Cemetery Blues: The Haunting of Hernesburg
Reviewed by Ed Keener
Writer - Ryan Rubio
Art - Thomas Boatwright
Bumbling monster hunters Ridley and Falstaff are hot on the trail of their nemesis, the mysterious sorcerer Orlok. The trail leads them to the town of Hernesburg, where the heroes are asked to dispose of a lurking evil in the woods…only because the town’s own hunter has turned up dead!
That solicitation entry doesn't do this book justice. Rubio has crafted a tale that moves at a good pace, with enough humor and action in it to grab you right from the first panel. His characterizations are spot on, and I was hooked right from the beginning with the heroes actions. Ridley and Falstaff bring to mind some of the great comedy teams like Laurel and Hardy. While the humor in the book is evident it is not over the top nor does it take away from the story. Rubio does a good job of giving you all the information you need while not bogging down the flow with excessive dialogue.
Boatwright's art is certainly unique. It has a cartoony feel to it, while at the same time having incredible depth. He shows more talent in his black and white art, than some artists do with full color spreads. The style is consistent throughout the book, and has a certain energy that draws you in to the story and makes it feel like your watching an old time movie rather than reading a comic book.
Issue #2 came out Wednesday, March 12 and I would recommend giving it a shot, especially if you can get a copy of #1 to go along with it. The story and art made this a surprise good read for me when it came out.
