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Possible Minor Spoilers for Violator: Origin! Things are heating up in the deadly cold of 1903 Russia! Violator stumbles upon an iconic meat suit, the Mad Monk Rasputin! Now he travels the country under the guise of a miracle worker, satisfying his most carnal pleasures. His reputation for healing draws the attention of a powerful Czar seeking help for his son. Rasputin seizes the opportunity for wealth and fame. When the Great Deceiver comes a calling, it’s clear that more money really does equal more problems!
- Written by Marc Andreyko
- Art by Gianerico Bonacorsi
- Colors by DC Alonso
- Letters by AndWorld Design
- Creative Director Todd McFarlane
- Editor Thomas Healy
- Published by Image Comics
Using History to Build Worlds in Violator: Origin
Violator’s origin story continues on its path through history with a stop in a bitter cold and deadly Russia. As Baziel scavenges frozen dead corpses he happens upon a run down church. What he finds inside excites his carnal desires. When a mob of men rush in with weapons and fire, it’s revealed that this is THE Rasputin. Things happen and Violator capitalizes on the situation, waking away with a brand new look!
Marc Andreyko has been on a tear with this series so far, and issue 4 doesn’t take it’s foot off the gas! Moving the story to 1900’s Russia and using a dark and mysterious historical figure like Rasputin was fantastic way to tell this chapter in Violator’s development! Most people may think that history is boring, but I promise you that this lesson is very entertaining.
Issue 3 Review of Violator: Origin!
Andreyko takes a historical time in Russian history and world builds within it. The way Baziel is used to make Rasputin the revered and almost mythological character we know is smart and fun to read. Real people in real places are elevated by devious acts that would have been elevated to feats of faith. The irony of these things being done by a demon is a nice touch. By the end you’ve already forgotten that this is a real period in world history.
Violator: Origin Brings the Action and the Continuity
I don’t want to forget the amount of dynamic action in this issue. In Rasputin’s body, Violator is performing some crazy action stunts. Climbing walls, jumping roofs, firing rifles in mid air, slashing necks…I could go on and on.
As a reader I enjoyed getting a call back to issue 2. Violator claims that the cold in Russia is not as bad as the ice age but still bad. Then later in the issue we get a reappearance of an old enemy/friend from issue 1 that reminds us of the overall arc that is still happening in the background of these historical adventures.
Violator: Origin and it’s Unique Art Teams
Each book thus far has had a unique art team. This usually spells doom for most books as quality tends to dip. That in turn creates issues that are forgettable or just plain bad. That makes this series all the more impressive. Each issue may be unique in a way artistically, but they all still feel like a similar style. This helps to keep the reader’s immersion in tact.
References, Colors, and “OH MY!”
I love what Gianerico does with Violators look as it pertains to his disguises. A nice detail is the skin sagging off of the eyes, revealing the red insect like detail hiding underneath. This continues to the scenes where his huge teeth protrude from the skin of the cheeks, or a horn bursts through somewhere. I actually had a moment where I was remembering a certain scene in the 1989 film Little Monsters. If you know, you know!
Now for more mature audiences, there is a scene or two depicting nude woman that I thought were well done. They look anatomically correct and grounded. No super models with .5% body fat, but real woman with accurate skin detail.
The colors by DC Alonso are wonderful. He captures the cold, dark bitterness of the Russian winter with perfection. This harsh environment he creates contrasts so well with the warmth of fire light.
Everything Points to 9/10
I can’t say enough good things about this series so far. Cool, brutal artwork compliments a fascinating and entertaining story. It feels like a horror version of Quantum Leap! Issue 4 takes us on a heck of a ride through Russian history with sex, violence, and a ton of lost souls! We can see Violator disassociating from Earth and humans more and more. He’s a hilariously horrible Anti-Hero at this point who is falling further into the “Anti” part. The various art teams continue to impress and I can’t wait to see what they come up with next!
