Review – Dark Horse Presents #31 (Dark Horse)

Publisher: Dark Horse
Writer: Various
Artist: Various
Release Date: 18th December 2013

This month’s cocktail of ideas begins in some Mexican pub where Hellboy is in the midst of a booze fuelled bender. Needless to say, there are some dire consequences as is often the case when you mix Tequila and demons. It’s not the worst start to another packed issue of Dark Horse Presents…

There are a few treats in this issue which threaten to burst out of the 8 or so pages each title gets. Monstrous continues to intrigue. The Lacerti imposter, Rege is in trouble. His mask is beginning to slip as whatever human element he has left struggles to deal with the extermination of his former species. Events have been set in motion and absolutely nothing good can come of it. Meanwhile, in a distant dimension (or roughly 20 pages ahead), Saint George prepares to earn his name after going off track in his mission to warn the last bastion in Egypt of the rebellion. Some epic stuff, huh?

I still don’t have a clue what is going on in Nexus but it’s mad enough to overcome minor limitations like simple understanding. The art is a frenzy of colourful crowds and alien characters. After the confusion of the last issue, I’d probably feel cheated if I ever do find out what the hell is going on.

There are some lows such as the noir influenced Integer City where neither dialogue nor narrative manages to capture the hard boiled splendour of the novels that inspired it. It’s nearly there with a good setting and some solid art but some better lines are needed for this detective to stand out.

It’s hard to go wrong with Dark Horse Presents. It’s like an idea factory that’s occasionally filled with fleeting greatness and adds a bit of variety to the usual monthly suspects.