Written by Craig Daley
Illustrated by Chatri Ahpornsiri
Set in Banner Cross, Sheffield, during the year of 2006, paranormal detective Punchline is summoned to a crime scene by spook Detective Watkins, much to the dismay of the regular police department. The victim, a young woman, has been dismembered and cut into twenty pieces, each limb and piece of torn flesh placed upon each step of a staircase. With the police clutching at straws, Punchline is the only hope to solve the murder and he’s convinced that the killer isn’t human.
The Butcher of Banner Cross is the first of CDComics to feature artwork not by creator Craig Daley. The black and white style from Chatri Ahpornsiri is very different to Daley’s but works tremendously well, especially with the dark subject matter.
As the first chapter of a three part story, PUNCHLINE sets the scene remarkably well, with various angles and shots used, including close-ups and helicopter spotlight aerial views. The comic also manages to inject a bit of humour, in what is an actual brutal comic, with DS Braeburn, who cannot stomach the grisly murders involved in his job. The fact that a few of the detectives are named after apple types also raises a smile.
The black and white style of the comic is used to great effect and keeps it from being too gory to read visually, though the written words do enough to turn your stomach as investgator Punchline thinks nothing of blurting out the brutal details of the murder, seemingly unaffected by what he’s witnessed.
The Butcher of Banner Cross: Punchline is a fantastic start to a supernatural murder mystery series which will no doubt keep readers on their toes. A must-read for horror fans.
Chatri Ahpornsiri has produced excellent pen and ink work across all three issues of this narrative. For more of his artwork visit https://chatriahpornsiriinker.blogspot.co.uk
The three parts will be released bi-monthly on multiple download websites priced $1.99, £1.40 or local equivalent price.
The first digital comic, Punchline, is available to purchase from:
Amazon
Drive Thru Comics
Smashwords
Kobo
Diesel
Barnes & Noble USA
Sony
Apple
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