Fade to Black Series - Grade C+

Title:	Fade to Black
Contributors:	Jeff Mariotte Daniele Serra
Publisher:	Image Comics
Issue #:	1 - 5
Year:	2010
Pages:	32 Pages
Age Rating:	18 (Language, Violence, Gore, Adult Themes)
Story Grade:	C
Art Grade:	B

Fade to Black is a short little series based on an overused premise of a group isolated in the desert being hunted down by a cannibal cult. Where this becomes fun is, the group is a bunch of (made-up) Hollywood B-List wannabe-celebs who have conversations regarding inappropriately shallow topics given the circumstances that befall them. This whole story arc starts off as a complete rip off of The Hills Have Eyes franchise, but then moves a little more into its own by issue #3, but still feels borrowed from other known stories.

In issue #1, the group comes back to the production studio's desert camp to find everyone dead. Shock! And then they begin to get scattered into the desert themselves as they are chased.

In issue #2, one of the group's members is captured, again shock, by the cannibal cult while the rest of the group members are scattered and individually chased through the desert.

In issue #3, the rest of the group's members comes back together after killing or eluding their chasers and decides on whether to help the one captured group member or to continue trying to run from the cult. The decision they make doesn't really fit their shallow personalities, but okay.

In issue #4,  the group learns that not everyone is what they seem. Betrayal is on the menu along with a side of human sacrifice and human flesh. Can you say Human BBQ... anyone... anyone... Bueller? Bueller?

In issue #5, The cult's plan is successful and now the group of hollywood b-listers must make a choice, which isn't as shocking as some may think.

The story is full of clichés and plot holes big enough to squeeze the Earth into, but all in all, it was an entertaining read. I don't know why, but seeing the Hollywood elite (if that is what you can call B-listers of Hollywood) get handed a little pain and suffering always feels so good. Again, I don't know why, but it does. I think that's why I enjoyed the movie Domino so much... seeing those two 90210ers get handed their ass over and over again was a joy ride for me. Truth be told, this story doesn't deserve any high marks for originality.

The art is nice, but it isn't clean. It is heavy handed on unrealistic blood splatters and the shadows seem to be lazy ways of finishing unfinished work.

I grade this series a C+. It was fun and definitely worth a read, but not something I would rave about to my friends... um that is... um... if I had any friends.

Until next time... happy pick'n!