Billy: Demon Slayer #5

Posted: Tuesday, August 24, 2004
By: Darren Schroeder

Cover of Billy: Demon Slayer #5 Creator(s): Hayden Fryer
Publishers: Siberian Productions (Self Published)
From: Australia
Price: $2.50 (AU)

The forces of evil decide it is time to take the fight right to the main man, so they get a collection of all entrance tickets and turn up at the Pearly Gates. Billy finds one of his many melees with the bad guys cut short as the guy up-stairs decides he has use for a chain-saw wielding maniac.

The last issue of this series seems more plot driven that earlier ones. Nothing like the end to focus the mind of a writer. The laughter level is about the same as usual: wise-arse repartee flies as all the characters vie to come up with verbal zingers. My vote goes to the devil for best dialogue in a demonic scene. The conclusion is one big cliché festival.

Hayden's uses his simple and clean art style to good effect. The charters all look slightly different from each other and are capable of displaying emotions. Body postures are limited. The formless mass of demonic souls lacked dramatic impact Look out for the big grey... cloud...thing... The use of full page panels that are set at right angels to the usual panel flow are a bad idea as they slow down reading.

Light and humorous, this series ended as it began - so if you have the rest you'll really want to track this one down.

In a Word: Dreamy.



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