Dark Horse Presents (1986) #130

Dhp130

Wow, so Presents dropped Shane Oakley’s Stiltskin, one of the best things it’d published, before it finished? Swell.

For a replacement, we get the endless Wanted Man, from McEown. McEown is a good cartoonist, though his writing is self-indulgent and seems only to serve putting topless little cartoon girls in his story. It’s a waste of time.

Cooper’s Dan & Larry this installment expands the story’s world, which is cool. It’s not as disturbing as usual, just vaguely creepy at times. There’s still a lot of solid humor and Cooper’s art is excellent.

Murray and Gregory’s do a biography of Mary Walker, who was a Civil War surgeon. It’s okay… Gregory’s art is nearly up to par. Murray’s script concentrates on the Army’s misogyny, so it comes off poorly at times. Weak (non-factual too) ending.

Weissman’s Phineas Page is rather amusing (crossing over with the Marquis de Sade’s Justine).

Dark Horse Presents (1986) #128

Dhp128

Wow. Dave Cooper’s Dan & Larry might be the most horrifying thing I’ve ever read. Cooper is creating this psychotic, awful version of the standard cartoon buddies. One’s a duck, the other’s a… something or other. And he does awful, awful things. Great art, amazing ideas… it’s awful and strange and wonderful.

Metalfer is a bit better this installment. Manoukian and Roucher spend their pages doing an action scene. The art carries the story and it even gets amusing towards the end. I wish every installment were this good.

Oakley outdoes himself on Stiltskin (once again). This installment covers some more of his protagonist’s formative years. Oakley’s does a lot with just the narration and the story really affects the reader. His art, like before, is solid, good work… but it’s his writing where he’s phenomenal. An excellent installment.

Weissman’s Phineas Page one page strip is great as usual; very funny.

Dark Horse Presents (1986) #126

Dhp126

It’s another big issue of Presents and a decent one.

Brereton’s The Nocturnals looks real nice and reads well. He introduces a bunch of characters, but the protagonist’s plot is compelling. It’s often very funny.

Schutz has a one page thing (art by Mireault and Bottenberg); it’s okay, if not special.

Hedden and McPhillips have an excellent story with Snipe, about a monster hunter on a talk show. Great art, great script.

Watson’s Skeleton Key is… fine. It’s a page.

On the other hand, Weissman’s Phineas Page is only a page too; it could have been a feature story. Awesome little strip.

Reprinted from Europe, Manoukian and Roucher’s Metalfer starts. Superb art, confusing, kind of dumb story. It might get better.

Strnad and Edwards cover Starship Troopers. Nice art, competent writing for filler.

DeMos and Gillis close with a story a guy obsessed with holes (the shape). It’s quite good.