Comics

Published on March 24th, 2023 | by Tim Chuma

Hard Boiled TPB (Second Edition) Review (2023)

Hard Boiled TPB (Second Edition) Review (2023) Tim Chuma
Story
Artwork
Overall

Summary: Seemingly written for teeange boys trying to be the most edge lord, you would want to get this for the artwork more than the story.

2.7

story no, artwork yes


Carl Seltz is an insurance assessor and family man, Nixon is a homicidal tax collector. They are the same artificial being and if one acts up it gets “rebooted” by the company that created him. Even the other units he is sent out to kill work for the same company but have broken their programming and now no long make any profit so are scheduled for termination.

I have not actually read any Frank Miller before but am aware of this work and the controversy surrounding this author. If you are not a fan of him already this story is definitely not going to win you back or get him any more fans.

This is pretty much a Blade Runner or Cyberpunk re-tread even if the story is meant to be new. There is nothing really that new here from what I can see. A bit of 2000AD influence but they decide to go even more teenage boy edge lord with a storyline seemingly inspired by bored doodles from math class.

The artwork is striking but is way over the top to the point that I think that this book will be sold for adults only if you try to buy it in a comics store. It will be one of the ones they have to keep behind the counter and sell in a paper bag. This is one you would want to get more for the artwork and not the story, the level of detail in the illustrations is insane. You can see every bullet and fragment of bone, blood and cartilage in the air and some pages have hundreds of people on them.

If you are a fan of the artists involved I would get it but be advised that it very violent and bloody and does not let up for the entire story. This is a bit much to read through in one sitting, you are best to pick it up and put it down when you have had enough of it or maybe skip this one if you are sensitive to such things.

Comic Details

Writer: Frank Miller

Artist: Geof Darrow, Dave Stewart

Cover Art: Geof Darrow, Dave Stewart

Colourist: Dave Stewart

Genre: Science-Fiction, Crime, Action/Adventure

Content advisory: Extreme violence and gore, nudity, adult themes

Publisher: Dark Horse

Publication Date: March 22, 2023

Format: FC, 136 pages; TPB, 7″ x 10″


About the Author

Writer, photographer, artist and music fan from Melbourne, Australia.


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