An Interview with Nevin Arnold on Monsterella and Crowdfunding
MONSTERELLA #1 AND #2 (REVIEW) by
Monsterella Issues #1 & #2 Hangman Comics
Story: Various Art: Various Lettering: Various
Monsterella. If the name alone doesn’t sell you right away; seeing this series of anthologies that are being Kickstarted by Hangman Comics ought to do the trick. Produced in the vein of black and white anthologies of the 1970’s; this series is a throwback to the early days of Vampirella and Warren Comics, yet also a trendy rendition of more modern anthologies like Dark Horse Presents.
Anthologies can be tricky. In essence, it’s a collection of short stories; leaving varied room for quality in story and art. When an anthology is done wrong is a jumbled nightmare, but when it’s done right you end up with multiple takes on a given character or subject. Thankfully Monsterella falls on the side of the angels with these two offerings.
Issue one introduces our hostess and titular character Monsterella, real name Montrossa Rella; a warden to the prison planet, Doomru. The main story in the first issue centers around a prison break, the arrival of human astronauts, and Monsterella’s fight with some badass alien creatures. It’s as wild and crazy as it sounds. This isn’t a serious comic, it’s meant to be babes, monsters, aliens, action, and horror…Think back to the glory days of Heavy Metal and you’ve got the flavor of this title.
The stand out segment from the other ancillary tales is by far “The Stork” by creator Josh Kully. This short story is the stuff of nightmares and one of the most haunting bits of pop culture I have read in a long time. The visuals are creepy, the mood is dark, the words poetic and the entire tale sits with you long after you have finished reading. If there was ever a tale that I would mark as the successor to Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven”, this would be it. Chilling stuff!
Issue two is a continuation in the same vein of storytelling with more monsters, more horror, more awesomeness. Reading these issues back to back helps you understand just how committed Hangman is to delivering on the reader a good time and a fun comic. There is more than enough here to see this series continue on as a regular series.
While the art and writing harken back to the 60s and 70s, there are minor hiccups here and there. This is an Indy title so I give a little room when it comes to art that is a little stiff, figures that are not proportioned correctly, and writing that comes off as clunky. This is part of the charm. The comic has just as many rough edges as the main character. This is made in the spirit of grungy rock-n-roll, midnight matinees, and scary B-movies. It’s not meant to look polished and professional. That’s not the point. It’s all about the creators scraping and clawing their way to readers to bring them a gem.
This is where crowdfunding comes in. This is a collection of young talents that are just starting their journey into the industry; while some have experience others are brand new to the game. This is really Indy comics at its finest and one of the shining examples of how fans have helped creators not only fulfill a vision but brought something back into the medium that has been lacking…fun.
What kind of superhero would you create? Shaw TV's Todd Jones "geeks out" with Calavera The Undead's creator Nevin Arnold, and goes head-to-head in a challenge to create a new comic book character.
Published on 30 Mar 2016
Comic book artist, and creator of Calavera The Undead, Nevin Arnold shows his newly re-released, full-colour first issue with Todd Jones!
Comic book fans Julie Townsend-Tyskerud and Kari Klyne celebrate their love of comic books and their characters at the most recent Comic Book Day at Curious Comics in Nanaimo.
Published on 12 May 2013
It's free comic day 2013! We catch up on a bit of fan love for comics and culture, and meet Dan Schoening (Ghostbusters) and Nevin Arnold (Calavera), two Vancouver Island Comic book artists.
Monsterella Issues #1 & #2 Hangman Comics
Story: Various Art: Various Lettering: Various
Monsterella. If the name alone doesn’t sell you right away; seeing this series of anthologies that are being Kickstarted by Hangman Comics ought to do the trick. Produced in the vein of black and white anthologies of the 1970’s; this series is a throwback to the early days of Vampirella and Warren Comics, yet also a trendy rendition of more modern anthologies like Dark Horse Presents.
Anthologies can be tricky. In essence, it’s a collection of short stories; leaving varied room for quality in story and art. When an anthology is done wrong is a jumbled nightmare, but when it’s done right you end up with multiple takes on a given character or subject. Thankfully Monsterella falls on the side of the angels with these two offerings.
Issue one introduces our hostess and titular character Monsterella, real name Montrossa Rella; a warden to the prison planet, Doomru. The main story in the first issue centers around a prison break, the arrival of human astronauts, and Monsterella’s fight with some badass alien creatures. It’s as wild and crazy as it sounds. This isn’t a serious comic, it’s meant to be babes, monsters, aliens, action, and horror…Think back to the glory days of Heavy Metal and you’ve got the flavor of this title.
The stand out segment from the other ancillary tales is by far “The Stork” by creator Josh Kully. This short story is the stuff of nightmares and one of the most haunting bits of pop culture I have read in a long time. The visuals are creepy, the mood is dark, the words poetic and the entire tale sits with you long after you have finished reading. If there was ever a tale that I would mark as the successor to Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven”, this would be it. Chilling stuff!
Issue two is a continuation in the same vein of storytelling with more monsters, more horror, more awesomeness. Reading these issues back to back helps you understand just how committed Hangman is to delivering on the reader a good time and a fun comic. There is more than enough here to see this series continue on as a regular series.
While the art and writing harken back to the 60s and 70s, there are minor hiccups here and there. This is an Indy title so I give a little room when it comes to art that is a little stiff, figures that are not proportioned correctly, and writing that comes off as clunky. This is part of the charm. The comic has just as many rough edges as the main character. This is made in the spirit of grungy rock-n-roll, midnight matinees, and scary B-movies. It’s not meant to look polished and professional. That’s not the point. It’s all about the creators scraping and clawing their way to readers to bring them a gem.
This is where crowdfunding comes in. This is a collection of young talents that are just starting their journey into the industry; while some have experience others are brand new to the game. This is really Indy comics at its finest and one of the shining examples of how fans have helped creators not only fulfill a vision but brought something back into the medium that has been lacking…fun.
Comic book artist, and creator of Calavera The Undead, Nevin Arnold shows his newly re-released, full-colour first issue with Todd Jones!
Comic book fans Julie Townsend-Tyskerud and Kari Klyne celebrate their love of comic books and their characters at the most recent Comic Book Day at Curious Comics in Nanaimo.
Published on 12 May 2013
It's free comic day 2013! We catch up on a bit of fan love for comics and culture, and meet Dan Schoening (Ghostbusters) and Nevin Arnold (Calavera), two Vancouver Island Comic book artists.
PopCultHQ Comic Book Review – Calavera The Undead #1 A new series from Insane Comics is out and we think you’ll be hooked! PopCultHQ looks at the first issue of Calavera The Undead and brings you a review of this provocative tale written and drawn by Nevin Arnold.
A new series from Insane Comics is out and we think you’ll be hooked! PopCultHQ looks at the first issue of Calavera The Undead and brings you a review of this provocative tale written and drawn by Nevin Arnold. Read on and prepare for the next series you’ll be adding to your pull list.
After falling off a building on November 2nd, 1989 (Day of the Dead), she awakens to find herself in a world with which she is not familiar. Unbeknownst to her, it is 2015. Thinking she is still in 1989, Calavera attempts to go home and regroup. What she finds is someone else living in her apartment. The scared tenant informs her of the year which baffles the woman with the Dia de los Muertos attire and face paint. She struggles to identify the changes in the world since she last remembered. Television appear futuristic to her. Vehicles with CD players installed within them? Crazy! And why won’t her makeup come off?
Meanwhile, a couple of grave robbers, in an attempt to loot jewelry from corpses, uncover what appears to be a zombie epidemic. Chaos engulfs the streets and the whole city is on watch. What exactly is happening?
Calavera soon discovers that she is possessed by a consciousness with enhanced strength and agility caught in limbo. This entity, which can communicate with her, is the reason she is undead rather than dead. Its essence is what enables her to walk among the living. In the hopes of finding its original body from which it was torn, the demon offers Calavera the opportunity to save the world. With nothing else going for her, she takes him up on his offer.
We catch a brief glimpse of the shadowy Necromancer, the one behind the uprising of the undead. As the zombies march towards the summoner, the dark figure prepares for the next phase in his mysterious plot. Calavera arrives where the zombies have been led and gathered to which the Shadowmancer initiates phase two of his diabolical plans.
Within its premiere issue, Calavera The Undead conveys a compelling storyline, introduces unique and intriguing characters, and leaves the reader curious as to this possessed undead protagonist and the evil which she faces. After reading this issue, I find myself yearning to know more of what is to transpire. How long can Calavera survive as undead? What secrets does the demon within her have yet to reveal? What is the purpose and intention of the Necromancer? Creator, artist, and writer Nevin Arnold delivers an exciting, and eye-appealing, story which will captivate readers and have them immerse into this potential annihilating event of epic proportions.
Check out Calavera The Undead from Insane Comics on shelves now. Also check them out at their website and the Calavera Facebook page.
Calavera The Undead #1 Review by "Whatcha Reading"
Calavera the Undead – And a Zombie Chick will save the world.
Rocker chick Calavera takes a flying leap off a building on the Day of the Dead, 1989. When she comes to, it’s 2012, her apartment’s been leased out, and her records are all gone. (The new tenant kept her t-shirts, though – score!) Calavera ultimately discovers that she died that night in 1989, and that she’s kind of a zombie without the hungering for brains, who happens to be possessed by the spirit of a demon named Baazedon. He needs her help in saving the world, which also happens to be experiencing the beginning stages of a zombie apocalypse.
Sound crazy? It is. But the thing is, it’s GOOD. Calavera is insanely fun reading and has some kickass art. There’s a good storyline laid out, and the main character obviously has a chip on her shoulder that I’m interested in learning more about. Artist and writer Nevin Arnold has a potentially hot title here – I’m giving it a high three out of five skulls, because I want to see more.
See Review Here: http://whatchareading.com/calavera-undead-zombie-chick-will-save-world/
Rocker chick Calavera takes a flying leap off a building on the Day of the Dead, 1989. When she comes to, it’s 2012, her apartment’s been leased out, and her records are all gone. (The new tenant kept her t-shirts, though – score!) Calavera ultimately discovers that she died that night in 1989, and that she’s kind of a zombie without the hungering for brains, who happens to be possessed by the spirit of a demon named Baazedon. He needs her help in saving the world, which also happens to be experiencing the beginning stages of a zombie apocalypse.
Sound crazy? It is. But the thing is, it’s GOOD. Calavera is insanely fun reading and has some kickass art. There’s a good storyline laid out, and the main character obviously has a chip on her shoulder that I’m interested in learning more about. Artist and writer Nevin Arnold has a potentially hot title here – I’m giving it a high three out of five skulls, because I want to see more.
See Review Here: http://whatchareading.com/calavera-undead-zombie-chick-will-save-world/
Nevin Arnold Interview with Richard Vasseur of Jazma Online
Nevin Arnold
Creator/Writer/Artist for Calavera The Undead
Published by: Hangman Comics
Interviewed by: Richard Vasseur/Jazma Online
Posted: 15/07/2014
Rich: Why use a zombie or zombies in a comic, why do people love to see them?
Nevin: I can’t really explain the current zombie craze, it certainly is everywhere you look. I think that people like to be scared, people are intrigued by the unnatural and nothings more scary or unnatural than the living dead. I chose to use zombies in this first story line for Calavera the Undead because she herself is a zombie and I felt that an undead army unleashed upon her city was a good opening challenge for her to face, and would help set the eerie tone for the series.
Rich: What is the story line of "Calavera The Undead"?
Nevin: Basically, Calavera falls to her death in the 1980’s only to awaken in modern day, now, not only is she in a strange time and place, but she finds herself sharing her body with a mysterious entity with its own agenda. She thought she was leaving this world behind, but now she’s faced with the challenge of saving it from destruction.
Rich: Who is Calavera, what is her personality?
Nevin: Calavera is as confident as she is rebellious, and as flawed and she is quick witted. She’s never backed down from a fight in her life, and as much as she hates the world she’s in, she’d fight tooth and nail to save it, just for the challenge of it.
Rich: Just how powerful is Calavera and what are her powers?
Nevin: So far she has a fraction of the power the entity within her once had. An example of this power we see in the first issue is enhanced strength, mention is made that she may develop other powers as well. She can really take a beating, but her time here is limited, as although she has been reanimated by this entity, she is still dead, and is slowly decomposing day by day.
Rich: Who is Necromaster and can you tell us about any other villains Calavera will face?
Nevin: Calavera is going to face many, countless, bizarre and unique villains. She’ll have to work her way through a grocery list of the worlds most evil and sinister beings to find the one man that defeated the entity within her, separated its body from its consciousness. “Level One” villain is the Necromaster, a twisted fiend that is using a blend of black magic and technology to erect an army of the dead to do his bidding.
Rich: How did you come up with Calavera's fashionable appearance?
Nevin: Inspired by comics like Vampirella and Tank Girl, when I decided to do a comic with a strong female lead character, there were multiple “must have” elements that popped into mind. Tank boots, skulls, a corset, and a unique rebellious hair style that would set her apart from the more “glamour” type heroines out there. She’s barely changed since the very first sketch.
Rich: How was Hangman Comics formed and what is its goal?
Nevin: Hangman Comics was formed in the mid 90’s with the simple goal of publishing just good old fashioned comic books with new and exciting characters and stories. One of our first books, “Chaos & Mayhem: One Shot” by Lee Elvers and myself is going to be re-released next year for the first time digitally so I’m really looking forward to that. The goal is the same these days, to entertain, take you to some cool new worlds, introduce you to some cool new characters, journey with you on some amazing adventures…
Rich: Do you have any more ideas for another comic series?
Nevin: I have about three or four other comics I’m dying to get around to doing ranging from 1930’s timeline to post apocalyptic future, all very different from Calavera The Undead, yet tying into the same giant big picture plotline of the Calavera series, and the Honor of The Damned series as well.
Rich: Why do you like zombies personally?
Nevin: I actually don’t like zombies, they disturb me, but man are they fun to draw!
Rich: Which other comic books would you recommend?
Nevin: I don’t actually read a lot of comics these days, I find that, much like music, it’s difficult to find good stuff out there. To be fair I’m sure I could look harder and find tons of great stuff these days but most commonly I find myself looking backwards, drawing on inspiration from the earlier days of comics. Anything by Kirby, especially his DC work, classic Red Sonja, Conan, Mr.Monster, Eerie, Creepy, Vampirella, The Spirit and anything Will Eisner does.
Rich: How can someone contact you?
Nevin: By Email, any questions, comments, suggestions, fan art, letters, you name it, you can reach me at hangmancomics@gmail.com or on facebook at facebook.com/HangmanComics
Rich: Any final words for all the fans alive and undead of Calavera?
Nevin: Thanks so much for reading and supporting the comic, I’m working on the 4th issue now and it’s by far the best issue yet, I can’t wait to share it with you. Fans of Calavera are the best, I’ll be at the Vancouver Island Most Amazing Collectable Show 5 in Victoria this October and I hope to see you there for the release of issue #3!
See FULL Interview Here: http://forums.jazmaonline.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6938
Nevin Arnold
Creator/Writer/Artist for Calavera The Undead
Published by: Hangman Comics
Interviewed by: Richard Vasseur/Jazma Online
Posted: 15/07/2014
Rich: Why use a zombie or zombies in a comic, why do people love to see them?
Nevin: I can’t really explain the current zombie craze, it certainly is everywhere you look. I think that people like to be scared, people are intrigued by the unnatural and nothings more scary or unnatural than the living dead. I chose to use zombies in this first story line for Calavera the Undead because she herself is a zombie and I felt that an undead army unleashed upon her city was a good opening challenge for her to face, and would help set the eerie tone for the series.
Rich: What is the story line of "Calavera The Undead"?
Nevin: Basically, Calavera falls to her death in the 1980’s only to awaken in modern day, now, not only is she in a strange time and place, but she finds herself sharing her body with a mysterious entity with its own agenda. She thought she was leaving this world behind, but now she’s faced with the challenge of saving it from destruction.
Rich: Who is Calavera, what is her personality?
Nevin: Calavera is as confident as she is rebellious, and as flawed and she is quick witted. She’s never backed down from a fight in her life, and as much as she hates the world she’s in, she’d fight tooth and nail to save it, just for the challenge of it.
Creator/Writer/Artist for Calavera The Undead
Published by: Hangman Comics
Interviewed by: Richard Vasseur/Jazma Online
Posted: 15/07/2014
Rich: Why use a zombie or zombies in a comic, why do people love to see them?
Nevin: I can’t really explain the current zombie craze, it certainly is everywhere you look. I think that people like to be scared, people are intrigued by the unnatural and nothings more scary or unnatural than the living dead. I chose to use zombies in this first story line for Calavera the Undead because she herself is a zombie and I felt that an undead army unleashed upon her city was a good opening challenge for her to face, and would help set the eerie tone for the series.
Rich: What is the story line of "Calavera The Undead"?
Nevin: Basically, Calavera falls to her death in the 1980’s only to awaken in modern day, now, not only is she in a strange time and place, but she finds herself sharing her body with a mysterious entity with its own agenda. She thought she was leaving this world behind, but now she’s faced with the challenge of saving it from destruction.
Rich: Who is Calavera, what is her personality?
Nevin: Calavera is as confident as she is rebellious, and as flawed and she is quick witted. She’s never backed down from a fight in her life, and as much as she hates the world she’s in, she’d fight tooth and nail to save it, just for the challenge of it.
Rich: Just how powerful is Calavera and what are her powers?
Nevin: So far she has a fraction of the power the entity within her once had. An example of this power we see in the first issue is enhanced strength, mention is made that she may develop other powers as well. She can really take a beating, but her time here is limited, as although she has been reanimated by this entity, she is still dead, and is slowly decomposing day by day.
Rich: Who is Necromaster and can you tell us about any other villains Calavera will face?
Nevin: Calavera is going to face many, countless, bizarre and unique villains. She’ll have to work her way through a grocery list of the worlds most evil and sinister beings to find the one man that defeated the entity within her, separated its body from its consciousness. “Level One” villain is the Necromaster, a twisted fiend that is using a blend of black magic and technology to erect an army of the dead to do his bidding.
Nevin: So far she has a fraction of the power the entity within her once had. An example of this power we see in the first issue is enhanced strength, mention is made that she may develop other powers as well. She can really take a beating, but her time here is limited, as although she has been reanimated by this entity, she is still dead, and is slowly decomposing day by day.
Rich: Who is Necromaster and can you tell us about any other villains Calavera will face?
Nevin: Calavera is going to face many, countless, bizarre and unique villains. She’ll have to work her way through a grocery list of the worlds most evil and sinister beings to find the one man that defeated the entity within her, separated its body from its consciousness. “Level One” villain is the Necromaster, a twisted fiend that is using a blend of black magic and technology to erect an army of the dead to do his bidding.
Rich: How did you come up with Calavera's fashionable appearance?
Nevin: Inspired by comics like Vampirella and Tank Girl, when I decided to do a comic with a strong female lead character, there were multiple “must have” elements that popped into mind. Tank boots, skulls, a corset, and a unique rebellious hair style that would set her apart from the more “glamour” type heroines out there. She’s barely changed since the very first sketch.
Nevin: Inspired by comics like Vampirella and Tank Girl, when I decided to do a comic with a strong female lead character, there were multiple “must have” elements that popped into mind. Tank boots, skulls, a corset, and a unique rebellious hair style that would set her apart from the more “glamour” type heroines out there. She’s barely changed since the very first sketch.
Rich: How was Hangman Comics formed and what is its goal?
Nevin: Hangman Comics was formed in the mid 90’s with the simple goal of publishing just good old fashioned comic books with new and exciting characters and stories. One of our first books, “Chaos & Mayhem: One Shot” by Lee Elvers and myself is going to be re-released next year for the first time digitally so I’m really looking forward to that. The goal is the same these days, to entertain, take you to some cool new worlds, introduce you to some cool new characters, journey with you on some amazing adventures…
Rich: Do you have any more ideas for another comic series?
Nevin: I have about three or four other comics I’m dying to get around to doing ranging from 1930’s timeline to post apocalyptic future, all very different from Calavera The Undead, yet tying into the same giant big picture plotline of the Calavera series, and the Honor of The Damned series as well.
Rich: Why do you like zombies personally?
Nevin: I actually don’t like zombies, they disturb me, but man are they fun to draw!
Rich: Which other comic books would you recommend?
Nevin: I don’t actually read a lot of comics these days, I find that, much like music, it’s difficult to find good stuff out there. To be fair I’m sure I could look harder and find tons of great stuff these days but most commonly I find myself looking backwards, drawing on inspiration from the earlier days of comics. Anything by Kirby, especially his DC work, classic Red Sonja, Conan, Mr.Monster, Eerie, Creepy, Vampirella, The Spirit and anything Will Eisner does.
Rich: How can someone contact you?
Nevin: By Email, any questions, comments, suggestions, fan art, letters, you name it, you can reach me at hangmancomics@gmail.com or on facebook at facebook.com/HangmanComics
Rich: Any final words for all the fans alive and undead of Calavera?
Nevin: Thanks so much for reading and supporting the comic, I’m working on the 4th issue now and it’s by far the best issue yet, I can’t wait to share it with you. Fans of Calavera are the best, I’ll be at the Vancouver Island Most Amazing Collectable Show 5 in Victoria this October and I hope to see you there for the release of issue #3!
See FULL Interview Here: http://forums.jazmaonline.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6938
Calavera The Undead #1 & #2 Review by Jason S. Lockard of Rogue Cinema
We as comic book fans get hung up on the big companies like Marvel and DC and we forget that there are lot of talents indie writers and artists out there! One such artist is Nevin Arnold! This month I got the pleasure to read the first two issues of his punk horror series Calavera the Undead.
The story follows Calavera Padavona who was loving the 80s as a rocker chick! But when she falls to her death in the year 1989; she is reanimated by the demon Baazedon in the year 2012. She returns to her apartment and find it has been rented out and all her records and t-shirts are gone. What’s a girl to do? Especially when you find out the world has been thrown into a zombie apocalypse by the evil Necromaster! Answer! Use your new zombie superpowers to save the world!
Calavera is part Tank Girl, part Vampirella and all awesome! The comic is written as to not take itself to seriously and I love that! The noir black and white artwork in these printed copies lend themselves to an amazing dark mystery story. If you like your comics bursting with eye popping color you can get the digital copies!
This special Deluxe edition of this book is amazing! Limited to 150 Copies, it comes with Screen printed signed and numbered backing board, and a copy of “Honor Of The Damned” #1 (the first printing – Nevin’s 2005 comic about a 10 year old boy Steven and his friend an Undead Samurai Warrior going to the big city to be superheroes).
If you love zombies this is a must own for your zombie comic book collection! I highly recommend you get the Calavera #1 Deluxe for only $10, but you can also check out Calavera #1 digitally for only $0.99! Either way it’s worth a read! Calavera the Undead #1 and #2 are available in print format for just $5 each as well! Head over towww.HangmanComics.com and find out how to get your copy today! You won’t be disappointed in this one!
Moral Rating: violence
Audience: teens and adults, not be suitable for small children
Genre: comic book
Released: 2014
Rating: A+
See Review Here: http://www.roguecinema.com/calavera-1-deluxe-edition-2014-by-jason-s-lockard.html
We as comic book fans get hung up on the big companies like Marvel and DC and we forget that there are lot of talents indie writers and artists out there! One such artist is Nevin Arnold! This month I got the pleasure to read the first two issues of his punk horror series Calavera the Undead.
The story follows Calavera Padavona who was loving the 80s as a rocker chick! But when she falls to her death in the year 1989; she is reanimated by the demon Baazedon in the year 2012. She returns to her apartment and find it has been rented out and all her records and t-shirts are gone. What’s a girl to do? Especially when you find out the world has been thrown into a zombie apocalypse by the evil Necromaster! Answer! Use your new zombie superpowers to save the world!
Calavera is part Tank Girl, part Vampirella and all awesome! The comic is written as to not take itself to seriously and I love that! The noir black and white artwork in these printed copies lend themselves to an amazing dark mystery story. If you like your comics bursting with eye popping color you can get the digital copies!
This special Deluxe edition of this book is amazing! Limited to 150 Copies, it comes with Screen printed signed and numbered backing board, and a copy of “Honor Of The Damned” #1 (the first printing – Nevin’s 2005 comic about a 10 year old boy Steven and his friend an Undead Samurai Warrior going to the big city to be superheroes).
If you love zombies this is a must own for your zombie comic book collection! I highly recommend you get the Calavera #1 Deluxe for only $10, but you can also check out Calavera #1 digitally for only $0.99! Either way it’s worth a read! Calavera the Undead #1 and #2 are available in print format for just $5 each as well! Head over towww.HangmanComics.com and find out how to get your copy today! You won’t be disappointed in this one!
Moral Rating: violence
Audience: teens and adults, not be suitable for small children
Genre: comic book
Released: 2014
Rating: A+
The story follows Calavera Padavona who was loving the 80s as a rocker chick! But when she falls to her death in the year 1989; she is reanimated by the demon Baazedon in the year 2012. She returns to her apartment and find it has been rented out and all her records and t-shirts are gone. What’s a girl to do? Especially when you find out the world has been thrown into a zombie apocalypse by the evil Necromaster! Answer! Use your new zombie superpowers to save the world!
Calavera is part Tank Girl, part Vampirella and all awesome! The comic is written as to not take itself to seriously and I love that! The noir black and white artwork in these printed copies lend themselves to an amazing dark mystery story. If you like your comics bursting with eye popping color you can get the digital copies!
This special Deluxe edition of this book is amazing! Limited to 150 Copies, it comes with Screen printed signed and numbered backing board, and a copy of “Honor Of The Damned” #1 (the first printing – Nevin’s 2005 comic about a 10 year old boy Steven and his friend an Undead Samurai Warrior going to the big city to be superheroes).
If you love zombies this is a must own for your zombie comic book collection! I highly recommend you get the Calavera #1 Deluxe for only $10, but you can also check out Calavera #1 digitally for only $0.99! Either way it’s worth a read! Calavera the Undead #1 and #2 are available in print format for just $5 each as well! Head over towww.HangmanComics.com and find out how to get your copy today! You won’t be disappointed in this one!
Moral Rating: violence
Audience: teens and adults, not be suitable for small children
Genre: comic book
Released: 2014
Rating: A+
See Review Here: http://www.roguecinema.com/calavera-1-deluxe-edition-2014-by-jason-s-lockard.html
Calavera The Undead #1 review by Jesse B of the Geek Syndicate
Back from the dead and none too pleased about it, Hangman Comics Issue No.1 of Calavera: The Undead sees its female eighties rocker heroine traipsing about the world of 2012 on a quest to stop an evil necromancer and his lackey from taking over the world!
Sound a little over the top? It is.
But surprising enough, it works.
With story and art by Nevin Arnold, the cheeky Canadian creates a campy zombie-rocker rag that fuses good laughs with a deceptively simple but remarkably wicked and dense plot that keeps the pages turning.
The mash-up is certainly unique: an eighties rocker gal (think Return of the Living Dead’s Trash minus the morbid) wakes up in the year 2012 (of all times) to find out that the dead are suddenly rising all across town and she and the voice inside her head are somehow connected to the nefarious events. It’s a smart, hip, tongue-in-cheek, slightly at times too meta-comic about a smart, hip, tongue-in-cheek strong female heroine (who also happens to be a risen dead, albeit for different reasons) that has a very real and very engaging personality.
Arnold does an excellent job of penciling and coloring the story to match the snarky tone inherent in the character of Calavera (whose name is a Mexican word for a celebratory human skull treat made of candy or sugar) but also knows how to turn on the dark when the story takes a needed twist. It’s a comic whose lead is strong enough to be felt on-panel or off, but Arnold goes out of his way to give enough detail and care to all the characters, making the entire world genuinely likable and engaging. The facial expressions and composition along with the layout of each page is also exceptionally well executed and the style, while certainly given to ones tastes, perfectly matches the flavor (i.e. Muy caliente).
Overall there is not a lot missing from this first issue and Calavera is certainly an encouraging addition to the world of female leads. She and Arnold have the potential to become truly memorable figures in the zombie genre if the rest of the series follows the format they’ve laid out in the first issue. Calavera: The Undead No. 1 is definitely a great and deadly read, highly recommended.
Rating: 4/5
See Review Here: http://geeksyndicate.co.uk/comics-2/comic-reviews/comic-review-calavera-1-hangman-comics/
Back from the dead and none too pleased about it, Hangman Comics Issue No.1 of Calavera: The Undead sees its female eighties rocker heroine traipsing about the world of 2012 on a quest to stop an evil necromancer and his lackey from taking over the world!
Sound a little over the top? It is.
But surprising enough, it works.
With story and art by Nevin Arnold, the cheeky Canadian creates a campy zombie-rocker rag that fuses good laughs with a deceptively simple but remarkably wicked and dense plot that keeps the pages turning.
The mash-up is certainly unique: an eighties rocker gal (think Return of the Living Dead’s Trash minus the morbid) wakes up in the year 2012 (of all times) to find out that the dead are suddenly rising all across town and she and the voice inside her head are somehow connected to the nefarious events. It’s a smart, hip, tongue-in-cheek, slightly at times too meta-comic about a smart, hip, tongue-in-cheek strong female heroine (who also happens to be a risen dead, albeit for different reasons) that has a very real and very engaging personality.
Arnold does an excellent job of penciling and coloring the story to match the snarky tone inherent in the character of Calavera (whose name is a Mexican word for a celebratory human skull treat made of candy or sugar) but also knows how to turn on the dark when the story takes a needed twist. It’s a comic whose lead is strong enough to be felt on-panel or off, but Arnold goes out of his way to give enough detail and care to all the characters, making the entire world genuinely likable and engaging. The facial expressions and composition along with the layout of each page is also exceptionally well executed and the style, while certainly given to ones tastes, perfectly matches the flavor (i.e. Muy caliente).
Overall there is not a lot missing from this first issue and Calavera is certainly an encouraging addition to the world of female leads. She and Arnold have the potential to become truly memorable figures in the zombie genre if the rest of the series follows the format they’ve laid out in the first issue. Calavera: The Undead No. 1 is definitely a great and deadly read, highly recommended.
Rating: 4/5
See Review Here: http://geeksyndicate.co.uk/comics-2/comic-reviews/comic-review-calavera-1-hangman-comics/
Calavera The Undead #1 Review by Richard Vasseur of Jazma Online
Title: Calavera The Undead # 1
Publisher: Hangman Comics
Story & Art: Nevin Arnold
Created by: Nevin Arnold
Price: $ 5.00 US
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Websites: www.hangmancomics.com , www.nevsart.blogspot.com
Comments: The imagery that greets you here of Calavera is both stunning and shocking. Her look is original her hair style is outlandish.
Something weird has happened to Calavera. The brief intoduction to her does catch you up enough so you know who she is and have a small idea what happened to her. You will want to know more about this enigmatic beauty.
This zombie tale does have a unique twist to it that makes it different than all the rest. It adds some mystery and a touch of evil.
Necromaster and his lab have a gothic old style appeal. You can just tell he will be trouble squared.
Calavera is cute and exciting. She is a rocker chick who will quite literally rock your world.
Richard Vasseur
See Review Here: http://forums.jazmaonline.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6931
Title: Calavera The Undead # 1
Publisher: Hangman Comics
Story & Art: Nevin Arnold
Created by: Nevin Arnold
Price: $ 5.00 US
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Websites: www.hangmancomics.com , www.nevsart.blogspot.com
Comments: The imagery that greets you here of Calavera is both stunning and shocking. Her look is original her hair style is outlandish.
Something weird has happened to Calavera. The brief intoduction to her does catch you up enough so you know who she is and have a small idea what happened to her. You will want to know more about this enigmatic beauty.
This zombie tale does have a unique twist to it that makes it different than all the rest. It adds some mystery and a touch of evil.
Necromaster and his lab have a gothic old style appeal. You can just tell he will be trouble squared.
Calavera is cute and exciting. She is a rocker chick who will quite literally rock your world.
Richard Vasseur
Publisher: Hangman Comics
Story & Art: Nevin Arnold
Created by: Nevin Arnold
Price: $ 5.00 US
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Websites: www.hangmancomics.com , www.nevsart.blogspot.com
Comments: The imagery that greets you here of Calavera is both stunning and shocking. Her look is original her hair style is outlandish.
Something weird has happened to Calavera. The brief intoduction to her does catch you up enough so you know who she is and have a small idea what happened to her. You will want to know more about this enigmatic beauty.
This zombie tale does have a unique twist to it that makes it different than all the rest. It adds some mystery and a touch of evil.
Necromaster and his lab have a gothic old style appeal. You can just tell he will be trouble squared.
Calavera is cute and exciting. She is a rocker chick who will quite literally rock your world.
Richard Vasseur
See Review Here: http://forums.jazmaonline.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6931
Calavera The Undead #1 Review by Patrick Scattergood of the 'Curiosity of a Social Misfit' Blog
Calavera, a fun loving 80's rocker chick, falls to her death in 1989 only to instantaneously awaken in the year 2012.
Now essentially a super powered zombie, deteriorating day by day, and sharing her body with a mysterious entity, this most unlikely heroine may be our last hope as dark forces plot to destroy civilization as we know it!
Review
I'm a big zombie fan. Doesn't matter if it's books, comics or movies, give me a good story with some flesh eating zombies and I am a very happy horror nerd.
That's where this one comes in.
I'd heard quite a few good things about this one, including some very lofty comparisons with the legendary Tank Girl character. Could it possibly live up to such lofty expectations?
Simply put, yes.
If, like me, you grew up steadily on a diet of cheesy horror movies and music by bands such as The Cramps and The Misfits, then this is definitely a title for you.
You would think that because of it being a zombie that it would be dour or even nihilistic but there's a real feeling of not only fun and humor but also of excitement running through the comic. That sense of fun makes this one the sort of comic that you can read but then read again and again. I love it when you get a title that makes you feel like that.
The comparisons with Tank Girl are pretty fair to be honest but Arnold's writing really makes the character wear it's inspirations on her sleeve yet does so with an utterly unique voice.
One of the things that I liked about the title is by far the art. It harks back not only to horror comedy movies such as Army of Darkness but also the old comics that inspired such movies asCreepshow and the like. It takes those influences but points a modern spin on it. Another thing that I found to be quite clever about the title is that while the main character has a bit of a provocative look to her appearance, whenever a person leers at her she ends up resorting to going a bit bad ass on them and teaching them a lesson. I thought that was a good jab at the over the top sexuality that is in comics these days.
All in all, this is definitely a good comic to pick up if you just want to read one that has an absurd sense of fun and a slightly off kilter sense of humor to it.
Story 8/10
Art 8/10
Cover 8/10
Recommended 8/10
Overall 32/40
See Review Here: http://curiosityofasocialmisfit.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/calavera-undead-issue-1-review.html
Calavera, a fun loving 80's rocker chick, falls to her death in 1989 only to instantaneously awaken in the year 2012.
Now essentially a super powered zombie, deteriorating day by day, and sharing her body with a mysterious entity, this most unlikely heroine may be our last hope as dark forces plot to destroy civilization as we know it!
Review
I'm a big zombie fan. Doesn't matter if it's books, comics or movies, give me a good story with some flesh eating zombies and I am a very happy horror nerd.
That's where this one comes in.
I'd heard quite a few good things about this one, including some very lofty comparisons with the legendary Tank Girl character. Could it possibly live up to such lofty expectations?
Simply put, yes.
If, like me, you grew up steadily on a diet of cheesy horror movies and music by bands such as The Cramps and The Misfits, then this is definitely a title for you.
You would think that because of it being a zombie that it would be dour or even nihilistic but there's a real feeling of not only fun and humor but also of excitement running through the comic. That sense of fun makes this one the sort of comic that you can read but then read again and again. I love it when you get a title that makes you feel like that.
The comparisons with Tank Girl are pretty fair to be honest but Arnold's writing really makes the character wear it's inspirations on her sleeve yet does so with an utterly unique voice.
One of the things that I liked about the title is by far the art. It harks back not only to horror comedy movies such as Army of Darkness but also the old comics that inspired such movies asCreepshow and the like. It takes those influences but points a modern spin on it. Another thing that I found to be quite clever about the title is that while the main character has a bit of a provocative look to her appearance, whenever a person leers at her she ends up resorting to going a bit bad ass on them and teaching them a lesson. I thought that was a good jab at the over the top sexuality that is in comics these days.
All in all, this is definitely a good comic to pick up if you just want to read one that has an absurd sense of fun and a slightly off kilter sense of humor to it.
Story 8/10
Art 8/10
Cover 8/10
Recommended 8/10
Overall 32/40
See Review Here: http://curiosityofasocialmisfit.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/calavera-undead-issue-1-review.html
Review of Calavera the Undead #1
by Josh Reifler of RWG
Calavera The Undead #1 Story & Art: Nevin Arnold Publisher: Hangman Comics Reviewer: J. Reifler
Thrills! Chills! Zombies! This week’s indie comic pick is Calavera The Undead #1 a self-published release by graphic designer and comic artist Nevin Arnold. This is a horror punk series with a tongue-in-cheek sensibility focusing on recently returned-from-the-grave spooky heroine Calavera. Part Tank Girl and Part Vampirella the series is a campy good read with excellent artwork to boot. While most books about the zombie apocalypse tend to be quite dour, this series carries itself with a sense of lightness and fun that feels more at home with Mad Magazine’s Harvey Kurtzman than Clive Barker.
Story: Calavera Padavona is having a bad day. Reanimated almost a decade after her death by the demon Baazedon, she’s returned to living only to find her apartment has been rented out and all her vinyl has been given away. Now tasked with saving the world from the evil Necromaster and his zombie apocalypse, Calavera must use her newfound powers to set things right before she rots away. Now infused with zombie ‘super powers’ including enhanced toughness and strength she must charge headfirst into the apocalypse in order to save the world she left behind all those years ago. But what dark secrets from her past will bubble to the surface once she returns to the living?
Calavera The Undead #1 doesn’t attempt to be anything more than an over-the-top good time and it succeeds in that respect. Nevin Arnold creates a cool yet slightly absurd main character and let’s her run amuck in a world turned upside down. The plot isn’t the most original but it succeeds in the way movies like Evil Dead 2 or Army of Darkness manage to make the gruesome sound comical. There are monsters and cartoon violence but it’s all presented in a fairly tame fashion. This is one of those books you chuckle while reading if only for the absurdity of the situation. I love the art on this book. It’s campy yet modern and has a sick rockabilly feel to it. I’m reminded of older horror comics from days gone by like Eerie. It never veers too far into the grotesque being content to stop just short of that with a real tongue-in-cheek Harvey Kurtzman vibe. That is to say no one is ever really meant to be afraid as the world is more silly than horrific. There are moments of violence but the scenes are rather cartoonish and never become anything too intense for the squeamish. Design-wise Arnold has created a cool main character for his series. Calavera’s got the look and feel of a punk rock leading lady without becoming too sexualized. While her appearance is a bit risqué it’s more empowering than provocative and the author never presents her as anything but a fully competent and confident character. If anything the real villain in this book are the men who seem to underestimate her as their leers are met with powerful right hooks. Creeps get their comeuppance here and Calavera charges her way through the issue in a frenzy worthy of being the titular character. As a huge fan of horror punk growing up (hey, I have all the Misfits and Cramps LPs) I found Calavera The Undead to be a humorously creepy good time. Hopefully the full series gets published and readers can find out if the zombie apocalypse has been averted! She has the potential to become an indie heroine on par with Tank Girl and the book is worth taking a look.
Calavera The Undead #1 - 9/10
Summary
Part Tank Girl and Part Vampirella, Calavera The Undead #1 is a campy good read with a fun plot and excellent artwork.
See article here: http://www.rhymeswithgeek.com/calavera-undead-1-rwg-reviews/
Review of Calavera the Undead #1
by Josh Reifler of RWG
Calavera The Undead #1 Story & Art: Nevin Arnold Publisher: Hangman Comics Reviewer: J. Reifler
Thrills! Chills! Zombies! This week’s indie comic pick is Calavera The Undead #1 a self-published release by graphic designer and comic artist Nevin Arnold. This is a horror punk series with a tongue-in-cheek sensibility focusing on recently returned-from-the-grave spooky heroine Calavera. Part Tank Girl and Part Vampirella the series is a campy good read with excellent artwork to boot. While most books about the zombie apocalypse tend to be quite dour, this series carries itself with a sense of lightness and fun that feels more at home with Mad Magazine’s Harvey Kurtzman than Clive Barker.
Story: Calavera Padavona is having a bad day. Reanimated almost a decade after her death by the demon Baazedon, she’s returned to living only to find her apartment has been rented out and all her vinyl has been given away. Now tasked with saving the world from the evil Necromaster and his zombie apocalypse, Calavera must use her newfound powers to set things right before she rots away. Now infused with zombie ‘super powers’ including enhanced toughness and strength she must charge headfirst into the apocalypse in order to save the world she left behind all those years ago. But what dark secrets from her past will bubble to the surface once she returns to the living?
Calavera The Undead #1 doesn’t attempt to be anything more than an over-the-top good time and it succeeds in that respect. Nevin Arnold creates a cool yet slightly absurd main character and let’s her run amuck in a world turned upside down. The plot isn’t the most original but it succeeds in the way movies like Evil Dead 2 or Army of Darkness manage to make the gruesome sound comical. There are monsters and cartoon violence but it’s all presented in a fairly tame fashion. This is one of those books you chuckle while reading if only for the absurdity of the situation. I love the art on this book. It’s campy yet modern and has a sick rockabilly feel to it. I’m reminded of older horror comics from days gone by like Eerie. It never veers too far into the grotesque being content to stop just short of that with a real tongue-in-cheek Harvey Kurtzman vibe. That is to say no one is ever really meant to be afraid as the world is more silly than horrific. There are moments of violence but the scenes are rather cartoonish and never become anything too intense for the squeamish. Design-wise Arnold has created a cool main character for his series. Calavera’s got the look and feel of a punk rock leading lady without becoming too sexualized. While her appearance is a bit risqué it’s more empowering than provocative and the author never presents her as anything but a fully competent and confident character. If anything the real villain in this book are the men who seem to underestimate her as their leers are met with powerful right hooks. Creeps get their comeuppance here and Calavera charges her way through the issue in a frenzy worthy of being the titular character. As a huge fan of horror punk growing up (hey, I have all the Misfits and Cramps LPs) I found Calavera The Undead to be a humorously creepy good time. Hopefully the full series gets published and readers can find out if the zombie apocalypse has been averted! She has the potential to become an indie heroine on par with Tank Girl and the book is worth taking a look.
Story: Calavera Padavona is having a bad day. Reanimated almost a decade after her death by the demon Baazedon, she’s returned to living only to find her apartment has been rented out and all her vinyl has been given away. Now tasked with saving the world from the evil Necromaster and his zombie apocalypse, Calavera must use her newfound powers to set things right before she rots away. Now infused with zombie ‘super powers’ including enhanced toughness and strength she must charge headfirst into the apocalypse in order to save the world she left behind all those years ago. But what dark secrets from her past will bubble to the surface once she returns to the living?
Calavera The Undead #1 doesn’t attempt to be anything more than an over-the-top good time and it succeeds in that respect. Nevin Arnold creates a cool yet slightly absurd main character and let’s her run amuck in a world turned upside down. The plot isn’t the most original but it succeeds in the way movies like Evil Dead 2 or Army of Darkness manage to make the gruesome sound comical. There are monsters and cartoon violence but it’s all presented in a fairly tame fashion. This is one of those books you chuckle while reading if only for the absurdity of the situation. I love the art on this book. It’s campy yet modern and has a sick rockabilly feel to it. I’m reminded of older horror comics from days gone by like Eerie. It never veers too far into the grotesque being content to stop just short of that with a real tongue-in-cheek Harvey Kurtzman vibe. That is to say no one is ever really meant to be afraid as the world is more silly than horrific. There are moments of violence but the scenes are rather cartoonish and never become anything too intense for the squeamish. Design-wise Arnold has created a cool main character for his series. Calavera’s got the look and feel of a punk rock leading lady without becoming too sexualized. While her appearance is a bit risqué it’s more empowering than provocative and the author never presents her as anything but a fully competent and confident character. If anything the real villain in this book are the men who seem to underestimate her as their leers are met with powerful right hooks. Creeps get their comeuppance here and Calavera charges her way through the issue in a frenzy worthy of being the titular character. As a huge fan of horror punk growing up (hey, I have all the Misfits and Cramps LPs) I found Calavera The Undead to be a humorously creepy good time. Hopefully the full series gets published and readers can find out if the zombie apocalypse has been averted! She has the potential to become an indie heroine on par with Tank Girl and the book is worth taking a look.
Calavera The Undead #1 - 9/10
Summary
Part Tank Girl and Part Vampirella, Calavera The Undead #1 is a campy good read with a fun plot and excellent artwork.
See article here: http://www.rhymeswithgeek.com/calavera-undead-1-rwg-reviews/
Calavera The Undead #1 Comic Book Review by Ric Susman of The Read Pile
Things I am a sucker for:
The 80′s
Zombies
Anything zany and, or, over the top.
With that said, it should come to no surprise that I really enjoyed the first issue of Calavera. Written and drawn by Nevin Arnold (and brought to us by Hangman Comics) comes a book that is as much fun to read as it is to view. In short the art matches the story. The humor matches the the tone in every panel and reminds me of Chew as much as it does Dawn of the Dead.
If I am honest, that is the best way to describe Calavera herself. She is completely out of place and time being a traditional 80′s Punk/Metal girl who suddenly wakes up in the year 2012. She is fully aware of what she is and I find that very refreshing, self aware zombies are a lot easier for me to accept. None of this “walker” or “biter” silliness. She is more than a sum of her parts as well, she is funny and kind of adorable in an “aww shucks Im a zombie” kind of way.
I don’t want to sound like I am just gushing over this book, there were faults. Many times I found it difficult to really dive into the book because Calavera takes herself so not seriously that it was a little distracting. Other times I felt the pages moved a little too fast. However, these are not major issues and can easily be chalked to normal “Issue 1 problems.”
I look forward to seeing where this SUPER POWERED ROCKER ZOMBIE GIRL goes, and how her mission proceeds.
If you too are a sucker for the same kind of things I am, I would urge you to pop in to you local comic bookery and see if you can get a copy of this. It’s certainly worth the read.
- The Sus-Man
See Article Here: http://thfist.com/read/advanced-review-calavera-the-undead/
Things I am a sucker for:
The 80′s
Zombies
Anything zany and, or, over the top.
With that said, it should come to no surprise that I really enjoyed the first issue of Calavera. Written and drawn by Nevin Arnold (and brought to us by Hangman Comics) comes a book that is as much fun to read as it is to view. In short the art matches the story. The humor matches the the tone in every panel and reminds me of Chew as much as it does Dawn of the Dead.
If I am honest, that is the best way to describe Calavera herself. She is completely out of place and time being a traditional 80′s Punk/Metal girl who suddenly wakes up in the year 2012. She is fully aware of what she is and I find that very refreshing, self aware zombies are a lot easier for me to accept. None of this “walker” or “biter” silliness. She is more than a sum of her parts as well, she is funny and kind of adorable in an “aww shucks Im a zombie” kind of way.
I don’t want to sound like I am just gushing over this book, there were faults. Many times I found it difficult to really dive into the book because Calavera takes herself so not seriously that it was a little distracting. Other times I felt the pages moved a little too fast. However, these are not major issues and can easily be chalked to normal “Issue 1 problems.”
I look forward to seeing where this SUPER POWERED ROCKER ZOMBIE GIRL goes, and how her mission proceeds.
If you too are a sucker for the same kind of things I am, I would urge you to pop in to you local comic bookery and see if you can get a copy of this. It’s certainly worth the read.
- The Sus-Man
See Article Here: http://thfist.com/read/advanced-review-calavera-the-undead/
Comic Book review of Calavera The Undead by
Richard Boom of Comics for Sinners
Calavera is about a fun loving 80′s rocker chick, who mysteriously )a story for another time’ falls to her death in 1989 only to be awaken in the year 2012, on a rooftop amidst burning bodies! She discovers soon that she is now essentially a super powered zombie, deteriorating day by day, and sharing her body with a mysterious demonic -yet Pluse One for the good side of demons- yet still incredibly happy to still have her old leather jacket. Nevin Arnold cooked up some wierd characters and made it boil into a sizzling zombie-story so far, that is for sure. Calavera is -despite her eerie style fashion and her odd hair-don’t- a captivating persona, a strong character with enough wit, charm and brass balls to make her an intriguing feature character. So when all the zombies come walking around, the demon in Calavera’s head starts asking for her help, an evil Necromaster is set to disrupt the year 2012, we know that there is going to be an intriguing story in front of us with Calavera leading the way! Nevin Arnold created, wrote, drew, colored and lettered this comic and although you will not be getting Marvel or DC-quality artwork, you WILL be entertained and intrigued!
Print and Digital copies available now on www.HangmanComics.ca , as well as the killer Deluxe Edition. Digital Edition also now available on Amazon
See review here: http://www.comicsforsinners.com/review-calavera-1-2/
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