Posted in: Comics | Tagged: army of darkness, Ash vs Army of Darkness, Ash Williams, bruce campbell, chad bowers, chris sims, Dynamite Comics, evil dead, Mauro Vargas, Sam Lofti, sam raimi

Ash VS Army Of Darkness #4 Review: Ash Is Fun, But The Comic Is Lackluster

Homecoming is on the way, as the school and S.M.A.R.T try to deal with their deviant employees, Ash Williams and Commander Digges. The students are worried about what may happen next, but they're trying to look forward to the homecoming dance regardless.

Glen Friedrich, the director of S.M.A.R.T approaches Mr. Williams about the possibility of him backing down from his fight against the Deadites and allowing his organization to take over completely.

The homecoming is looking to be unforgettable.

Ash Williams, the selfish, impulsive, stupid, and arrogant man that he is, is likely one of my favorite fictional characters of all time. Ash vs. Evil Dead is one of my favorite currently-running shows. Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi have made him charming, entertaining, and charismatic.

And he is mostly that here, even if this comic isn't all that much about him. The high school students and S.M.A.R.T (so, S.T.A.R.S, right?) take up much the space on the page. I'll admit, the main character's propensity towards borderline sexual harassment hasn't and likely will not age very well, but I still enjoy him as a character regardless.

The main issue with this comic is the shifting focus towards prophecies and government conspiracies. Prophecy has been a part of the Evil dead saga for a long time, but it's mostly supposed to be for humor. Ash is some kind of prophetic warrior and force of good, but he's one of the biggest jackasses on the planet. It's a joke, like watching the prequels, seeing Anakin Skywalker is the prophetic Chosen One, and thinking "this whiny twerp, and he becomes Darth Vader?" Except, you know, it wasn't a joke to George.

This is likely one of the main reasons the comic feels like it can't focus on Ash too much because it has other plates spinning at the same time. That is to the book's detriment, as Ash is one of the main reasons, if not the main reason, we're here. Zombie and possession stories are a dime a dozen, but there is only one Ash Williams (despite the efforts of Stan Against Evil).

But this comic is too impersonal and plot-focused to be about Ash.

The art end of things is pretty good. Mauro Vargas and Sam Lofti bring a very stylized aesthetic which really does seem like the world as Ash perceives it. Characters are stretched out or overly bulky as Ash would perceive them. The color work by Triona Farrell is a little washed out and not particularly grabbing, unfortunately. It's not bad, but it doesn't feel fitting either.

Overall, Ash vs. Army of Darkness #4 isn't a particularly bad comic, but it doesn't really engage much either. It's fun in parts, and it does have some good moments. Beyond that, it's just middle-of-the-road high school supernatural tale. I can't recommend it. Give it a pass.

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