THE CROW: SPECIAL EDITION
By James O'Barr
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When something intensely terrible happens someone has to set things right. A man who was once named Eric steps out of the shadows in a darkened city to bring vengeance down upon the men who killed him and fiancée. Made up like a harlequin in black the lowlife criminals who made him into this pained yet impervious avenger will pay with their lives...in the worst way.
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Back in the 90's I had heard what had happened to Brandon Lee on the set of The Crow (1994). It's how a lot of us came to know of this film. Then one day I was in a Barnes & Noble and saw a TPB of the comic it was based on. When I read it I was changed. It changed my perception of comics and what comics could be. These were not just about superheroes fighting evil in stories that could be considered action movies on paper. Things had permanently been altered in my way of thinking. I had not been moved emotionally in this way by any comic before. Years later I would actually start reading Alan Moore's works and describe this as "emotional resonance."
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What O'Barr describes in his introduction is the tragic event that he blamed himself for a long time. All of his pain, guilt, and rage is poured out onto the page. As it's reflected through the character of Eric you begin to feel sad for him even as he metes out violent revenge. This is something terrible that happened to innocent people by evil criminals and even as these scumbags' bodies pile up you are affected by Eris's sadness.
The final note of the powerful ending hits like a terrible relief. Even after decades since last reading it I was still deeply moved by it when reading it again for days afterward. That is a very special kind of book that can do that. It has my highest recommendation of all the comics I've read.
The Crow/Razor: Kill the Pain
By Everette Harsoe, Jerry Beck, Albert Holaso, Rick Davis, and Mondo
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The Crow created by James O'Barr
Razor created by Everette Hartsoe
In the crime-filled Queen City a huge gang called The Pain has killed the adopted family of Nicole Mitchell and she hits the streets to stop them as the suicidal vigilante Razor. Because the lone survivor of the fire that killed the family was like an uncle to Eric Draven, and so The Crow returns to Earth to also pursue the killers. When the two heroes' paths converge they have to work together to put an end to their infernal leader Mr. Pain.
![]()
In this continuing story to make goths everywhere salivate it would seem that Razor is headed for a really bad death despite her matial arts training and retractable blade gauntlets. The Crow winds up bringing some sanity and whatever sliver of positivity to both of their quests for vengeance. The ultra-violent finale brings Razor's dead sister into the mix, if anyone remembers this comic. Eric's harlequin sense of humor makes the gritty story more interesting as Razor should have had more action scenes.
The Crow: Midnight Legends, Vol. 1: Dead Time
By J. O'Barr and John Wagner
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A young Native American man from the Crow Nation tries to scratch out a living as a farmer with his wife and son when a band of ex-Confederate soldiers home invade and kill his family, leaving him for dead. Suddenly he shows up on a modern street and the magical crow seems to have brought him back for revenge.
![]()
Conveniently, the band of thugs is still around in the present somehow, either reincarnated or they just kept on living because of their evil. Now Joshua has the undead powers of The Crow and goes on a mission of vengeance against the men.
![]()
This was apparently J. O'Barr's attempt at writing a sequel to the first film, but it just wound up being a graphic novel. Based on the Crow sequels that followed it's up to you to figure out if this would have made a better entry. Personally, I think that it's a great addition to this gothy legend as this shirtless dude leaps around taking these guys out. In a rare change of pace he decides not to kill one of them, so that's interesting. And of course there's a violent ending.
These additional Crow stories are just okay. I'll have to remember that they'll probably not match the emotionally powerful lightning-in-a-bottle excellence of the original.
The Crow: Midnight Legends, Vol. 2: Flesh & Blood
By James Vance, Alexander Maleev, and Dan Burr
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Somewhere in a rural part of the country Bureau of Land Management agent Iris is targeted in a terrorist bombing by angry federal-hating locals. Then she gets revived by the crow god and is the new Crow. Now she's targeting the evil government-hating killers who seem to want some sort of Ruby Ridge standoff with the feds.
![]()
The first female Crow winds up kicking ass despite the damage she has to keep repairing on her non-healing undead body. In the pre-9/11 90's this would have been poignant, but now seems only somewhat relevant with the whole anti-government movement these days. The one personalizing part is that she was pregnant for a short time and then was killed. She's not showing, but goes to see her ex-lover about it now that this embryo is just dead within her. Then the bird-Crow asks her if she was planning on keeping it. this winds up being the most emotionally resonant part among the slaughter of rednecks. This is a bit more interesting than the last entry.
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The Crow: Midnight Legends, Vol. 3: Wild Justice
Written by Jerry Prosser
Art by Charlie Adlard
Letters by Dan Burr
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Michael and Jan are newlyweds on their way to their honeymoon when two thugs appear to carjack their vehicle. Both of them are killed by the thugs Eric and Darryl.
![]()
Fifteen years later Michael is back from the dead with two crows egging him on to his revenge against the two bad guys. But are people truly irredeemable scumbags all these years later. The lines get hazy in this fast story where there will be justice, despite what can happen in so many years to someone.
![]()
In this story it's not the usual evil bad guys who deserve all that will happen to them. Darryl went to prison for the murders of the newlyweds without ratting out Eric, but inside he turned his life around and isn't some sociopath. But Michael isn't thinking about that as he starts his relentless assault on the two men with only his dead wife on his mind. Is it really justice when one bad guy is not as bad as you'd think? Does it matter since the people killed are just as dead? Food for thought. Recommended.
By James O'Barr
When something intensely terrible happens someone has to set things right. A man who was once named Eric steps out of the shadows in a darkened city to bring vengeance down upon the men who killed him and fiancée. Made up like a harlequin in black the lowlife criminals who made him into this pained yet impervious avenger will pay with their lives...in the worst way.
Back in the 90's I had heard what had happened to Brandon Lee on the set of The Crow (1994). It's how a lot of us came to know of this film. Then one day I was in a Barnes & Noble and saw a TPB of the comic it was based on. When I read it I was changed. It changed my perception of comics and what comics could be. These were not just about superheroes fighting evil in stories that could be considered action movies on paper. Things had permanently been altered in my way of thinking. I had not been moved emotionally in this way by any comic before. Years later I would actually start reading Alan Moore's works and describe this as "emotional resonance."
What O'Barr describes in his introduction is the tragic event that he blamed himself for a long time. All of his pain, guilt, and rage is poured out onto the page. As it's reflected through the character of Eric you begin to feel sad for him even as he metes out violent revenge. This is something terrible that happened to innocent people by evil criminals and even as these scumbags' bodies pile up you are affected by Eris's sadness.
The final note of the powerful ending hits like a terrible relief. Even after decades since last reading it I was still deeply moved by it when reading it again for days afterward. That is a very special kind of book that can do that. It has my highest recommendation of all the comics I've read.
The Crow/Razor: Kill the Pain
By Everette Harsoe, Jerry Beck, Albert Holaso, Rick Davis, and Mondo
The Crow created by James O'Barr
Razor created by Everette Hartsoe
In the crime-filled Queen City a huge gang called The Pain has killed the adopted family of Nicole Mitchell and she hits the streets to stop them as the suicidal vigilante Razor. Because the lone survivor of the fire that killed the family was like an uncle to Eric Draven, and so The Crow returns to Earth to also pursue the killers. When the two heroes' paths converge they have to work together to put an end to their infernal leader Mr. Pain.
In this continuing story to make goths everywhere salivate it would seem that Razor is headed for a really bad death despite her matial arts training and retractable blade gauntlets. The Crow winds up bringing some sanity and whatever sliver of positivity to both of their quests for vengeance. The ultra-violent finale brings Razor's dead sister into the mix, if anyone remembers this comic. Eric's harlequin sense of humor makes the gritty story more interesting as Razor should have had more action scenes.
The Crow: Midnight Legends, Vol. 1: Dead Time
By J. O'Barr and John Wagner
A young Native American man from the Crow Nation tries to scratch out a living as a farmer with his wife and son when a band of ex-Confederate soldiers home invade and kill his family, leaving him for dead. Suddenly he shows up on a modern street and the magical crow seems to have brought him back for revenge.
Conveniently, the band of thugs is still around in the present somehow, either reincarnated or they just kept on living because of their evil. Now Joshua has the undead powers of The Crow and goes on a mission of vengeance against the men.
This was apparently J. O'Barr's attempt at writing a sequel to the first film, but it just wound up being a graphic novel. Based on the Crow sequels that followed it's up to you to figure out if this would have made a better entry. Personally, I think that it's a great addition to this gothy legend as this shirtless dude leaps around taking these guys out. In a rare change of pace he decides not to kill one of them, so that's interesting. And of course there's a violent ending.
These additional Crow stories are just okay. I'll have to remember that they'll probably not match the emotionally powerful lightning-in-a-bottle excellence of the original.
The Crow: Midnight Legends, Vol. 2: Flesh & Blood
By James Vance, Alexander Maleev, and Dan Burr
Somewhere in a rural part of the country Bureau of Land Management agent Iris is targeted in a terrorist bombing by angry federal-hating locals. Then she gets revived by the crow god and is the new Crow. Now she's targeting the evil government-hating killers who seem to want some sort of Ruby Ridge standoff with the feds.
The first female Crow winds up kicking ass despite the damage she has to keep repairing on her non-healing undead body. In the pre-9/11 90's this would have been poignant, but now seems only somewhat relevant with the whole anti-government movement these days. The one personalizing part is that she was pregnant for a short time and then was killed. She's not showing, but goes to see her ex-lover about it now that this embryo is just dead within her. Then the bird-Crow asks her if she was planning on keeping it. this winds up being the most emotionally resonant part among the slaughter of rednecks. This is a bit more interesting than the last entry.
The Crow: Midnight Legends, Vol. 3: Wild Justice
Written by Jerry Prosser
Art by Charlie Adlard
Letters by Dan Burr
Michael and Jan are newlyweds on their way to their honeymoon when two thugs appear to carjack their vehicle. Both of them are killed by the thugs Eric and Darryl.
Fifteen years later Michael is back from the dead with two crows egging him on to his revenge against the two bad guys. But are people truly irredeemable scumbags all these years later. The lines get hazy in this fast story where there will be justice, despite what can happen in so many years to someone.
In this story it's not the usual evil bad guys who deserve all that will happen to them. Darryl went to prison for the murders of the newlyweds without ratting out Eric, but inside he turned his life around and isn't some sociopath. But Michael isn't thinking about that as he starts his relentless assault on the two men with only his dead wife on his mind. Is it really justice when one bad guy is not as bad as you'd think? Does it matter since the people killed are just as dead? Food for thought. Recommended.
statistics: Posted by Tomatto — 48 minutes ago — Replies 0 — Views 18