Review: Grindhouse: Doors Close at Midnight #4
The female inmates of the prison spaceship Antares have been tortured by the Samurai-fetishist warden Kalinka. After rioting and battling the eunuch guards, the women confront the prison keeper and her oppressive rule. Alex De Campi can produce some amazing and twisted stories from her pen. The first three issues of the series have been titillating and gory, and sometimes both at the same time. This issue plays out like a prison revolt story that you have read. I found nothing as odd or shocking with this issue. While still a great issue with some awesome scenes, the conclusion to this chapter felt formulaic.
While waiting for the awesome sounding next issue, “Bride of Blood”, check out the awesome little visual jokes Simon Fraser included in the issue. For example, when the inmates riot in the greenhouse, a banana and two apples appear on the floor in quite a phallic depiction. Also, the fight scene where the guard gets his face smashed into an inmate’s boobs provided to be one of the best uses of motor-boating in comics. Try finding any other comic review that points something like that out!
Score: 3/5
Writer: Alex De Campi Artist: Simon Fraser Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 12/31/13