Broken Frontier

Every year, many Americans flock to Mexico to take part in acts considered illegal here in the States - drugs, sex, violence, you name it. In the premiere issue of Viper Comics’ Borderland, one of the seedier stories from south of the border is spun. The only thing more horrifying than the gruesome killings and torture involved in the story is the overall plot itself.

Based on the film of the same name that debuted at Horrorfest 2007, as well as the story of Adolfo de Jesús Constanzo, serial killer and cult leader in Mexico during the 1980s, Borderland #1 follows Texas Ranger Jerry Byrd as he strikes up an alliance with a Mexican police officer in order to find two lost American tourists. However, Byrd’s investigation puts him right in the middle of a mystery bigger than he set out for, with gruesome results.

When I was reading the comic, I was trying my best not to laugh. The writer, Jason M. Burns, seemed to be trying entirely too hard to make the dialogue seem natural, but he missed his mark entirely. I flipped through each page, panel after panel, thinking that this was more suited for a movie in the vein of Texas Chainsaw Massacre (the original, not the new one). Then I did my research and found out that it was, in fact, based on a movie. Sadly, that didn’t help this book at all. The "based on true events" angle had me thinking negatively from the get-go, but forced and clichéd dialogue, as well as a predictable plot, really turned me off to this one-shot title.

Paul Tucker’s art suited the mood of the story, but not my tastes. I got the feeling that someone gave him a box of colored pencils and construction paper, and just said "Go." However, his warped sense of character design, as well as his use of contrasting colors, fit the skewed mood of the book itself. From my third person view of the story, Tucker nearly convinced me that I popped a few pills before I immersed myself in the land of Mexico – it’s like I was really there!

All in all, for the fan of cheesy B-movies, I’d say that this is a good book. However, if you are looking for something less gritty, and with better writing, I would pass up Borderland and opt for something better.