Comics Review: The Army of Darkness 1979 #3

THE ARMY OF DARKNESS 1979 VOLUME 1 #3
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Tom Garcia
COLORS: Dinei Ribero
LETTERS: Troy Peteri
EDITOR: Joe Rybandt
COVER: Francesco Mattina
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Arthur Suydam; Junggeun Yoon; Stuart Sayger; Francesco Mattina; Ken Haeser; Tony Fleecs and Trish Forstner
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (November 2021)

Rated Teen+

Army of Darkness is a 1992 comic horror film and the third film in the Evil Dead film franchise.  The film focuses on the series' lead character, Ash Williams (portrayed by actor Bruce Campbell), as he is trapped in the Middle Ages and battling an army of undead warriors.

In 1992, Dark Horse Comics released a three-issue adaptation of Army of Darkness, and in 2004, Dynamite Entertainment acquired the rights to produce comics based on the Army of Darkness film, featuring Ash as the main character.

The most recent Army of Darkness comic book in the Dynamite catalog is The Army of Darkness 1979.  It is written by Rodney Barnes; drawn by Tom Garcia; colored by Dinei Ribero; and lettered by Troy Peteri.  In the new series, Ash Williams finds himself in late 1970s New York City.  Not only is he fighting his usual adversaries, the Deadites and the Necronomicon, but he is also caught in a turf war between rival street gangs.

As The Army of Darkness 1979 Volume 1 #3 opens, Ash and “The Half Deads” street gang are getting the worst of it from rival street gang, “The Panthers.”  Even if the tide turns, “The Mrs. Bradys” are waiting to deliver their special brand of motherly love.

Not far away, the leader of “The Warlocks” is still in possession of the Necronomicon, and he sees this as a chance for world domination.  However, the rest of his gang just wants to use the dark magic for some creature comforts.  How will their leader deal with this dissension?  Meanwhile, the streets of New York City are in a panic and awash in meat puddles and bloody mush!

THE LOWDOWN:  Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department recently began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is The Army of Darkness 1979 Volume 1 #3, which is the third Dynamite Entertainment Army of Darkness comic book I have read.

This third issue of the series may be the funniest yet.  Writer Rodney Barnes uses a two-page section that depicts a mayoral press conference and local TV reporter to deliver trademark Army of Darkness comic horror dialogue, ghoulish wit, and mockery.  Meanwhile, Tom Garcia draws his strongest art yet, so Army of Darkness 1979 Volume 1 is steadily pumping up the volume.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Army of Darkness comic books and of the franchise, in general, will want to read The Army of Darkness 1979.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


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