The Best Comic Book on the Market – Criminal Macabre
Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at 4:48PM 
This topic drives most of the people I know crazy. They cannot believe that I still read comics. You know what? I love it.
As an aspiring screenwriter sometimes you need help sparking the imagination and I hate reading regular books. There are few that I do love and are easy to read, but that is a conversation for another day.
I get writers block, or I get lazy. They are my two biggest obstacles with writing. (I also absolutely hate reading my own material, it is painful.)
I can only read about sports so much and I need something quick and entertaining to keep my interest. That is where I found comic books.
I started reading them when I was little and I have never stopped. It really has helped with my vocabulary.
I know how to spell kryptonite and adamantium. I use both words at least twice a day.
Boss: “Hey Walt, you want to go out for drinks?”
Walt: “You know I cannot resist, that shit is my kryptonite!”
Boy standing out front of 7/11: “Those are some nice rims on that supped up Buick with the fire breathing dragon painted on the side!”
Walt: “Don’t touch the rims, those shits are made of pure adamantium.”
You get the drift.
adamantium rims
I used to only read the main comics, Marvel and DC. I still love the character, Wolverine being my favorite. I will always love Spiderman, Superman and all of the X-Men series but those have somewhat run its course with me.
The movie going experience for the comic books has gone off the charts too. Batman Begins and the Dark Knight may have been my two favorite movies ever. I also loved Iron Man.
Well, I got to the point where Marvel and DC seemed only set on making a dollar. They spin off so many titles and you have to continuously buy the comics just to keep up with the story lines. It is exhausting.
The stories are great and the art is fantastic, I am just tired of it all and I wanted something new.
Enter – Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith. The creators of 30 Days of Night and they are currently writing my favorite comic book: Criminal Macabre.
I have to admit I never really got into 30 Days of Night. I did see the movie and I really liked it. The concept was awesome but I never read the comic and I still don’t. That shows my lazy side again.
I have this terrible habit with reading comics where I become impatient and I need the entire story line to be done to start reading the first issue. I will buy them, but I won’t read them until the story line is complete. It is a weird quirk that I cannot overcome.
I was actually introduced to Steve’s writing through a Radical Comic title – City of Dust. This is another fantastic read. Quick, easy, funny, creative, entertaining and the art work is awesome, plenty of blood and gore in that comic series which never gets old.
It got me interested in reading comics again. I was on a hiatus, now I am hooked again.
Criminal Macabre Cell Block 666I started reading Criminal Macabre Cell Block 666 (which just wrapped up a four series set) and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The read was quick and very entertaining.
I didn’t realize it, but I had some of the old story lines in my collection, that I went back and read, particularly, Criminal Macabre A Cal McDonald Mystery, which is another great, great read.
I love Cal McDonald. He may be the most entertaining comic book character I have read to date. He is a pill popping, alcohol drinking funny man who just so happens to be an expert on killing the undead. Then he smokes a cigarette and calls it a night.
Trouble finds him, he takes his meds and he seems to get out of the trouble. I wish I could take a pill like that! Ha-ha, that is awesome.
I heard rumors that they are set to make a movie on Cal. I really hope so because I will be the first in line.
His sidekick Mo’Lock should be getting his own title soon. He is a fantastic character who can literally rip a head right off of someone’s body. One word: Awesome!
I highly recommend you lazy asses out there get off of your couch, head to a comic store and start reading Criminal Macabre, you won’t be disappointed. If you can get your hands on City of Dust, I would recommend that as well.
I will now go give myself a massive atomic wedgie and make sure my comic book collection is in the perfect room temperature and in its proper protection.
Good Day peeps and peepettes!
Reader Comments (2)
I may have read 12 in my lifetime, never got into them. But you are correct the writing is always entertaining. read superman, spiderman and the green hornet--who probably was the best
I got draw to the sports digests that came out when I was young. They were 5x8 in size and fit perfect in my back pocket. Every season they had one for each sport---- e.g., that may explain why my page is named phillies digest ... lol
read what u like, I am still reading the Nixon tapes, third time around, in the reading room with the throne.
That criminal macabre comic is sadly a copycat mess of many other good comics. If you want to read a proper one, I suggest Hellblazer, Dylan Dog or a thousand other books that do it better than that rip off.