Review – Grindhouse: Doors Open At Midnight #3 (Dark Horse)

Publisher: Dark Horse
Writer: Alex de Campi
Artist: Simon Fraser
Release Date: 4th December 2013

Grindhouse: DOAM changes things up in its third issue. The idea behind this book is that Alex de Campi writes 2-part stories inspired by the exploitation movies of the 70’s, with a different artist on each tale. It’s fast becoming one of my favourite books out of the Dark Horse stable, and this issue continues to impress.

Part one of ‘Prison Ship Antares’ takes us aboard a ship full of female prisoners destined for a new Earth. The Governor is a violent and torturous bitch, and the guards are all obedient clones, but there’s an uprising brewing, and the inmates are apparently pretty badass too.
Grindhouse isn’t the most intelligent book out there, but it’s not trying to be. Fitting entire stories full of unfamiliar characters into 2 issues comes at the cost of character development, but de Campi still manages to provide everything needed to stop the it from feeling incomplete, although the end point of this issue does seem to come at a slightly awkward moment. It feels like perhaps the overall story was written as one issue, and they just had to cut it mid-scene to meet the required page-count.

Art on this issue comes from 2000AD stalwart Simon Fraser, and it’s very nice indeed. He is an expert at putting emotion into characters faces, his simple layouts and clean lines fit the almost clinical setting of the book, and one full page panel in particular that is really just there for a bit of added horror/shock value is still a highlight.

It’s still going strong, and although its simplicity may put some people off, Grindhouse: Doors Open at Midnight is still very entertaining. I just wish the doors opened earlier.