Tarantino Comics - Issue 53

Lately I’ve been watching a lot of westerns.  I enjoy the great American films by Ford and Hawks, but my tastes prefer a topping of marinara.  Instead, I gravitate towards those infamous westerns by Leone and Corbucci.  Although their protagonists aren’t as virtuous as John Wayne or Jimmy Stewart, their characterizations tend to be more complex.  If anything, the Spaghetti Western heroes show greater similarity with Batman rather than Superman (hence maybe an explanation for my preference).  They’re resourceful and often work outside the law to save others.  However, their motivations are frequently fueled by vengeance.

Although KILL BILL doesn’t fall into Tarantino’s “Western Trilogy”, cinephiles know each volume is loaded with references and homage to the genre:  The music, the cinematography, and most of all the themes.  Revenge is often a common motif -  Someone has been wronged, they must rebuild themselves, and ultimately they retaliate.  In the case of the Bride, she was beaten until she “lost” her child, retrained her comatose essence, and pursued payback against all those who wronged her.  Going along with this theme of retribution, Savy Lim displays the denouement of the grand duel between the Bride and O-Ren Ishii in TARANTINO COMICS #53.

Pistols are traded for Samurai Swords.  Savy’s dynamic style is displayed by the Bride slicing through her enemy’s scalp.  This is another great tribute to the westerns where the Indians (and sometimes cowboys) scalp their enemies to attain vengeance (in particular, see NAVAJO JOE).  He composes the picture with our hero is the foreground while surrounding her with a serene snow-filled Japanese background.  This contrast is further emphasized by the abundance of red blood exploding across the page to an overall black and white image.  Savy also includes the pop of yellow from the Bride’s jumpsuit, signifying the clash of genre showcased in KILL BILL.  I’m a huge fan of Savy’s linework and fluidity, making this another great entry into the TARANTINO COMICS cover gallery.

Tarantino Comics - Issue 52

Some of our favorite cult films are the most controversial.  Movies such as A CLOCKWORK ORANGE or THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT remain contentious for their ultraviolence.  THE EXORCIST and FREAKS continue to disgust audiences with their unnerving imagery.  But what about war films?  Sure - We love the good guys and hate the bad guys, but the tactics and methods remain divisive.  So keeping up with this hullabaloo, TARANTINO COMICS #52 may be the most notorious yet.  

Illustrated by Aaron Hazouri, this cover features Adolph Hitler:  The most hated man in history.  However, Aaron isn’t drawing the evil monster in praise.  Rather he’s making homage to one of cinema’s greatest caricatures – INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS.  “The Fury of Der Fuhrer” showcases the dictator’s response after being briefed of Aldo Raine’s latest rag-tag exploits.   

Aaron’s cartoonish style pairs well with this cinematic sequence.  His illustration shows animated movement and over-the-top expression.  Exuding from the page, we feel Adolph’s anger as he pounds and shouts “Nein, Nein, Nein!”  In many ways, Aaron’s art exemplifies the greatness that came from MAD MAGAZINE. 

I commend Aaron since he had the guts to draw Hitler at a comic book convention (MegaCon 2015).  However, he’s in good company -  If you look at the comics from the 1940’s, you’ll see images of Batman and Robin thrashing the Nazi leader on the front cover.  Although Aaron doesn’t draw a tyrant beatdown, he preserves the American spirit with brilliant mockery and parody.

Tarantino Comics - Issue 51

There’s no doubt about it - DEATH PROOF is an exploitation film.  So how would you classify it?  Is it a Horror film?  An Action flick?  Or an All-American Carsploitation?  Thankfully Brian Kong captures all these genres in TARANTINO COMICS #51.

I personally like to breakdown DEATH PROOF into two different parts.  The first half is a horror flick.  Stuntman Mike (played by Kurt Russel) is the charming serial killer who stalks and kills beautiful groups of women.  Unlike most murderous bad guys, he doesn’t wreak havoc using a pickaxe or a glistening ligature.  Instead, Stuntman Mike gets his jollies by colliding his death proof car into unsuspecting victims at breakneck speeds.


After Stuntman Mike recovers from his first set of on-screen murders, DEATH PROOF transforms into a high-octane adrenaline rush.  Brian Kong captures this changeover by drawing the fiendish Stuntman Mike in the background of this cover.  Even though his monochrome presence is found lurking over his new prey (who I like to call the Zoe Bell posse), Mike is in for a big surprise when the film shifts into a roadsploitation action movie.  Brian hints at this transformation by illustrating the spunky Abernathy Ross (Rosario Dawson) in the foreground.  Flourished with a pop of pink, Abby’s presence ensures this issue of TARANTINO COMICS isn’t grim – Instead it’s a wild and dangerous ride fueled with fun in the process.