A-MEN #1, from Malenky Lizard Press on August 31st, 2022, collects a series of vignettes from passionate creators lampooning the absurdity of the American political, social, and religious elite.
The Details
- Written by: Scott Kraynak, Gary Dumm, Sam Blanchard
- Art by: Gary Dumm, Gideon Kendall, Scott Kraynak, Sam Blanchard, Steve Kine, Ryan Kacsandy, Michael Damon Heasley, Denis Kitchen, Bruce Worden, Tim Switalski, Joe Archibald, Nicolas Grey
- Colors by: Laura Dumm
- Letters by: Gary Dumm
- Cover art by: Gary Dumm, Laura Dumm
- Cover price: $TBD
- Release date: August 31, 2022
Is It Good?
Well, A-MEN #1 is not going to appeal to everyone, but that’s okay because it truly isn’t meant for everyone. Scott Kraynak has gathered a collective of artists and like-minded individuals from across the multiverse (or Ohio) to skewer, lampoon, or otherwise satirize public figures from a certain point of view. Will this comic amuse and entertain everyone? Probably not, but the passion comes through loud and clear.
The premise revolves around an alternate dimension where notable figures in politics, culture, and religion are presented as extreme versions of themselves. Through Fate or happenstance, the issue concludes with those figures having their worst attributes amplified to superpowered proportions via a plane crash, becoming the A-Men.
Does this comic take a far Left view of real-life people? Yes. Are those people obvious and recognizable? Yes. Who’s in it? A myriad of public figures from Donald Trump to Joel Osteen and several in between. Is it entertaining? That depends on your sense of humor. If you find humor in cruel, mocking insults towards public figures you despise, this comic may delight you. There are no jokes in the traditional sense. Think of it as a series of vignettes akin to school children passing around sketches of their least favorite teacher drawn as a witch or an ogre.
Regarding the writing, this comic is not an anthology or long story but a series of vignettes that loosely tie together by the end. Once you get past the first few character introductions, each highlighting a separate character, you can see where it’s going. However, traditional measures of storytelling such as plotting, pacing, dialog, and more are practically non-existent. The narration holds things together, so this comic is closer to an illustrated story rather than a traditional comic.
The art is impossible to critique as each vignette, ranging from a single page to several pages, is drawn by a different artist. Except for the Cardinal, Cardinal vignette, all shorts are very underground, very rough, and very sketchy. Again, this is a passionate project by a committed group of creatives, so set your expectations accordingly.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
A collection of public figures, ranging from Donald Trump to Joel Osteen, are reimagined in a parallel universe where their deeds and misdeeds are on full display, exaggerated times ten.
Each vignette showcases a different figure’s depravity, forming the basis for a potential superpower. By the end, all figures assemble on a plane to head to a meeting when the plane crashes in a pollution-infected swamp. The toxic chemicals imbue each figure with an exaggerated superpower reminiscent of their worst character flaws.
The figures decide to band together and use their powers to take over the world as the A-Men.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
A-MEN #1 is an odd collection of vignettes designed to mock, satirize, and insult a number of conservative public figures in the realms of politics, religion, and culture. The humor only works if you like to find humor in mocking people you hate. The art rarely rises above comic strip quality, but this appears to be a passion project, so bonus points for effort.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.