From Amazon Studios, 12 Gauge Comics, Ron Marz, Matthew Dow Smith, Jay Levy.

Amazon Studios once again sends a free digital copy of this new concept.  Well, not totally new.  But to see Amazon get into the comic book business is both a surprise and a warning.  If this becomes successful its get in or get out of the way.  So, will it be successful?

Blackburn Burrow is the place and a stranger known only as “Mister” is our hero.  He fights those that go bump in the night and the only thing more mysterious than the monsters is himself.

Its a Western at its heart but its really a buffet of all the genres you love.  Western (as said before) plus horror, suspense, the woman in danger, the alternate histories, and more.  Even calling himself “Mister” brings up sense memories of another mysterious one named hero known only as the Doctor.

But in trying to be all of these genres Blackburn Burrow falls into all of the cliches.  Of course there is a connection between Mister and the lead antagonist of the story.  I’m even willing to bet his mysterious past will help defeat this enemy.  If I’m to go further the woman in need will turn against him.  Maybe she’ll redeem himself at the end.  Most likely she will.  Then they’ll either ride off together or she’ll die saving his life in a last gasp at heroism.

If it sounds like a movie, well, you’re right.  All of this is based on a screenplay and the whole point in making this comic book is to get a film out of it.  Cowboys vs. Aliens anyone?  Knowing that this is a script first makes every twist that much more predictable.

Ron Marz is doing well with what he’s given.  He is building suspense and the pacing is incredibly well done, drawing the reader into every page while under the covers with a flashlight.  Matthew is channeling Mike Mignola with a sprinkling of Jon Bogdanove to create his own style and it works beautifully in here.

The problem is that these great creators weren’t given anything great to work with.  The movie will get made, and all will be predictable within the first 90 second trailer.  Its a damn shame these two real artists weren’t given something better.