THE DENIM DEVIL #1, from November Street Press on October 5th, 2022, visits the town of Vanglerton, CA, where a series of gruesome murders is definitely NOT committed by a local weirdo who sneaks around town at night while wearing a denim suit.
The Details
- Written by: Zach Carter, Jared Yanez
- Art by: Jared Yanez
- Colors by: Jared Yanez, Gillian Yanez
- Letters by: Blambot, Apostrophic Labs
- Cover art by: Dmitriy K.
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: October 5, 2022
Is It Good?
Well, THE DENIM DEVIL #1 is certainly different. There are other words you could apply such as “strange”, “weird”, and “unusual”, but let’s go with “different.”
Without getting into too much detail (read through to the next section for the plot with light spoilers), this is the story of a factory town, a DENIM factory, living with the legacy of a gruesome murder committed fifteen years ago. Now, that legacy has turned into a town with a serial killer on the loose, a would-be serial killer on the loose, weird recluse millionaires, and a smattering of perverted hijinks. Be warned. This comic is definitely NSFW.
“Does that mean it’s bad or good?” you ponder. On the whole, this is an entertaining comic. The eclectic cast of characters is unique, the blackly comedic notes mostly land, the mystery is anything but conventional or predictable, and the whole town has a curiously surreal vibe. You’ll have no idea where the story is headed next by the time you reach the last page.
If it sounds like this critique is light on details, that’s because this weird mix of horror, irreverent humor, and mystery defies traditional explanation. But to be clear, there’s nothing off-putting about this issue, so if you like offbeat, black humor mixed with gruesome serial killers, you’re in for a treat.
Yanez’s art is generally solid. The character designs are memorable, the coloring is excellent, and the panel composition is on-point. If nothing else, the art team deserves kudos for making a dildo fight look exciting. Bet you never thought you’d see that in a comic review.
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]
We begin with a flashback to the Vangler Denim Factory fifteen years ago. Eli Vangler Jr. sits with Mrs. Kissett, Sr. Vengler’s assistant, well past working hours. When Mrs. Kissett searches the Vengler Denim Factory to rejoin young Eli with his father, the two make a gruesome discovery.
Now, Vanglerton still centers around the Vangler Denim Factory and the wealth the Vangler family has brought to the town. The homes and alleyways, however, are regularly stalked by the Denim Devil, a peeping tom and knife-wielding nuisance who manages to elude police capture. The Denim Devil, despite his best efforts to become a serial killer, is the town joke.
However, a real serial killer is on the loose, and the body count quickly approaches double digits. We conclude the issue with job promotions, cadavers who are good listeners, and a conflict of interest.
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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THE DENIM DEVIL #1 is a weird, darkly comedic, bawdy, and gruesome twist on serial killer stories. The eclectic cast of characters is instantly memorable, the mystery is strangely twisted, and the humor (mostly) lands.
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