“Kiss Me, Satan!” #1 Comic Review:

Written by Victor Gischler

Art by Juan Ferreyra

Published by Dark Horse Comics

Cassian Steele is the boss of the werewolf mafia in the Big Easy, and he’s got a problem. The old witch Verona knows his secret and has gone into hiding. Cassian wants her dead. So he sends out the word: An open contract. The first monster to dust Verona gets a big payday. What no one realizes is that Barnabus Black, a demon desperately trying to regain his halo, is her protection.

I’m not sure how seriously this book takes itself. I think the creators are on the same page with me, intending to deliver ages-old horror clichés wrapped in the self-indulgence of monsters and supreme evil. Did I mention this is set in New Orleans? Werewolf mobsters operating out of NOLA might have been a groundbreaking story 20 years ago, but this is par for the course in 2013. I can’t fault Kiss Me, Satan! for being unoriginal, this is a familiar concept interlaced with some very gory and over-the-top material. We’re left high and dry when it comes to information about the presumed protagonist, Barnabus Black, a fallen angel dedicated to the reclamation of his halo.

The art by Ferrera is amazing, never failing to help move the story forward with flair. I love these short, five issue runs from publishers like Dark Horse and Image. They manage to cram a lot of story into a short arc. And, hey, you occasionally get a Luther Strode or Five Ghosts out it. For $3.99. I have the patience to see what develops. The first issue does a fair amount of universe building, letting us know how these things come to be. Even without wholly original characters, this was a fun book and it’s worth the read if you enjoy the horror universe as much as me.