As soon as I found out that this book was being written by one of my favorite comic book authors (and artists) Tim Seeley, I knew I had to jump on the review. The fact that this booked seemed totally different from his other creator-owned titles like Hack/Slash and Revival had me all the more intrigued. I really enjoy Seeley’s writing style-while one of my favorite in the horror genre, it’s clear he isn’t afraid to spread some much-needed humor in there once in a while. This particular book collects three short stories by Seeley that star Jack Kraken, a top agent for the Humanoid Interaction Agency (aka H.I.M.). All of this is confined to 32 pages, and while the stories themselves may seem a bit rushed, overall it’s an enjoyable read that’s anything but your typical superhero-type story. The three stories themselves are definitely odd and won’t be for everyone. Luckily, at least Jack Kracken is a memorable character-the name has a certain ring to it first of all, and the fact that he has abilities that pertain to the gross sea monster he’s named after that include stretching ability a la Mister Fantastic add to the probability you’ll remember him. As far as the stories go, not only will you get some background on who exactly Jack is, you’ll also get to see him in action as he tries to take out a baby murderer. Yeah, it gets pretty weird.
Out of the three stories, while handling writing duties on all, Seeley also handles the art on the second short story, “The Battle of Liadain Orlaith.” The other artists are showcased in the first and last stories in the book, but for me Seeley’s art fits the story the best.
I would’ve liked a more proper introduction to who Jack Kraken is as we’re thrown right in the first story. That said, it also made me want to read through the book again which is always a positive thing. If you’re a fan of Tim Seeley’s past work and are looking for something out of the ordinary, there’s a good chance you’ll like Jack Kraken.
Score: 4/5
Writer: Tim Seeley Artists: Tim Seeley, Ross Campbell, Jim Terry Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 5/14/14 Format: One-Shot, Print/Digital