“Curse” has been a strong, character-focused horror effort from a strong team of up-and-comers. Do they have what it takes to cap the series off with the send-off it deserves? Read our review to find out.
Written by Michael Moreci & Tim Daniel
Illustrated by Riley Rossmo & Colin Lorimer
Additional Colors by Tamra BonvillainLaney Griffin has shouldered more heartbreak than most. With his son’s life and his own criminal innocence hanging in the balance, Laney must take drastic measures to stay one step ahead. But as the captive werewolf emerges with the full moon and Sheriff Nora Hughes’ forces close in, the hope for survival looks slim—for father and son.
It’s quite remarkable what writers Michael Moreci and Tom Daniel have pulled off in just 4 issues with “Curse.” I praised “Curse” #1 with very few reservations a few months ago and I can tell you today that issue #4 delivers on all of the promise of that first issue, and even smoothes out the very few minor rough edges the book seemed to have.
If you read my earlier review, you’ll know that the main character – Laney Griffin – began as a classic trope: a football star once on top of the world, now down on his luck in a major way. Over the course of the series, the creative team really earned that character. Really, through some very strong, quietly emotional moments throughout, Moreci & Daniel earn the moments that they give to pretty much every character. I thought a lot about screenwriter Shane Black’s “rules” for writing an action script while reading this, because it really struck a lot of the important chords that a good action story needs to. None of the downtime is wasted – every interaction either moves the plot forward, or creates a deeper understanding of the principal characters.
There’s an intimate, small-town feel in the relationships of literally all of the main characters. This is the type of town where everyone knows Laney, and the police know who lives where and who knows what just off the tops of their heads. I can’t stress enough how well that intimacy comes through in the writing without needing to call attention to itself. When characters do kind or heroic things for one another in “Curse”, you get the sense that it’s because they have a deeper history beyond the page. Ultimately, this is a story about Laney and his deathly ill son, and they really bring that idea home over the course of this final issue.
Even when the story takes time out for a lengthy, stunning werewolf brawl – the focus on the heart of the story isn’t lost. It’s just put on hold for a while – for an absolute jaw dropper of a climax.
As it has throughout the series, Riley Rossmo’s kinetic, frenetic art pops in to draw another violent, animalistic horror sequence. And while he always brings the ruckus, his segment in this particular issue feels like a statement: Riley Rossmo is a mad man – everybody take notice. His approach to the silent, climactic battle is the comic art version of a guitarist breaking out a long, improvisational solo. It’s breathtaking when it happens – and you definitely know you’re seeing something great when you see it. You’ll be hard pressed to find a more visceral and bloody scene all year, and it really feels like a release, sitting in between all the quiet emotion of the rest of the issue.
While Rossmo steals a show more than a little bit in “Curse” #4, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Colin Lorimer. Lorimer is responsible for selling all those super important emotional moments mentioned earlier. Lorimer has a stronger grasp on emotion and expression than many artists who work in a moody, shadow-heavy art style. His ability to convey sadness or warmth through a pair of baleful eyes or body language is a key element when placed alongside some of the fiercer bad guys in the story. Lorimer’s best moments in “Curse” have been subtle touches like these. Touches that you’d expect from a more experienced artist. It’s exciting to see an up-and-coming talent who is already this good at getting what the book is about below the surface and always keeping that in the forefront.
There’s no two ways about it – “Curse” #4 is a jaw-dropper that puts a tremendously focused cap on what was already a strong series. The art is terrific, and Rossmo’s particular segment in this issue is one that will be remembered when 2014 is coming to a close. More than anything, “Curse” works to satisfy the two sides of its personality that it wants to hang its hat on. It’s visceral and violent when it needs to be. And when it doesn’t need to be, then it’s packed with plenty of character and heart.
Final Verdict: 9.2 – Buy. Go buy the whole miniseries, in trade or otherwise.
