrdland’s Secret; story and art by Paul Chadwick; lettering by Bill Spicer. Dr. Giggles, Part Three; story by Manny Coto; art by Alan J. Burrows; lettering by Willie Schubert. An Accidental Death, Part Two; story by Ed Brubaker; art and lettering by Eric Shanower. Alec, Genetic Defects and Overheard While I Was Supposed to be Working; story, art and lettering by Eddie Campbell. Edited by Randy Stradley.

Dark Horse Presents 65 (August 1992)

An Accidental Death opens this issue. It’s been a while since I’ve read it. The most immediate thing is Shanower’s art. It’s finished and precise; I’m sure Dark Horse Presents has had artwork as good, I just can’t think of any example. But then there’s Brubaker’s writing–and the way he presents the moral ambiguity of being a teenager. He’s able to make the naive behavior create sympathy… then the danger arises. It’s great work.

The Dr. Giggles story has awful writing from Coto. He didn’t get any better between issues. Burrows has some really gross visuals here and they work. It’s just sad Dark Horse used Presents to hawk their crappy movie tie-in. Unfortunately, it’s not even the worst thing they published to this point.

Hedden and McSweeney contribute a story without dialogue or narration. The reader gets to cut and paste. The art’s fantastic, but it’s pointless.

CREDITS

An Accidental Death, Part One; story by Ed Brubaker; art and lettering by Eric Shanower. Dr. Giggles, Part Two; story by Manny Coto; art by Alan J. Burrows; lettering by Bill Spicer. Interact-O-Rama; pencils by Rich Hedden; inks by Tom McWeeney. Edited by Randy Stradley.

Dark Horse Presents 64 (July 1992)

Seriously, they thought this issue was good enough?

The opening is a terrible bit of corporate synergy–a prologue to the Dr. Giggles movie from screenwriter Coto, who’s just as awful writing comics as he is writing movies. It’s a mean, gory eight pages of crap. Though Burrows’s art isn’t bad.

Then there’s a Boris the Bear, which is funny if you like Richardson making fun of Dark Horse. It’s weak, except for Smith’s artwork, which brings a certain amount of charm.

The Creep ends on a very depressing note. It’s one of the finest things Dark Horse Presents has published in the last twenty or so issues… just amazing work from Arcudi and Eaglesham.

The closing story is this writing workshop collaboration. Though Rubio’s art looks like a Disney movie, it’s all an obnoxious blind guy who’s mean to his dog. Definitely problematic, but it has a great finish.

CREDITS

Dr. Giggles, Part One; story by Manny Coto; art by Alan J. Burrows; lettering by Bill Spicer. Boris the Bear; story by Mike Richardson; art and lettering by James Dean Smith. The Creep; story by John Arcudi; art by Dale Eaglesham; lettering by Pat Brosseau. Scraps; story by William C. Herrel, Douglas Miers, Eric Dinehart, LaDonne Lynn, Matt Hammond, Doselle Young, Jeff Camp, John Clapp, Jason A. Turner, Steve Kaiser, Mike Kerr and Janine Goldfarb; pencils by Bobby Rubio; inks by Jorge Pacheco; lettering by Karen Casey-Smith. Edited by Randy Stradley.