Comic review: Reanimator #4- A gloriously daft ending to a thoroughly enjoyable series

Writer: Keith Davidsen
Artist: Randy Valiente
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Released: 15th July 2015



It’s Friday, the end of my comic book reviewing week, and it’s been heavy. All week long I’ve been talking about politics, order following, statism and officially sanctioned corporate evil.

Godzilla in Hell #1 was fun, but check out my review, somehow along the way I get wrapped up in life again and go on a big rant about quiet acquiescence to real world evil. And if you think that’s an over the top, self-righteous rant, check out my review of this week’s 2000AD.

Wow, I really go overboard on that one.

I guess I’m just a crazy loon who can’t help himself. I read a book, sit down to review it, and off I go, on a wild reality tangent, coming across like a crazy (or should that be ‘manic’) street preacher.

‘Reanimator’ allowed me to take a break from all of that. I read it, enjoyed it, and that’s that. Here is a book about reanimated corpses, voodoo, swamps, monsters, magic and mayhem, and it’s all very, very daft.

I've enjoyed this series because it’s being deliberately silly, and it’s not trying to do anything other than that. There’s no forced, ironic cleverness to the dialogue. The characters talk to move the story forward, explain the silliness, and to make sure that there is no confusion going on. I like the fact that writer Keith Davidsen is making sure that nobody is confused. It’s not patronising, it’s reader friendly, and I really appreciate it.

Too many books today try to be subtle, and all they end up doing is confusing me. The worst kind of comic book is the book that you read, put down, and think, ‘What the Hell was all that about then?’ Give me something simple, and silly, and I’m fine with it. That’s probably why I enjoyed Godzilla in Hell #1 so much as well.

I’m not that hard to please. All I want is a bit of fun, a bit of silliness, and an occasional good book that deals with important issues, a book that has broken free from the mainstream education promoted ideology of Cultural Marxism that is sweeping through, and destroying, mainstream comic books in 2015.

Reanimator isn’t going to go down in history as a revolutionary, paradigm shifting comic book, but that’s okay, because it’s not trying to force any ideology down your throat.

I read it as four issues of forget the world, kick off your working boots, sit down, relax, and enjoy the fun. I’ve enjoyed the arc, not because it was saying anything, but because it wasn’t saying anything.

The lack of agenda or ideology allowed me to relax, to laugh and to enjoy the book for the silly, escapist bit of fun that it was supposed to be. The ride is over now, and there’s a gap in my diary for silly, throwaway, escapist, daft fun. I’m going to miss this book. Fun and comic books don’t always go hand in hand today.



Rating: 8/10 (I was hoping for a delightfully silly final panel to wrap up the story, and that’s exactly what I got here. Leave me smiling and I’m a happy comic book reader)

Blitz review: Reanimator #3- Old School Horror Comic fun-time

Writer: Keith Davidsen
Artist: Randy Valiente
Cover B artists: Andrew Mangum & Kyle Ritter
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Released: 10th June 2010


I love this wonderfully deranged comic about a loony tune mad scientist, drug gangs, a cult of Cthulhu fanatics and a hot babe who has found herself mixed up in all of the craziness.

I shouldn’t like it so much, but I do, it’s my break from reality, and it’s the perfect counterbalance to my day to day research and writings about neo-liberalism and what can loosely be termed the ‘New World Order.’

My issue #3 had the B cover, the one at the top of this review, and I knew that it was fun time again before I'd even read the book. That cover is so deliciously corny, look at that tight T-shirt slowly lifting, tightening at the bosoms, and revealing some belly. It’s old-fashioned ridiculous sexist, objectifying the female form, and I have to say that I’m a huge fan of it.

Inside the actual book is a narrative that should be convoluted, but really isn’t, due to the precise way that it’s structured as an instantly readable reader-friendly fun comic book. Not all comic books are like this. Some just tell their tale, and if the reader gets lost half way, then tough luck.

Writer Keith Davidsen is a bit friendlier than that. He takes his time, explains what is going on, asks if you have any questions, then moves on to the next part of the story. That accessibility makes the book a joy to read you can just sit back, sip your cuppa, and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

If you are a fan of old school horror comics, or anything to do with a certain H.P. Lovecraft, then ‘Reanimator’ is something that you’ll get a huge kick out of. It always makes me smile, it entertains me, it stops me from being so damn serious all of the time, it’s great silly stuff, and man, that cover just made my day.

Rating: 8/10 (Reader friendly horror comic fun)