Mesmo Delivery

Writer/Artist: Rafael Grampa

Publisher: Dark Horse, $9.99

The cover price is something that might scare you away because this looks like a fairly quick read, but you would be doing yourself a great favor by checking this book out. The story is a disturbing blend of a supernatural Twilight Zone mashed up with a little Tarantino style violence, a hint of 100 Bullets crime mystery, and some Saturday morning goofiness thrown in for the hell of it. That combination might be a little difficult to envision, but the art is just the right kind of beast to capture it. Think the strikingly ugly designs of Basil Wolverton and R. Crumb mixed with the ultra detailed action of Geof Darrow, but with a little bit smoother flow that brings it all together so as to not only create a strong sense of style but a very gripping visual narrative.

There is no really good way to sum up the story because any attempt would be an oversimplification that just doesn’t quite nail it. Mesmo stars an ex boxer turned trucker, an Elvis impersonator, and a bunch of drunk assholes who all end up in the middle of some very very very bloody violence. It’s a fight comic and a murder story with a flair of horror and an odd sense of humor, and by the time you’re done with it you’ll want to reread it and take in all the gritty details of the art.

Again, the $9.99 price tag might make you second guess this purchase but the content is unique, innovative, and well worth checking out. This is the newest printing, so it comes with a new cover, additional sketches and pin-ups, and the original cover from the first printing as well as promo art and more. Considering the original retail was something like $12 or $13 bucks(and apparently going for over $100 on Amazon now), Dark Horse pulled together a great package that should not be missed.

If you like this then try: Shaolin Cowboy, 5, Gunned Down