"Terminal Punks #1" Comic Review

How's this for a word problem? One plane from Kentucky carrying a group of exotic creatures and animals tranquilized with an experimental gas crash lands at a New York City airport. Another plane carrying an up-and-coming punk band looking for their big break lands without issue. When will the band and the animals meet and how much bloodshed will follow?

Terminal Punks is a quirky comic that balances its humor with intensely gory horror. It makes for a fun combination. Writer Matthew Erman introduces us to both sides of this equation pretty quickly. Hart Kelsey is the rich owner of all these animals. He's like a more cleaned up version of that guy from Tiger King, but just as shady. Contrast that with the band who are a little rough around the edges and trying to find their place in the world.

Although they don't meet directly, their actions definitely affect one another. For example, the band members see what the animals were up to when they go to collect their luggage and find a severed head instead. Don't you hate it when that happens?

Click images to enlarge

That's the kind of shock value we get in Terminal Punks and it works wonders. Artist Shelby Criswell leans into the blood and guts while still maintaining a humorous bend. That severed head I mentioned? It has X's over its eyes. It's still shocking, yet just cartoony enough to bring a smile right after the gasp.

We only get a few glimpses of the animals and what they've become in this first issue, but I'm sure Criswell has some treats in store for us on that front. What we do see are massive creatures with bulging veins and glowing eyes. They still resemble the animals they once were, but you would definitely keep your distance if you saw them out in the wild...or in the airport.

Click images to enlarge

The premise of Terminal Punks is so weird yet so fun. Several of the characters realize that too. They understand that this situation they've found themselves in is utterly ridiculous, yet this is what their lives have become. Letterer Micah Myers brings this out well, with some large bolded words that add emphasis on certain phrases. This adds some context to the dialogue that works well in the conversations.

Terminal Punks mixes quirky humor with pure terror and I love it. You'll laugh one minute and jump the next. Horror and comedy are two genres that are very close together and this book shows how you can have both in one spot to great effect.