Elephantmen

Its been a long time since I have been so blown away by a comic book series. I had downloaded several issues of Elephantmen by Richard Starkings and several of the industries top artists and the whole read has been a revelation. Starkings has created a future world were science has perverted nature and created hulking animal soldiers by splicing human beings with african animals like hippos, rhinos, zebras and elephants. Collectively called the Elephantmen they were soldiers born and bred for combat and killing. Unfortunately the scientist didn't figure on their creations having a soul. What does a manufactured killing machine do when there is no more wars for him to fight? (Especially when his monsterous appearance further isolates him from regular human society) Round out the picture by creating creatures who pine for love and contact but who are both emasculated and left without mates manufactured for them and you have a great sense of ennui hovering over the whole series. I love that tone. I love the nobility of their damaged souls and its ironic that society has chosen to place them in civil service jobs (investigators, police officers ect)where they see the worst of humanity on a daily basis and must supress their inbred instincts to destroy. I can see why the girls love Hip Flask too. He is ALL Hippo. Who DOESN'T love animals in fedoras? Well me for one but for some reason the 40s style just works on him. I agree with many reviews I have read about this series that the art is LUXURIOUS. Its a book that you don't just read; you re-read like adding more hot water to an already warm bath. I only download my comics these days but I think for the first time I want to have the trades in my collection and I think I need to become a completist for this one title - that is how impressed I am. And you know for a fanboy/comic geek that has seen it ALL come down the pipe this is heaven.