Review - Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman #1

"I used to be a hooker and my pimp--Ray--was also my boyfriend. (It was twisted)."

When you play with the dark arts, the end result can be something of a mixed bag. They have the tendency to corrupt and addict, with voodoo being one of the most mysterious arts considered "dark." Whether or not it actually is dark remains to e seen, but it does get Cabra Cini in some pretty interesting situations in Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman #1 from Actuality Press. The issue is written by Sam Johnson, illustrated and lettered by Bruno Letizia and colored by Rodrigo Diaz.

Cabra is hired by bereaved parents to take out the teenage boy who killed their daughter, playing vampire. Cabra utilizes her magik to access a dimension known as The Infinity which, for those who trespass upon it, can serve as a dimensional gateway between where they are and wherever they want to go. Though with what The Rook, the ruler of The Infinity, throws at its abusers, the journey can come at a monstrously high cost. Beyond the horrors of The Infinity, readers will meet some of the characters who will also feature in Cabra's forthcoming mini-series, including her friend-with-benefits Geoff; her pet werewolf El Hombre Lobo; and insane Neo-Nazi White Out and his lobotomized butler Chives.

Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman #1 wants to answer a lot of questions, judging by the number of mysteries that pervade the issue. Johnson--to his credit--has a pretty well-developed universe in his mind that he wants to relay to the reader, even if that universe is barely delved into with the first issue. Cabra Cini has a multitude of past issues she must contend with, most of which have given her the insights into manipulating voodoo to her will. The characters in her life all serve a pretty generic purpose: friend-with-benefits Geoff, her pet werewolf El Hombre Lobo, an insane Neo-Nazi White Out and his lobotomized butler Chives. They're all included to make her world feel more realized, even if it's likely they'll be stereotypes to further Cabra's characterization.

Letizia's art is interesting. There's a lot of heavy shades that obscures what would otherwise be character details, something that detracts from the reader's understanding of Cabra and her dealings slightly. He does seem to enjoy doing creative things with the gutters, with each page sporting something different that fits the content of that page. There's one page in particular where Cabra Cini is in The Infinity where the gutters are filled with a symbol of death to pretty good effect. Diaz relies on an abundance of reds to further expound upon the notion that the destinations in Cabra Cini's daily routine are anything but cheerful.

Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman #1 is a book that seems inspired by Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and Witchblade. The main character is an amalgamation of the other two, except with a much more checkered past that fuels her desire to fight. Johnson's story is a little frenetic and the first issue features primarily an encounter with the entity known as The Rook. Letizia's illustrations are dark and brooding, fitting with the narrative crafted by Johnson. Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman #1 is interesting and clearly has a lot of ambitions; it remains to be seen whether or not those ambitions are fully realized.

Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman – Dark New Year is out now, and available FREE at www.actualitypress.com and www.drivethrucomics.com.