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I recently discovered, through my simultaneous purchase of two books that I thought to be similar, that not all books are created equal. There can be quite a bit of variation in not only the art, the writing, and the overall storytelling styles between two book by different publishers, but in what a genre book is. In this example I present two books, both are horror books based on the established Friday the 13th horror franchise. One was published in 2005, and the other in 2008. So, hear me out as I review each of the books independently and compare the two books that are based on a well known character in a well known horror franchise.
So let's kick this off.
The story in this book, while very mature in nature in its dealing with domestic abuse, truly deviates from what most readers would come to expect, dare I say, hope, to find in the pages of a book carrying the title of Friday the 13th. By definition any book under this sacred title would include plots points such as teenagers behaving badly (drinking, doing drugs, having sex... generally being teenagers without adult supervision) and then Jason punishing them for it by killing them in ludicrous and absurd ways. I mean this is why we watch the movies in the first place. To the point that this is sole reason that there have been twelve of them made since 1980, if you count the latest reboot (part 1 (1980), 2 (1981), 3 (1982), 4 (1984), 5 (1985), 6 (1986), 7 (1988), 8 (1989), Jason goes to Hell (1993), Jason X (2002), Jason Vs. Freddy (2003), and the Reboot (2009)). As much as most people make fun of the number of films that have been made, they still make money because we as a people love Jason and have been willing to spend money to see him on the big screen.
Here is my main issue with the story; it doesn't follow that formula. Don't get me wrong, the story is a good story and it works, but it doesn't fall into the Jason mythos and likely would disappoint someone who is wanting to read a Jason story. For the most part, it feels like they tooks an abusive love story and used Jason as a ending to the plot, which is okay, but it can and will likely disappoint someone looking to read a traditional "Jason" story. So with that said, the story itself, it still a good story.
The artwork is great, in a 90s retro sort of way. When the book was made, 2008, most comic artwork was following a definitive stylization trend, and the artist choice for this book was a definite choice to not follow that trend. Again, the artwork is good, my issue is that they didn't allow the for the cover art to represent the art in the book. I always hate it when they do that. Based on the cover-art I expected one type of art form within the book, especially given the timeframe the book was published but instead I got something completely different, and that leads to disappointment. But that truly was my only real disappointment with the art.
All in I gave this book a solid B for a grade. The story was good on its own, even if it didn't fit into the Jason mythos it was worth a read and was entertaining. The artwork was good, but based on the cover I remained disappointed because I expected one style and instead received another which is always disappointing.
This story is based on the following plot... two siblings who have inherited the land Camp Crystal Lake was built on are trying to destroy Jason Voorhees so they can develop the Crystal Lake land into some condos before their company goes bankrupt. So this book revolves around a paramilitary group hunting down Jason. The question is, do they survive against an unstoppable killing machine known as Jason?
This book, compared to the Abused and the Abuser book is much more in line with what a Jason-ophile would expect from comic book when they pick it up. Teens behaving badly, tough guys getting disemboweled, and Jason kicking everyone's ass. Everything is amped up in this book and no apologies are made.
The story is a little more complex, but in line with Jason mythos which makes it easier to get into.
Artwork is updated to the current standard of its time (2005), which matched the cover, so I was elated to find this rare match. Blood and guts, which is what you expect to find in a any Jason-based medium, are abundant and decently rendered.
As a fan of the Jason franchise, I graded this book a solid A for story and art. This is a great book to own for any horror fan and a must own for true follower of the Friday the 13th franchise.
Comparing the books is difficult, because from an art comparison standpoint, this can be a lot like comparing a Monet to a Picasso, which aren't the best comparisons to make generally. So I want tackle this comparison from a different point of view. When dealing with a well known horror character like Jason Voorhees, you open yourself up to some criticism if you deviate from the known plot points. This happens all the time in comics and comic movies when writers and directors take creative license to rewrite origins, change personalities and such of major characters. At times the backlash from fans can be huge. Well, Abused does just that. While Abused is a good story, from a Jason-ophile point of view, it just isn't as satisfying a true Jason story which is what the reader is likely going to want in the end. On the other end of the spectrum, the Special sticks with major plot points, character motivations and story arcs of a Jason story it and delivers a satisfying tale with all the blood and guts deserving of a Jason title.
So there you have it... the first side-by-side comparison review of two similar comics. What did you think of the review? Of the process? Let me know in the comments.
Until next time... Happy Ja...Ja...Ja...Ja...Son...Son...Son...Son...Kill...Kill...Kill...Kill...
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