HEXPAW: LEFT HAND OF THE DEVIL #1, by Blood Moon Comics on 11/22/23,begins the weirdest, wildest magical crime thriller you’re likely to ever read about a cat burglar who’s literally a cat.
The Details
- Written by: Trevor Markwart
- Art by: Trevor Markwart
- Colors by: Trevor Markwart
- Letters by: Trevor Markwart
- Cover art by: Trevor Markwart
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: November 22, 2023
Is HEXPAW: LEFT HAND OF THE DEVIL #1 Good?
Trevor Markwart’s eclectic mashup of 1960s Euro Pop crime thrillers, classic horror monsters, psychedelic witchcraft, and socio-political satire come together for your reading enjoyment in HEXPAW: LEFT HAND OF THE DEVIL #1. Whatever expectations you may have going in, they’re wrong.
Markwart’s tale centers on Colt Brass, a burglar of Serbian descent who volunteers to participate in the District Attorney’s magic-based reform program after he’s arrested. Colt’s turnaround is a success… until he crosses paths with another witch interested in a life of crime. When the D.A., now Colt’s lover, finds out about his two-timing, she invokes a ritual that unlocks the supernatural side of Colt’s lineage.
If the description above gets your head spinning, fear not. Markwart keeps a steady pace with distinctive character art and narration to keep all the characters in line.
What’s great about HEXPAW: LEFT HAND OF THE DEVIL #1? Imaginative isn’t a strong enough word to describe what’s happening in this issue. The pop culture tone Markwart points to for inspiration on the preface page is achieved effortlessly, and a fair amount of the satirical jabs land solidly. Readers looking for a story that’s way, way, way off the beaten path will find what they’re looking for.
What’s not so great about HEXPAW: LEFT HAND OF THE DEVIL #1? Markwart’s story falls into the trap of too much story for the number of pages. A typical comic of this size can reasonably average eight scenes before the story starts to feel too rushed. Remarkably, Markwart’s comic doesn’t feel rushed, but we lost count of the number of individual scenes in the double digits. Again, the comic doesn’t feel rushed, but no scene gets enough time to fully develop, so the reading experience feels like a long montage of scene snippets.
How’s the art? Markwart successfully achieves that Euro Pop 60s feel in large part due to the art. Gaudy colors, late 60s-inspired costumes, and wild set pieces abound. If nothing else, the art is the farthest thing from being muted or boring.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s HEXPAW: LEFT HAND OF THE DEVIL #1 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with Colt Brass recklessly driving to his rendezvous with Blundy before they break into a social media influencer’s mansion to steal a rare card that looks like something from a Pokémon deck. When the partners in crime and lovers meet, they enjoy a quickie in the back of Blundy’s van, and the experience turns Colt into a were-cat.
During a lengthy flashback, we learn Colt was an incarcerated cat burglar who agreed to be part of the new D.A.’s magic-based reform program as a condition of parole. The reform ritual worked, and Colt dedicated his life to doing good as well as falling in love with his witch, D.A. reformer.
One day, Colt takes on a job acting as head of security for a social media influencer. During a late-night watch, Colt encounters a pair of burglars who plan to rob the Influencer’s house and kill the person who hired them to keep the spoils for themselves. Unfortunately, the thieves didn’t anticipate Colt’s lethal military training. When Colt investigates a nearby van to look for the thieves’ boss, he finds a beautiful witch.
We conclude the issue with two-timing lovers, double-crossing rituals, and a cat’s natural temptation.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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HEXPAW: LEFT HAND OF THE DEVIL #1 is a weird, wild, psychedelic, satirical homage to 60s pop culture, Italian crime thrillers, classic horror films, and more. Markwart’s art nails the 60s aesthetic, and the script is impossibly imaginative. That said, the script, while not rushed, is incredibly busy.
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