CUDDLES is an oversized crime comic one-shot from the creative team behind TRANSMISSIONS. This review was written by our friend James Blundell, senior reviewer for
Pipedream Comics. Check out more of his work at acomicbookaddict.blogspot.com!
I'm a big crime fan (the genre, not the action before you ask), always have been. I've been reading crime novels since long before I was reading comics, if that counts as some kind of proof. Therefore, you'd have thought that the switch between mediums would be pretty straightforward. Alas, it has not for while I've read every other genre in comics; Superheroes, sci-fi, even romance, crime has not been one I've gotten around to as much (despite the abundance of Brubaker/Phillips comics).
Cuddles: A Last Chance Crime Story by Jed McPherson, Marco Perugini and Shan Bennion tells the story of Mr. Nelson (or 'Cuddles' to his friends), a loyal soldier to the crime boss known as the Turk, who spends his days collecting debts owed in his own unique way alongside the Turk's son, Jacko. However, when it is revealed that debts collected are less than they should be, it leads to a chain reaction that will forever change Cuddles' life as he finds himself facing down an army of goons as well as two uncompromising federal agents.
So, let's not beat around the bush; I absolutely loved this comic!! Jed MacPherson has written an absolutely terrific story which emits this real noir-ish vibe. Every page, every panel felt like I was watching a crime movie, from Snatch to Goodfellas. The dialogue was perfect, as the language and tone sounded exactly as it should in my head, and every line came from interesting characters.
And that is what really clinched it for me: the characters, each of whom Jed nailed down fantastically, especially Cuddles. Cuddles in particular is a very interesting character in his eponymous comic. Stoic and to the point, it really felt like he was a real antithesis to the usual criminal stereotypes, as depicted by Jacko and the Turk respectively. Cuddles, however, seemed to run on a whole different set of rules as though his every interaction was a chess game. For that reason, I found this story even more intriguing as it felt like he abandoned his whole creed for no logical reason (although, I think there is and I need to check with Jed and see if my theory rings true).
As for the art, well, the art is on a level equally as high as the story. Marco Perugini's style here is breathtakingly outstanding. Every page makes me think of Adam Hughes' work, but with a hint of Stephen Byrne. I honestly feel like I've seen this artwork somewhere but I can't for the life of me place it. The best I can think of is that it reminds me (thanks to Shan Bennion's gorgeous colours) of Ryan K. Lindsay's Skyscraper comic or maybe even his Fatherhood comic.
Then there is the backmatter, more specifically the prose story, A Sure Thing. Again, this was another part of this comic which was absolutely phenomenal. As I said at the beginning, I made my reading bones on prose novels and comics making such additions a part of the backmatter is a major benefit in my eyes. But this story, however, was on a whole other level as it detailed Cuddles fateful first meeting with a bit player from the main story.
So, I've gushed plenty about this comic, so how do I sum it up? Quite simply really, I need more of this series, this character and this world. I (much like Cuddles) operates on a set of rules which include that if a comic is truly top quality, then it needs to be owned by me physically. Well, after reading this digital reward (twice), I've already made enquiries to pick up the real deal for my shelf. This is 5 out of 5, 10 out of 10, perfectly toasted bread in my book and anyone who doesn't give it a crack is truly missing out.
If I have convinced you, you can pick up Cuddles: A Last Chance Crime Story at https://jedmcpherson.gumroad.com/
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