REVIEW: Grandma Chainsaw #1

3.43/5.0 Stars
Rating if the Book Were a Movie: R

Creative Team:

• Writer: Allen Dunford and Will Radford
• Artist: Brian Balondo
• Colors: Jasen Smith
• Letters: Dave Lentz
• Cover: Brian Balondo
• Creative Consultant: Garrett Gunn
• Publisher: Source Point Press 

Ratings:

• Story: 3.1 Stars
• Artwork: 4.0 Stars
• Cover Artwork: 3.8 Stars
• Dialogue: 3.3 Stars
• Mechanics: 3.0 Stars
• Editing: 3.4 Stars 

About the Book:

Grandma Chainsaw is a horror tale about four college students, Haiden, Haley, Liz, and Gabby, who go on an unforgettable road-trip. During their road-trip our heroes find themselves out of range for cell service. They have to get directions from a local gas station attendant. The attendant’s directions take the friends through the woods. When they get a flat tire they find themselves in the position of being forced to spend the night at the home of an old woman named Hazel. This is only the beginning of a very long and strange evening.

Reader’s Notes:

Over the past few years Source Point Press has put out a lot of content that I’ve enjoyed. From Warcorns to Good Boy to Mysterium, they keep putting out the hits. When I saw the Kickstarter campaign for Grandma Chainsaw I jumped at the opportunity to back it.

As my buddy, Lord Trekker, likes to point out, I like stories that stand out from the crowd. Grandma Chainsaw fits that bill to a T. How the friends get to the house is a bit cliche and overd. What happens once they’re inside…. I have never seen anything quite like this.

Hazel is frightening. She’s creepy. She’s the stuff nightmares are made of. I love her for it. I would like to see the rest of the characters reach her level. Aside from Haley dating Haiden and Haiden and Gabby being twins we don’t know much about them.

That can happen in the course of laying the foundation of a story. Now that the foundation has been laid I hope the creative team comes out swinging when the bell sounds for round two. This story has one of the most unique premises I’ve ever seen. I want to see it reach greatness.

Mr. Balondo’s artwork is most impressive. He has the perfect sense of completion for a horror story. We get a couple panels that are very graphic. The rest of the time it’s subtleties and suggestions. Coupled with the detail we get, this work is something special.

It may not be something that gets a lot of attention; but I loved the credits page. The aida cloth in the hoop with meticulously done stitches… As someone that does cross stitch it was great to see it in a comic!

This is a book that you will not forget. As a geek on a budget I believe that Grandma Chainsaw is worth the price of admission. We get outstanding artwork, some laughs, and a story unlike any you’re likely to find anywhere else.