And Then I Read: DARK HORSE PRESENTS 10

Images © Dark Horse Comics and the respective copyright holders.

Not much that appeals to me in this issue. The cover features the final part of a new Tarzan story written by Al Gordon, art by Tom Yeates. The art is generally great, but in places it does look a little rushed this time.

The dialogue I found rather odd and unconvincing, largely unlike what real people would say. Perhaps it’s meant to be some kind of futuristic talk, but if so it didn’t work well for me. This page is too busy, too much going on, too many sound effects, for instance.

The final chapter of The Massive by Brian Wood and Kristian Donaldson is pretty, but the entire preview seen here has been pretty slow and doesn’t make me want to read further.

UXB by Colin Lorimer is a dystopian street gang story with some magic or mental powers in it. I didn’t care for it.

The new chapter of Finder by Carla Speed McNeil seems to be some kind of desert hallucination that I didn’t understand.

The new chapter of Criminal Macabre by Steve Niles and Christopher Mitten has some good character writing. I don’t really care for the art style, but will read more because of that.

The Milk and Cheese/Murder Family story by Evan Dorkin I found rather repulsive and hard to read. I couldn’t finish it.

The second chapter of Amala’s Blade, about steampunk pirates, is entertaining. Liked this one the best in the issue, I think.

Old Reliable is a depressing short story nicely illustrated by Andrew Vachss. I’ve read little by Vachss, but all of it was depressing.

The fourth chapter of Skultarr by M.J. Butler and Mark Wheatley is definitely upbeat, a satire of Conan. The humor is pretty obvious and over the top, but still entertaining, and a welcome respite from much of this issue.

Chapter 3 of The Many Murders of Miss Cranbourne begins with a full-page handwritten letter in a very difficult to read font. I kind of gave up on that. The rest of the story is okay, but I don’t love it, and the art style seems rather amateurish to me.

Overall, this issue is mildly recommended.