By Leroy Douresseaux
September 28, 2010 - 09:49
Driver for the Dead is a supernatural horror comic book miniseries from Radical Comics. Set in the heart of Louisiana, Driver for the Dead is written by John Heffernan (a screenwriter for Snakes on a Plane) and drawn by Leonardo Manco (Hellblazer). The series follows Alabaster Graves, whose specialty is handling dangerous or supernaturally-involved corpses, which he transports in his custom-made hearse, Black Betty.
In Driver for the Dead #2, Graves arrives in Shreveport to pick up the earthly remains of renowned voodoo priest, Mose Freeman. Accompanying Graves is Freeman’s non-believing great-granddaughter, Marissa Freeman. As they race back to New Orleans with the body, centuries-old necromancer, Uriah Fallow, inhumanely gathers his human implements. It is all part of Fallow’s plan to gain possession of Mose Freeman’s body.
[This comic book also includes an 8-page preview of Abattoir, a new Radical Comics series created by Darren Lynn Bousman.]
THE LOWDOWN: If DC Comics/Vertigo mixed John Constantine, the star of the long running supernatural comic book series, Hellblazer, with Frank Martin, Jason’s Statham’s character in The Transporter film series, they could conceivably create a character like Alabaster Graves or a comic book like Driver for the Dead. Driver for the Dead is that dark and edgy (Hellblazer) and that action-packed (Transporter), although this series does have comical subplots that may make some think of B-grade horror.
Writer John Heffernan’s script is dark and violent, but Leonardo Manco’s art is the star here. With Kinsun Loh and Jerry Choo providing eerie-infused painted color, Manco’s art creates a new version of mythical Louisiana complete with harshly-lit back roads, swamps that reach new levels of dank, and an atmosphere with a slimy-green color scheme. Plus, Manco is just plain good at drawing bloody mayhem, foul images, and pure malevolence.
THE LOWDOWN: Readers looking for action-horror hellraising will find it in Driver for the Dead.
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