Review- STITCHED VOL. 1

STITCHED VOL. 1 (Avatar Press, 2012; Hardcover)

Collects Stitched Nos. 1-7 (cover dates September, 2011- August, 2012)

Writers: Garth Ennis and Mike Wolfer

Artist: Mike Wolfer

The ancient evils of the world, like the ancient religions, all go back to the Middle East region. Stitched is a zombie/mummy/black magic hybrid that is different enough from the glut of zombie comics on the racks to attract my attention. Like all Avatar Press books, it has an emphasis on gore and over the top violence coupled with beautiful artwork. All ages appropriate it is not. 

Using the war on terror and military excursions in the Middle East as a backdrop, the story deals with a US rescue mission crashing in the desert due to faulty equipment. They meet up with the British Army battalion that they are supposed to rescue and stumble across the Stitches, a living dead mummy obedient to a rattling sound. Yes, you read that correctly. Taliban controlled living mummies whose movements are controlled by a pebble rattling in a tin can, spun around on a chain. They are motionless statues without the rattling sound. The method used to make the living into these mindless slaves is pouring some black tar stuff into their mouth and sewing all of their orifices shut. This traps the soul in the body and makes them alive enough to move but not enough to resist. 

This is a good read but not a great read. I liked it well enough to buy the Vol. 2 hardcover whenever it comes out. If you like the gruesome shit that Avatar releases like Crossed, Caligula, etc., then this should be right up your alley. If you have never tried an Avatar Press title, then what are you waiting for?

Junk Food For Thought rating: 3.5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- Finally! Avatar Press always releases 3 versions of every collected editions: a trade paperback, a standard edition hardcover, and signed and limited hardcover. I always go for the “standard consumer edition” hardcover, which always seems to get the lamest of the three covers offered. They gave this version the coolest cover for once.

Paper rating: 4.5 out of 5. This book has a decent weight coated stock paper.

Binding rating: 4.5 out of 5. This hardcover has sewn binding. While the binding is initially stiff, it will loosen up and lay flat with a little play.

Hardback cover coating rating: 5 out of 5. Avatar Press does not use dustjackets on their books, instead printing the cover image directly on the hardback itself. They use an incredibly thick, durable, lsminsted coating that I wish all publishers who choose to go this route would use. OCD approved!