Review - Army of Darkness: Ash Gets Hitched #1


"Yeah, so sometimes things don't work out the way you planned."

Ash is a reluctant hero tasked with saving a kingdom of peasants threatened by the dead. It's not something he wanted to do, but when his wedding is at stake, he'll do what it takes to see things through to the end. Enter Army of Darkness: Ash Gets Hitched #1 from Dynamite Entertainment. The issue is written by Steve Niles, illustrated by Nacho Tenorio, colored by Kelly Fitzpatrick and lettered by Marshal Dillon.

Ash and Sheila are reunited and Ash vows they will never be separated again. They're preparing for the wedding and are determined not to let any matter of demon or Deadite stop them. Considering who's involved though, it should come as no surprise that the soon to be wedded couple find themselves on a quest for death and graveyards.

There's a certain level of humor that goes into Army of Darkness, primarily conveyed through the main character Ash. Niles really nails that tone in Army of Darkness: Ash Gets Hitched #1, providing Ash in full form and rife with seasoned repartee. It helps to go into the first issue with some base understanding of Ash and the world he inhabits, but even if you don't know much Niles makes the first story very accessible. Ash wants to be happy and actually settle down, yet there seems to be no end to the amount of evil he must contend with. Niles paces the story very well, effectively moving the characters from one strange setting to the next and giving the issue plenty of time to build up to a pretty solid cliffhanger ending.

Considering the strange happenings in Ash's world, there's a lot of room for some pretty evil looking opponents. Tenorio does pretty well in this regard, offering Deadites and demons in a way that feels sufficiently frightening and terrible. Some of the human characters look grizzled and have features of warriors, while characters like Ash and Sheila look a little strange. Those characters appear a little too smooth in terms of their facial expressions, almost to the point where you're reminded that you're reading a comic. Otherwise, the book has an older look similar to that of an old-school Conan the Barbarian in terms of the roughened sheen that finishes it.

Army of Darkness: Ash Gets Hitched #1 is something that fans of Army of Darkness will definitely want to check out. Those unfamiliar with the property will also find something fascinating about the book, mainly because it doesn't take itself too seriously. Niles really captures the essence of the lead character and the property, penning a tale that feels both frightening in its way as well as hilarious in other ways. Tenorio's illustrations are effective for the book and present the characters and strange settings in a way that makes the impossible believable. Army of Darkness: Ash Gets Hitched #1 is a very entertaining book that takes readers who know of Ash to rather familiar territory and is quite enjoyable.

Army of Darkness: Ash Gets Hitched #1 is in stores July 16 with interiors below.





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