Crow #1

This is the two reviews I wrote for the original two issues contained in the book Pain and Fear
 
Pain
Only for a comic that is as legendary as the Crow do I feel bad for giving it a rating of four-and-a-half instead of five stars.  Alright, let's remember that the comic is different than the film.  The Crow comic is awesome very awesome but the film did ploish the comic and made the story the legend that it is.
 
I have always wanted to read this comic being a fan of the movie for decades.  I can tell you that the book didn't disappoint.  There were great differences from the book to the film that made this a real treat to read.  I did not feel like I was reading a frame for frame version of the film or a watered down version.  The comic is grittier and darker than the film and it feels like a behind the scenes story or a this is how it really happened story.  I loved reading about the other characters like Mr. Jones, Ratso, Fat Eddie and Mad Jack
 

I loved this book and can see the genius that brought about the desire to make this a film.  The book is highly recommended as a "rated R" read.  If you can pick it up (most likely in a trade) this is a must have.  Classics like this and be read by any self proclaimed comic fan.  

Fear  
I am amazed at the genius behind these books and can see why the film that came later was such a success.  The problem is I can only see this in retrospect.  If I was to read these books today without knowing the end result I may not have liked them as much.  To be frank I did not see the genius in the film the first time I saw it.
 
The book is filled with hate and violence.  James O'Barr would tell you the same thing.  It is too jarring for my mind.  It makes me sick....and yet it is gritty, real, and very powerful.  I love the character of the Crow in the film I saw a character dish out real revenge.  Not just a bullet in the head but he instilled real fear.  real honest to God fear.  I will never forget the scene where he duct tapes T-Bird to his car while T-Bird is crying and yelling and saying "this is the really, real world?  there ain't no coming back!  There ain't no coming back.
 

In this issue we are not there yet.  We are getting both the tale of Shelly Webster and Eric Draven at the same time.  So we have no idea and only a little idea of what is going on.  As a stand alone issue there are thousands of questions as a complete story we have a beautiful and chilling tale of vengeance and many would say Justice.
 
These kind of books remind me of my friend who lives hundreds of miles from me and whom I never actually met.  Silkcuts.  I have no idea if he would or does like these comics but he can recognize the brilliance in this kind of work.  Read his reviews and you will know he is a comic scholar and an asset to comicvine.  This is a great read for comic lovers.  I highly recommend it to anyone who can read an "R-Rating"  I give the book four-and-a-half stars.