WALK: TOTAL DESTRUCTION (ONE-SHOT), from Second Sight Publishing, begins the long, hard walk for Garrotte up 17 levels of death and mayhem to win his freedom from the men in the high towers.
The Details
- Written by: Stefano Cardoselli, Stephen Nelson
- Art by: Stefano Cardoselli
- Colors by: Stefano Cardoselli
- Letters by: Bram Meehan
- Cover art by: Stefano Cardoselli
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: Coming Soon
Is It Good?
We’re no strangers to Stefano Cardoselli’s work. He has a flare for ruthless, brutal, bloody tales of lone warriors up against impossible odds and insurmountable systems, and we’re happy to report WALK: TOTAL DESTRUCTION (ONE-SHOT) may be the best work Cardoselli has delivered so far.
Cardoselli’s plot centers on Garrotte, a behemoth of a man imprisoned by a dystopian government for not falling in line. In a nightmare version of The Running Man, Garrotte is given the chance to fight for his freedom by surviving a walk up a 17-level tower where the most violent assortment of criminals and psychopaths are waiting for him around every corner.
The plot sounds simple enough, and it is, but the power of Garrotte’s walk is in the details. We see the combat escalate into larger and larger displays of violence with each level. We hear the show announcer alternate between giddy glee and nervousness as Garrotte makes steady progress. And we witness the chatter of the men in the High Towers as they consider their options if Garrotte should win.
The minor down point is the familiarity of the plot. This comic is a much more violent, bloodier version of The Running Man, but it still feels like The Running Man. If you’re unfamiliar with the Stephen King story, you’ll find this issue fresh and exciting. If you are familiar with King’s story, the plot is nearly identical but amped up on steroids times ten.
Cardoselli’s art style is hyper-stylized, rough, gritty, and powerful. Character designs are exaggerated, but the exaggeration creates an aesthetic of raw strength and power that matches the tone of the story. Combined with Cardoselli’s watercolor application of colors, the action takes on the energy of raging river rapids splashing every page with emotion. Admittedly, Cardoselli’s style may not appeal to everyone because some panels lose clarity in the “mess,” but it’s certainly unique and artistically creative.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with an introduction to Garrotte, a man beaten down by a broken economic and class system that makes the rich richer and the poor poorer. When Garrotte questions a system that wishes he would stay quiet, he’s arrested and brutalized.
Garrotte is later given a chance at freedom is he participates in a reality show where the winner earns freedom if he can survive a walk up a 17-level tower. Garrotte excepts, and may Heaven help anyone who stands in his way.
We conclude the issue with clowns, chainsaws, winners, and losers.
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Final Thoughts
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WALK: TOTAL DESTRUCTION (ONE-SHOT) is a raw, unforgiving, bloody story about an unstoppable man who sets himself against all comers and a broken system. The pacing is excellent, the hyper-stylized art is impactful, and the outcome is shocking, but readers familiar with Stephen King’s The Running Man may find more than a few similarities in the plot.
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