Life is full of ironies. In this particular case I find it ironic that, though I don’t care for Elvis Presley either as a musician and/or actor, I absolutely love the guy as a monster assassin for hire. Yes, I said monster assassin for hire. Okay, I have to be honest; he isn’t necessarily an assassin per se, but rather a middle-age recluse who’s taken to battling all things paranormal for profit-and kicking the un-holy crap out of them in the process.
Black List Studios KING! is the first of a 4 issue series following former Mexican wrestling great Jessie King as a supernatural hitman for hire. Is this the same King that could not be filmed from the waist down in the 1950’s due to the amount of hormones he would unleash upon the then innocent youth of the world? I can’t honestly say. Is he an impersonator turned vigilante mayhem maker? Maybe. Writer Thomas Hall has not revealed this master monster killer’s origins as of issue 1. What he has done is sold me on the idea that Elvis, the King himself, is alive and well and saving the world one bus ride at a time with a pair of six shooters and brass knuckles (the right hand being Rock the left Roll).
Whilst reading I couldn’t help being reminded of two of my favorite Elvis themed masterpieces, 2002′s Bubba Hot-tep starring the great Bruce Campbell and the cartoon Johnny Bravo. Though the slight similarities to Bubba Ho-tep can’t be mistaken, Mr. Hall has taken his version of Elvis as a monster slayer to a whole other level. The humor is there; i.e. the King blasting the delivery man’s moped to rubble in his underwear, only to open a package containing a beating helicopter heart which delivers the message offering the King a zombie/demon killing job. The action is there and blood and mayhem ensue. The King gets down to business doing what he does best, and it ain’t singing I’ll tell you that.
Enter artist Daniel Bradford’s awesome panels. I mentioned Johnny Bravo because I was instantly reminded of that killer cartoon from the moment I first saw the cover to the last panel of the King as a sushi chief standing over a conquered monstrous calamari. That’s not to say Mr. Bradford’s artwork in KING! ripped from Johnny Bravo; Heck I don’t even know if he’s ever seen Johnny Bravo. I was simply reminded of the cartoon while reading. Though cartoonish, KING! is a far grittier and gory story than said cartoon and the artwork enhanced a rather basic, subdued story.
However, the simplicity of KING! is what makes the story work, for the King himself is a simple man. He obviously likes to lounge around in his chonies at his home in the desert, and on occasion kill various types of menacing monsters and demons hell bent on destroying mankind. Though his mode of transportation is the bus, the King gets around and you bet I’m going to follow him on the journey wherever it may lead baby. And you should too.
I couldnt be more proud