Reviews
Criminal Macabre: Final Night: The 30 Days of Night Crossover by Steve Niles, Christopher Mitten
jobinsonlis's review against another edition
4.0
Templesmith's loose, messy art style doesn't always work for me but it really matched the tone of this one. A sarcastic human detective for monsters isn't anything new but Steve Niles has a good time with the concept and it shows.
krismoon's review against another edition
4.0
Great writing from Steve Niles, as usual. This is the first comic I've read with Ben Templesmith's art. While he captures the mood and tone perfectly, there were a few panels that I couldn't decipher. Honest to god, could not even tell what the hell they were.
g0rbash's review against another edition
5.0
This was my introduction to Ben Templesmith. It has been a crazy obsessed downward spiral ever since.
thiefofcamorr's review against another edition
5.0
One of Ben Templesmith's more enjoyable works - and all of his are five stars - so that means a lot for this one <3
mistled's review against another edition
3.0
I am extending SPCtYPDKED because I made it up so I can do what I want! Ok, this one is from Dark Horse, so you've probably heard of them if you ever read anything that isn't Marvel/DC, but whatever. Close enough.
Criminal Macabre is a noir comic about an ex-cop, Cal, who attracts monsters in a world that doesn't believe in them. Monsters like vampires, werewolves, zombies, etc. The usual. Cal does what anyone would do if presented with monsters constantly. He drinks. A lot. And pops pills. A lot.
There's a lot of good atmosphere in this one. Cal is a smart-ass and a mostly functional alcoholic. He has an informant ghoul, because why not. And he solves cases for people, usually of the weird variety.
This particular set of five issues is about a series of crimes that don't make sense. There are a group of werewolves acting as thieves instead of murdering people for food. There's a group of vampires assaulting a ghoul, again, not for food. There is collaboration between monsters that just doesn't happen. But Cal doesn't start off too worried, because after all, the old superstitions aren't true, and everything dies to a bullet.
Like any good noir, it has a little bit of cheek to it, but never goes for laugh out loud funny. But the humour fits the tone, and is as snarky as needed.
The art is something a lot of people are going to have a problem with. It's odd in that part of me wants to just say it isn't good. But part of it is certainly just the style, which is done to fit, and help set, the mood of the series. This series shouldn't have clean art. Though perhaps it should have better art than this. I'm not versed enough in the style to know how much "better" art would actually hurt the tone the series is going for. Have a sample....
Overall, this is a solid noir joint. It's not amazing in a "you must go out of your way to read this now!" sort of way. But it's good if you like noir and comics and happen to have it in front of you. There's nothing particularly wrong with it, which is way more than most comics I read have going for them. I'm going to read some more of Cal McDonald's adventures.
3.5 stars
I came to LA following a severed head, and I've been here ever since.
Criminal Macabre is a noir comic about an ex-cop, Cal, who attracts monsters in a world that doesn't believe in them. Monsters like vampires, werewolves, zombies, etc. The usual. Cal does what anyone would do if presented with monsters constantly. He drinks. A lot. And pops pills. A lot.
There's a lot of good atmosphere in this one. Cal is a smart-ass and a mostly functional alcoholic. He has an informant ghoul, because why not. And he solves cases for people, usually of the weird variety.
This particular set of five issues is about a series of crimes that don't make sense. There are a group of werewolves acting as thieves instead of murdering people for food. There's a group of vampires assaulting a ghoul, again, not for food. There is collaboration between monsters that just doesn't happen. But Cal doesn't start off too worried, because after all, the old superstitions aren't true, and everything dies to a bullet.
Like I said, you can kill a vampire with a bullet. But you better damn well be sure your gun's loaded.
Like any good noir, it has a little bit of cheek to it, but never goes for laugh out loud funny. But the humour fits the tone, and is as snarky as needed.
I thought vampires were cursed?
They just like to think they are. You know, for the drama.
The art is something a lot of people are going to have a problem with. It's odd in that part of me wants to just say it isn't good. But part of it is certainly just the style, which is done to fit, and help set, the mood of the series. This series shouldn't have clean art. Though perhaps it should have better art than this. I'm not versed enough in the style to know how much "better" art would actually hurt the tone the series is going for. Have a sample....
Overall, this is a solid noir joint. It's not amazing in a "you must go out of your way to read this now!" sort of way. But it's good if you like noir and comics and happen to have it in front of you. There's nothing particularly wrong with it, which is way more than most comics I read have going for them. I'm going to read some more of Cal McDonald's adventures.
3.5 stars
Do you trust me?
Well... yeah.
Do you think I'm crazy?
Of course.
mistled's review
3.0
Man, I wish this series was better than it is.
So we have here another crossover with people I don't know. And anything interesting that happens can't be talked about because large spoilers. But... you must read No Peace for Dead Men before this. The above mentioned spoilers won't even make sense otherwise.
So we have here another crossover with people I don't know. And anything interesting that happens can't be talked about because large spoilers. But... you must read No Peace for Dead Men before this. The above mentioned spoilers won't even make sense otherwise.
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