Damaged cover image

Radical Publishing has published a preview of two upcoming series as a “flipbook” under the Radical Premiere imprint.  Damaged is a crime comic created by Michael Schwarz and John Schwarz of Full Clip Productions, a venture with actor Sam Worthington (Avatar).

According to Radical, Damaged focuses on “two brothers committed to justice in different ways – one inside the law, one violently beyond it.”  The 12-page preview of Damaged introduces Capt. Frank Lincoln, who, while investigating a slaughter of Russian mobsters, discovers that a ghost from his past may be behind the massacre.

The second preview is of Hollow Point, a crime comic created by screenwriter Ron L. Brinkerhoff (the Kevin Costner-Ashton Kutcher film, The Guardian).  Hollow Point focuses on an assassin who survives a near fatal gunshot and according to Radical, “…begins to experience disturbing visions from beyond the grave. He soon realizes the bullet meant to kill him has opened a third eye into the spirit realm.”  None of that happens in this 12-page preview.

Hollow Point cover image

Both series are intriguing, which I think is the whole point of these “Radical Premiere” comic books – pique the interest of as many readers as possible.  At the cover price of $1, readers can discover a title they might like, especially if they are fans of a previewed title’s genre, for little financial risk.  Radical Publishing is certainly good at genre, for instance, matching a quality crime writer with an artist whose graphic style and storytelling is ideal for crime comics.

Honestly, I will probably read Hollow Point… because I’ll probably get a review copy.  I wouldn’t seek it out otherwise, although I am intrigued by what I read.  Damaged, however, I am ready to read now (although it isn’t due until next summer).  It looks like a gritty, brutal, violent tale with some elements similar to The Punisher.  I like how the dialogue colors some of the characters as cruel and cynical.  The art by Dennis Calero is solid, but I like how Calero twists and distorts the faces and figures to embellish mood and character.

In the final analysis, Damage/Hollow Point successfully previews two new crime series that intrigue.