The Damned Vol. 1
Three Days Dead
by Cullen Bunn
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Pub Date Mar 28 2017 | Archive Date Apr 16 2018
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Description
During prohibition, gangsters grew rich on our vices, and rivalries between criminal organizations resulted in open war. But unknown to the masses, a more sinister power controlled the crime cartels, using greed, gluttony, lust and other sins to fuel a more lucrative trade: mortal souls. Enter Eddie, a mortal who lost his soul long ago. Caught in the middle of competing demonic families, any other human would've gotten the ax long ago. But Eddie's got a special talent that keeps him on his feet. One man's curse is another man's gift.
THE DAMNED is hard-boiled noir with demons, and the team behind THE SIXTH GUN is bringing it back with new colors, a new format, and a new ongoing tale of tommy guns and hellfire.
A Note From the Publisher
ELEVATOR PITCH: Hellboy meets Boardwalk Empire, by way of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ The Fade Out.
HIGH PROFILE AUTHOR: Bunn has written several popular comic books at Marvel, including Deadpool, Wolverine, Captain America, and Star Wars: Darth Maul. He is also the writer of the critically-acclaimed Harrow County from Dark Horse Comics.
SUCCESSFUL CREATIVE TEAM: Bunn, Hurtt, and Crabtree are the creators of the long-running comic book series The Sixth Gun.
POPULAR GENRES: This series is perfect for fans of noir with a little extra supernatural thrown in.
Advance Praise
“Eddie, a gun-for-hire, has been brought back from the dead to help settle a dispute between two warring demon families. The broker of the peace has gone missing, and it’s up to Eddie to track him down and find out who is playing who before blood spills in the street. Set against a backdrop of Prohibition-era set pieces, this noir mystery hits several classic tropes of the genre, and although that occasionally makes it a touch cliché, the well-crafted story is engaging, and the inclusion of immortality curses and demons dressed in pinstripes brandishing tommy guns is an interesting hook. The main draw for the rerelease of this series is the addition of color; though the old black-and-white format suited the noir style of the original, the colorist brought in for the new volume dazzles and gives the story a whole new dimension. This new feature makes the drab scenery even more grungy and grim, which in turns makes the slick, dynamic characters pop against that background. Definitely a series worth rediscovering in this updated package.” - Booklist
“The Damned Volume 1: Three Days Dead is a classic noir story with a clever horror twist. The plot has all the twists and turns one would expect from noir. All the trappings of the noir genre are here—shady informants, mob hits, backstabbing—plus the added unique twist of demonology. Cullen Bunn really developed a believable story with rich, characters. Furthermore, Brian Hurtt’s art really serves to drive the story forward. Readers familiar with the duo’s previous series, The Sixth Gun, will be familiar with his sharp, angular style. This really works to illustrate the aggressive characters and their harsh realities. The art is enhanced by Bill Crabtree’s color work. Crabtree really develops the gloomy, shadowy world of The Damned with muted color palettes accented by a few bold reds to create sharp contrasts. Overall, The Damned Volume 1: Three Days Dead is a really exciting, full-color graphic novel. Horror fans will enjoy the way horror is blended with noir to create a new, suspenseful hybrid genre. The plot twists and unique characters make it a fun page-turner that hooks the reader quickly and keeps them engaged throughout the story.” - Cemetary Dance Magazine
“The Damned is a perfect blend between horror and crime. It takes the best aspects of both genres, bringing them together to make something scary yet intriguing. Eddie is a distinct character amidst a horde of generic hard-nosed private eyes. The best part about this whole book is that it's just beginning. This trade paperback is kicking off a new ongoing series and if this is how it starts, I cannot wait to see where it goes next.” - HorrorTalk
“I'm pretty sure there's a special ring of hell waiting for you if you don't give The Damned a try.”
- Syfy Wire
“The book crackles with the flair of those classic gangster films of Old Hollywood starring the likes of Jimmy Cagney but with a little bit of Hellboy brand of creature horror thrown in.” - Mental Floss
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781620103852 |
| PRICE | $9.99 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
albert g, Reviewer
The Damned, Vol.1: Three Days Dead by Cullen Bunn is the kind of independent comic book that reminds us why the independent market is so important in the wave of popularity that comic books are once again enjoying. It is now, when the market is so hot, that the big publishing houses, DC and the Evil Empire (Marvel), flood the shelves with big name titles that lack depth and story. So instead they come up with gimmicks, like embossed or variant covers and characters changing their race, sexuality or sexual orientation in a effort to garner attention. All gimmicks. when what they should do. All they need to do really, is tell a good story.
The Damned by Cullen Bunn is just such a damn good story.
It is during the prohibition, when gang warfare was fought on the open streets, that our tale takes place. But behind the criminal organizations is a far more evil trade taking place. It is not illicit booze that these two gangs trade in, instead it is the trade of mortal souls. Two gangs, each run by powerful demons control the soul trade in the city, between them lays an uneasy peace. A deal is about to be brokered to end their war and consolidate power. Only the bookkeeper tasked with the deal is taken hostage along with a ledger that could destroy both families. Each one thinks the other is behind it. Hoping to keep the peace and find the bookkeeper, the demon Big Al has one last resort. He must resurrect the Damned.
Eddie is a corpse, laying in a ditch, his throat slit open. But Eddie has a curse, he just cannot die. Only that isn’t actually true, Eddie can die, he just can’t stay dead. For Big Al, Eddie is the perfect answer and he brings Eddie back to find the bookkeeper, stop a gang war and maybe stay alive long enough to consolidate all the power of the demon underworld for Big Al, until its time to send Eddie back among the Damned.
This is Sam Spade meets Sandman Slim. The supernatural element is not overplayed, this is mystery, crime noire. The demons are simply part of the tale, a darker version of the criminal underworld. Eddie must navigate them as deftly as he does their human counterparts, never really knowing which one is the real danger. There is a mystery here, both normal and paranormal. There is greed and lust and larceny. And yes, there is a femme fatale, because it just wouldn’t be noire without one.
This is one of Bunn’s earlier works. He is now pegged to helm one of the new X-Men releases and yes he has sold his soul to the Evil Empire. Hope he is being paid well for it. Hope he doesn’t forget his earlier audience and his independent work. Because this is something that Marvel just wouldn’t get. Make it bloodier and racier and Vertigo might snap it up, but Marvel, nope this is outside the box for them.
Maybe that’s what makes it so good.
Michael S, Reviewer
Prohibition but with demons fighting over souls. An interesting premise, and a solid read, especially if you need a break from capes and tights.
Abigail R, Reviewer
I've been reading a lot of comics so far this year! This is yet another graphic novel that I enjoyed and want to continue with the series. We follow a gun-for-hire who keeps coming back from the dead, as long as someone touches him after he dies, and a bunch of daemons having a gang war in the city. Yeah... it's an interesting concept! It's a classic noir comic with a twist of horror and a big dollop of death, a main character who you want to keep following and an art design that very much fits the genre with its sharp, angular preferences.
This is a new release of a previously published comic, and the major addition seems to be that this is now in colour. Although a black-and-white theme would suit this style of comic, the addition of colour really brings the world to life and adds a whole new dimension. I don't want to say much more to let you discover what this graphic novel has to offer on your own. Definitely one to pick up if you like action, crime and a little bit of horror (I hate horror books or films but comics I can deal with for some odd reason) with some daemons thrown in for good measure.
Jenny H, Librarian
I'm a big fan of crossover genres, and this blend of noir mystery/gangster action and fantasy/horror works really well. Eddie's "condition" and greater quest are intriguing, hitting a lot of the cliches of noir that will keep fans of that genre happy, while the demonology elements add an interesting twist. The artwork matches the story really well; it's very angular and full of chiaroscuro, giving an air of danger and mystery. Like a lot of recent graphic novels, this one strikes me as a great entree into the format for fans of more traditional genres. There's plenty of story here to convince reluctant "Aren't they just comic books?!" types.
I received a free ebook of this title in order to provide this review.
Elaine W, Reviewer
Book – The Damned, Vol 1: Three Days Dead
Author – Cullen Bunn, Brian Hurtt
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages – 140
Cover – Perfect
Would I read it again – Yes
Genre – Comic, Gangster, Crime
** COPY RECEIVED THROUGH NETGALLEY **
This was an awesome, original story about old school mobsters. It had a really nice 1920's vibe to it, with the added intrigue of the paranormal element. Having demons acting as mobsters was really clever, especially the way that the authors used curses and deals between humans and demons to add another layer of the paranormal to the plot.
There was great plotting, storytelling, and a host of really well explored characters. The world building was brilliant. On top of that, the ending was intriguing and I can't wait to read more.
Tim F, Reviewer
Great story, mixing the Millers Crossing with Pans Labyrinth, you invest in the characters, looking forward to volume 2!
Christopher H, Educator
A deft mix of noir and the supernatural with original characters that seem as alive and you or me. Clearly, this will set the standard for the genre for years to come.
Matthew M, Librarian
Great series! I've read and enjoyed Bunn's Six Gun series, so I was glad to see another horror-tinged title from him. Instead of mixing Westerns this time he brings in crime/mafia stories. In this world demons are basically the hidden power behind organized. Crime, trading in souls and magic instaed of money and booze. Our unlikely hero Eddie is cursed with immortality, but along with it comes the burden to uncover a dangerous plot that threatens to end a delicate truce between two rival demon families. The art owes a bit to Hellboy, but it's not slavish imitation. The team does a great job in mixing in cartoony elements to up the creepy factor.
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