I was very happy to receive an advance copy of Dead Man’s Run #0, a preview issue of the latest comic from Greg Pak (Incredible Hulk, Vision Machine) and Tony Parker (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?). The preview issue will be available in comic shops this week.
As Pak states in his afterword, Dead Man’s Run is based on a simple premise; “Jailbreak from Hell”. While that may not seem terribly different from any number of Ghost Rider comics, it’s the setup that sets Dead Man’s Run apart. This is quite literally a jailbreak, as Hell seems to be situated underneath an actual prison.
The comic follows Frank Romero, a guard captain at the prison. Under normal circumstances, his job would be merely to contain a breach of this magnitude. However, there are powerful (and likely sinister) forces at work behind the scenes and he must lead his team into the depths. This is where the comic grabbed me; Parker’s art, with amazing color from Peter Steigerwald, really jumps off the page. The smoke, the fire, the shadows; Hell has been crisply translated to the page.
I don’t want to give too much more away; the twists are worth checking out for yourself. The plot moves quickly to establish the tone of the series in its twelve pages, and there’s several intriguing mysteries at work here that I’d like to know more about. I’ve always liked fiction with a supernatural aspect, especially in comics; look no further than my love of Ghost Rider and Hellblazer. Dead Man’s Run fits that mold nicely, telling a big, crazy story that probably wouldn’t work in any other medium. There also seems to be enough depth behind it that will keep me coming back from more. The first full issue comes out in January, and that seems so far away after this little taste.
Dead Man’s Run Issue 0
Aspen Comics
Story: Greg Pak
Art: Tony Parker, Peter Steigerwald
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