COMIC BOOK REVIEW: HACK/SLASH: SON OF SAMHAIN (VOLUME 1) / AUTHOR: MICHAEL MORECI, STEVE SEELEY / ARTIST: EMILIO LAISO, STEFANO CASELLI / PUBLISHER: IMAGE / RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 14TH
Hack/Slash makes a bloody and brilliant comeback with ongoing series Son of Samhain. In the first volume we see Cassie Hack being dragged back into monster hunting and bringing up demons both personal and very literal.
Son of Samhain, written by Michael Moreci and Steve Seeley, works for people familiar with previous Hack/Slash books, but the style and flashbacks of SoS make it easy for new readers to jump in and discover the monster hunting antics of Cassie Hack and the dusty backwoods America she populates. If you aren’t familiar with previous Hack/Slash comics it’s relatively simple; Cassie Hack was once attacked by a slasher, her own mother. She then dedicates her life to taking them down and soon after that her career path led her to fighting against some rather grotesque monsters.
It’s a simple premise and Cassie Hack may be seem like a generic ass-kicking female, but there is a surprising amount of depth to the character below the surface. During this book all her relationships have failed (mostly her own fault) and the exploration of her caring and nurturing side is an interesting development. Other comics do emotion better, and while Hack/Slash doesn’t deliver the heart of other Image comics, the emotional depth here provides a break from all the brutal action.
While the frenetic and inventive storytelling manages to delve into a unique mythology of the monsters Cassie hunts, Emilio Laiso’s art compliments the story with great variety. Some panels pop with vibrancy while others are dark and brooding. In issue #1 there is a great marriage of art and storytelling with the title page spread. Each letter of Hack/Slash is a panel in itself featuring images of Cassie and her previous life. It’s a great panel and it’s a shame there isn’t anything else like it in the book.
Hack/ Slash: Son of Samhain is a great reintroduction to an old Image character, so let’s hope Cassie Hack has a few more adventures left and maybe it opens the door for other comics to gain a new lease of life.
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