By Andrew Constant, Nicola Scott & Joh James (Gestalt Publishing)
ISBN: 978-0-9807823-7-0
If you think you’ve seen everything in werewolf comics think again. A wealth of graphic novels from Australian creative powerhouse Gestalt Publishing have just begun hitting our stores and one of the most intriguing features is a gripping, hyper-expressive take on the curse of lycanthropy that will delight fear aficionados.
Written by Andrew Constant (a man who’s worn many occupational hats in his life before settling on comics) ,Torn traces the hellish journey of a devoted father and provider whose cosy life is shattered when his family is slaughtered by a kill-crazy maniac.
As seen in the stunning prologue sequence by Nicola Scott (Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey, Secret Six), the enraged parent takes bloody vengeance on the murderer, but in the struggle becomes infected with his curse.
The maniac was a man, and the wolf who kills him is soon transformed into one of the crazy, bipedal horrors too. Confused, mute and experiencing reality in a way he can’t process, the new creature instinctively heads for the city…
Joh James (Borderlands: Origins, Mars Attacks!) takes over the stark monochrome illustration for the body of the tale as the bewildered outsider forages in alleys and dumps encountering homeless street girl Sarah who takes pity on the naked, inarticulate weirdo.
When she is attacked by a gang who has been periodically raping and abusing her, the stranger turns on her assailants like a rabid animal…
Later, hiding together in a deserted house, the pair form a cautious bond as he scavenges food for her and slowly learns to communicate. Unfortunately, the leader of the packrats has not forgotten Sarah or her protector though, and comes looking for her armed with a big shiny knife…
When the confrontation comes our hero is again triumphant, keeping the blade and allowing his opponents their lives.
However, the shaggy horror who has been patiently stalking him since the woods is not so lenient, and soon gun-happy cops are mistakenly hunting the wild man for an act of incredible butchery.
The follower too was also fantastically transformed by the death of the human in the woods. However, the rage, jealousy and sadistic hunger for inflicting pain is all its own. This relentless hunter has a blood relationship to the manwolf and wants nothing less than to destroy any happiness or form of family his former pack-mate could find on four legs or two…
Vicious, visceral and supremely affecting, this examination of human and animal savagery is a ferociously compelling tragedy that will leave comics and horror fans panting for more.
© 2011 Andrew Constant and Gestalt Publishing, Pty Ltd.