Mud And Madness #1

MUD AND MADNESS No. 1

Opening up this terrifying trip to the trenches of World War One, Peter Breau’s “Nacht feast” certainly manages to deliver an impressive amount of spine-tingling supernatural chills and enthralling intrigues within its surprising short eight-page storyline. Indeed, scout George South’s brief encounters with such a variety of colourful characters, whether they be ‘historical’ like Walt Disney, Winston Churchill and Adolf Hitler, or a frightening, facially disfigured fictional priest, will surely have many a bibliophile clamouring for further insights into the actual Great War veteran’s sense-shattering shenanigans; “What I am gonna impart on you is true, even though it may have a ring of falsehood about it. These events have shaken me to my soul.” 

Foremost of these hooks however, has to be Piker, Ernest Chapman and South’s face-to-face confrontation with Vlad the Impaler and the bloodthirsty ruler’s ungodly ghoulish minions. Well-sketched by Brian Maikisch, these scenes are truly disconcerting with the artist cleverly adding lots of little details into their panels such as the gruesome Transylvanians merrily chopping up the bodies of their hapless victims on the battlefield and a sombre-faced young Adolph Hitler holding Dracula’s horse as the future Fuhrer of the Third Reich begins his well-documented obsession with the occult.

Carrying on this beguiling blend of real-life events with those of the paranormal is “Carnis Nocturnis” by Breau and his son, Jaden. Packed full of flesh-feasting wolves, similarly hungry cannibal combatants and a wonderful cameo by Canadian First Nations soldier Francis Pegahagabow, this first in a two-part narrative definitely grabs the attention just as soon as the reader is shown their first decapitated head stuck upon a stake.

Atmospherically produced in simple black and white, as well as (once again) prodigiously pencilled by Brian Maikisch, the almost suffocating sense of fear and trepidation in South, Piker and Chapman is palpable as they slowly make their way across the Eastern Front to find St. John’s Tigers a new location for their camp. Furthermore, the temporary stand-off between the three troopers and a group of grisly-looking, well-armed man-eaters should have some within this comic’s audience quite literally holding their breath in anticipation as to just who will fire the first all-important shot.

Writers: Peter Breau & Jaden Breau, and Artist: Brain Maikisch