Warning: Potential Spoilers
Curse of the Vessel #1
Danger Entertainment
Writer and Creator: Michael Leal
Pencils: Mike Wilson
Colors: Michael McElveen
Reviewer: Ross Rivers
Summary: Vincent Faustino has become an involuntary vessel for the dead.
Once a brutal mafia enforcer, now his life is not his own. He has been branded with a magical sigil that allows spirits to possess his body at will. On the run from both his deadly former associates and law enforcement, he is wanted for murders and events he has no memory of. Vincent relentlessly hunts the man who cursed him, continually being hijacked by restless spirits who have their own personalities and agendas, both good and evil.
This is the torture he must endure. This is the punishment for his evil past. Vincent Faustino is forever “The Vessel”.
Review: We all love a good revenge thriller, right? Watching somebody take out the people who ruined their life makes for great entertainment! And this is, essentially, what Curse of the Vessel is all about.
This isn’t your average revenge story though. For example, Vince isn’t a good guy. He’s not a family man, like most protagonists of revenge flicks. He’s not a nice guy who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. He’s a hired thug. The target of his revenge is an old man he tried to kill in order for his boss to take over his store. Also, it has ghosts.
The story kicks off with Vince and his partner Artie shaking down an old man named Mr. Zicari who owns a shop their boss clearly wants. When the old man tells them where to shove it, they proceed to try and beat him to death.
After being knocked out with magic powder (no, really) Vince finds himself in a motel room with a giant sigil branded on to his chest and a strange, beautiful woman getting out of the shower. All Vince can remember is that Zicari tied him up, tattooed him, and said he’s going to teach him a lesson.
The tattoo seems to allow ghosts to enter his body, allowing them to possess him and go about their business.
It turns out that Charlie Doyle, a gambling addict killed about ten years ago, has possessed Vince in order to steal money from Vince’s boss, to pay for his daughter’s operation. As you can imagine, this doesn’t go well for Vince...
While the book has some pretty interesting and fun elements from the start, it’s near the end where the book takes off.
17 Years ago, a Detective named Jake comes home from a night of drinking with his partner. He comes home to a happy family, with a loving wife and a newborn daughter. Everything’s looking up for Jake. But just as he’s saying good night to his daughter, psychos arrive. They always do that. Trying to say good night to a loved one? Psychos turn up and kill everyone, you included. Trying to have a cold glass of milk? Psychos turn up and spill milk EVERYWHERE.
The psychos kill Jake and his wife but abduct his daughter. After his wife’s ghost moves on to “the other side,” Jake sits there for seventeen years in grief. Until Vince is dragged into what is considered an empty home, where the big boss is waiting to beat some answers out of him.
The premise is quite fantastic, really; a bad guy seeking revenge is forced to help a good guy seeking revenge. While this series could turn out to be a disaster, I have extremely high hopes for this series.
Michael Leal has written a script that gives most Hollywood thrillers a run for their money. It doesn’t feel over done and it’s extremely well paced.
Some of the dialogue can feel a bit cheesy, however, with some not-so-subtle explanatory dialogue. It’s needed to introduce characters without cramping the book, but it feels a bit obvious at times.
The idea itself is very interesting. While ghosts are often associated with revenge, you rarely see it done this way. It actually reminds me of one of my most anticipated games of this year; Murdered: Soul Suspect, featuring a detective trying to solve his own murder.
It’s nice to see ghosts being used in this sort of way, rather than just being used in another haunted house horror
The art, provided by penciler Mike Wilson and colourist Michael McElveen (So many Michael’s!) fits the tone pretty well. Sometimes it can seem a bit bright and sometimes some details appear to be missing, making some panels look a bit sloppy and rushed, but it’s overall very well done.
It’s an excellent blend of classic thriller elements and the Supernatural. It doesn’t over do anything and never outstays its welcome but takes everything at a nice, even pace.
This is one of those books that you’ll have to read, to truly get what makes it a great read. I can sit here and tell you how fun and interesting it is all day but what makes it such an exciting book is the way the story is told. Just... Trust me. Go buy it.
Editor's Note: To find how you can get yourself a copy of Curse Of The Vessel #1, head here!
Danger Entertainment
Writer and Creator: Michael Leal
Pencils: Mike Wilson
Colors: Michael McElveen
Reviewer: Ross Rivers
Summary: Vincent Faustino has become an involuntary vessel for the dead.
Once a brutal mafia enforcer, now his life is not his own. He has been branded with a magical sigil that allows spirits to possess his body at will. On the run from both his deadly former associates and law enforcement, he is wanted for murders and events he has no memory of. Vincent relentlessly hunts the man who cursed him, continually being hijacked by restless spirits who have their own personalities and agendas, both good and evil.
This is the torture he must endure. This is the punishment for his evil past. Vincent Faustino is forever “The Vessel”.
Review: We all love a good revenge thriller, right? Watching somebody take out the people who ruined their life makes for great entertainment! And this is, essentially, what Curse of the Vessel is all about.
This isn’t your average revenge story though. For example, Vince isn’t a good guy. He’s not a family man, like most protagonists of revenge flicks. He’s not a nice guy who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. He’s a hired thug. The target of his revenge is an old man he tried to kill in order for his boss to take over his store. Also, it has ghosts.
The story kicks off with Vince and his partner Artie shaking down an old man named Mr. Zicari who owns a shop their boss clearly wants. When the old man tells them where to shove it, they proceed to try and beat him to death.
After being knocked out with magic powder (no, really) Vince finds himself in a motel room with a giant sigil branded on to his chest and a strange, beautiful woman getting out of the shower. All Vince can remember is that Zicari tied him up, tattooed him, and said he’s going to teach him a lesson.
The tattoo seems to allow ghosts to enter his body, allowing them to possess him and go about their business.
It turns out that Charlie Doyle, a gambling addict killed about ten years ago, has possessed Vince in order to steal money from Vince’s boss, to pay for his daughter’s operation. As you can imagine, this doesn’t go well for Vince...
While the book has some pretty interesting and fun elements from the start, it’s near the end where the book takes off.
17 Years ago, a Detective named Jake comes home from a night of drinking with his partner. He comes home to a happy family, with a loving wife and a newborn daughter. Everything’s looking up for Jake. But just as he’s saying good night to his daughter, psychos arrive. They always do that. Trying to say good night to a loved one? Psychos turn up and kill everyone, you included. Trying to have a cold glass of milk? Psychos turn up and spill milk EVERYWHERE.
The psychos kill Jake and his wife but abduct his daughter. After his wife’s ghost moves on to “the other side,” Jake sits there for seventeen years in grief. Until Vince is dragged into what is considered an empty home, where the big boss is waiting to beat some answers out of him.
The premise is quite fantastic, really; a bad guy seeking revenge is forced to help a good guy seeking revenge. While this series could turn out to be a disaster, I have extremely high hopes for this series.
Michael Leal has written a script that gives most Hollywood thrillers a run for their money. It doesn’t feel over done and it’s extremely well paced.
Some of the dialogue can feel a bit cheesy, however, with some not-so-subtle explanatory dialogue. It’s needed to introduce characters without cramping the book, but it feels a bit obvious at times.
The idea itself is very interesting. While ghosts are often associated with revenge, you rarely see it done this way. It actually reminds me of one of my most anticipated games of this year; Murdered: Soul Suspect, featuring a detective trying to solve his own murder.
It’s nice to see ghosts being used in this sort of way, rather than just being used in another haunted house horror
The art, provided by penciler Mike Wilson and colourist Michael McElveen (So many Michael’s!) fits the tone pretty well. Sometimes it can seem a bit bright and sometimes some details appear to be missing, making some panels look a bit sloppy and rushed, but it’s overall very well done.
It’s an excellent blend of classic thriller elements and the Supernatural. It doesn’t over do anything and never outstays its welcome but takes everything at a nice, even pace.
This is one of those books that you’ll have to read, to truly get what makes it a great read. I can sit here and tell you how fun and interesting it is all day but what makes it such an exciting book is the way the story is told. Just... Trust me. Go buy it.
Editor's Note: To find how you can get yourself a copy of Curse Of The Vessel #1, head here!