By: Brian Azzarello, Danijel Zezelj Publisher: Vertigo Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Vertigo Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 104 Publication Date: January 30, 2008 Release Date: January 30, 2008
Product Description: Eisner Award-winning writer Brian Azzarello, renowned author of 100 BULLETS and LOVELESS, joins forces with artist Danijel Zezelj for the hard- hitting Western EL DIABLO.
Small-town sheriff Moses Stone is running from his past, and from something even worse -- a relentless, violent gunman who has unearthed the skeletons in Stone's closet. That gunman is a killer of legend known only as El Diablo.
This gritty tale builds a modern myth in the old West, uncovering the secrets and brutality of that unforgiving time and place in the style of the HBO series DEADWOOD. Is El Diablo a man on a mission, or is he a spirit of atonement avenging the ghosts of the past?
El Diablo was an entertaining ride trough a mysterious spaghetti western style tail. If you like Deadwood (which reminded me of it), High Plains drifter, Mystery and just plain old westerns and shoot `em up films, you will like El Diablo! Sheriff Moses Stone has a lot of cool lines and so does the book itself. Stone is your antihero with a secret past that he wishes to obliterate and not even a mysterious phantom can stop him from living a good life. I highly recommend it. Have a fun read!
One of the best western comics in recent memory For nearly every amount of critical acclaim that Brian Azzarello garners (100 Bullets, Loveless, Startling Stories: Banner), there always seems to be just as much criticism (Superman: For Tomorrow, Batman: Broken City, much of his run on Hellblazer). Then again, every now and then Azzarello reminds us just how he made a name for himself in the first place, and El Diablo does just that. Bounty hunter turned sheriff Moses Stone is enjoying his life for what it is. His town is peaceful, he has a loving wife, and life is good. All of that changes one night when the demonic fugitive known as El Diablo pays a violent visit to town, with Moses in his sights. What follows is Moses and his posse tracking El Diablo to a town called Halo, which holds a special place in Moses' past, as well as some nasty secrets. What makes El Diablo so good is that Azzarello doesn't pull any punches in the storytelling or dialogue. El Diablo is nearly every bit as violent and vulgar as the old west was, and the twists and turns that Azzarello weaves manage to entertain the reader. The artwork from Azzarello's occasional Loveless partner Danijel Zezelj may be an acquired taste for some, but it is a more than fitting look for the time, setting, and content of the story. All in all, El Diablo is an entertaining and nasty western comic that proves once again that Brian Azzarello is one of the best gritty writers in the business today.
Great Ironic Western This is a great western story with a ECish ironic twist ending. The Sheriff of a small town organizes a posse to hunt down legendary killer El Diablo after some men are murdered. El Diablo is more legend than man and his mysterious clues are leading the sheriff and his posse back to the town where the sheriff originally came from. This is where it really gets good and I don't want to spoil it for anybody so you'll have to read it for yourself to find out what happens but I will say that I have to give writer Brian Azzarello a lot of credit for his excellent terse dialog. The only problem I would mention is the very heavy ink work that at times looks kind of blotchy. The coloring is good with a sparse, dustbowl feel and works well. I reccomend this book to fans of westerns and anybody who is a fan of a good ironic story.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
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