The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Special) #1
Written by Brian Pulido
Art by Jacen Burrows
Released: 2005
Publisher: Avatar Press
Premise: In 2005, Avatar Press began releasing titles from New Line Cinema’s “House of Horror” license, which includes A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and Platinum Dune’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. To kick off their titles, Avatar released one-shot “special” issues serving as an introduction to the New Line characters and premises.
Fuller, Texas. Summer 1972. Three escaped convicts, along with a few girls along for the ride, are joy riding across rural Texas robbing banks, heading for Mexico. When they stop to rob the Hewitt family General store, they enter a horrifying world of madness and depravity that even a maximum security prison couldn’t prepare them for as Leatherface, Sheriff Hoyt, Old Monty and the entire Hewitt clan hunt them down. It gets messy. This is bleeding-edge horror as only Lady Death creator Brian Pulido can deliver it with art by the critically-acclaimed, fan-favorite Jacen Burrows.
Plot Breakdown (spoilers): A young girl is held captive in the basement of the Hewitt house in Fuller, Texas. When trying to escape through a basement window, she is violently killed by the chainsaw wielding Leatherface. Afterward, Sheriff Hoyt notes that the girl didn’t like Thomas. Meanwhile, it is 1972, and three escaped convicts, Hardy Miller, Rufus Kimoni, and Ellery Watts are trying to make it to the Mexican border with their two female companions, Darlene and Charity. After driving into Fuller, they stop their car at the infamous gas station run by Luda May Hewitt. To get some quick cash, Hardy and Rufus attempt to rob Luda May, only to find out she has no money in the register. When the group tries to escape, they find their unattended car has been destroyed. While Hardy and Darlene look for help, Ellery and Charity go wandering, and Rufus tries to get answers from Luda May. In response to Rufus’s rude behavior, Luda May murders Rufus by cutting his throat with a cleaver. Later, Hardy and Darlene find the Hewitt house and enter, only to be confronted by Old Monty. While Hardy and Darlene are “guests” in the Hewitt residence, Leatherface catches up with Ellery and Charity, killing Ellery and leaving Charity on the run. Charity, running through the woods, makes it to the familiar trailer owned by the Tea Lady. When asking the Tea Lady for help, the Tea Lady mentions she senses Charity is pregnant and restrains her until Leatherface arrives. Upon arriving at the Hewitt house, Charity witnesses Leatherface taking Darlene into his back room, while Sheriff Hoyt has Hardy kill himself. Charity miscarries, due to the panic, and in the calamity, manages to escape into the woods with Leatherface close behind. After an exhausting run, Charity jumps into a nearby stream and floats toward a shallow waterfall, where Leatherface stands waiting. While listening to Charity’s screams fade, Sheriff Hoyt and Luda May discuss their hopes that Thomas will find a girl that likes him one day.
The Good: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Special) #1 is a fun one-shot, outlining the title characters’ dynamics and introducing comic book audiences to Leatherface and the rest of the cannibalistic Hewitt clan. The artwork here is excellent, giving dynamic detail to everyone’s favorite chainsaw wielding maniac. Gore fans will especially love the many death scenes, which are filled with detailed blood and guts.
The Bad: Leatherface and the Hewitt family are the focus here, so any new characters can be looked at as fodder only. These new characters really are not likeable anyway, so their demise is not a tragedy for the reader. The story uses the basic formula from the films, without adding anything new to the mythos or presenting any new ideas. Some pacing problems are present too, with some parts being rushed due to the page constraints. Though a fun introduction issue with good artwork, the story is basic fluff and does not really make you interested in future issues. Also, the gratuitous amount of alternate covers for this issue makes collecting tedious – a clear attempt at double dipping for profit.
Final Comments: A fun, but forgettable, one-shot introducing comic book audiences to Leatherface and his cannibalistic family. Artwork is the clear focus here, with a lukewarm story that does not grip the reader into anticipating futures releases.
Grade: C
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