Tag Archives: punk mambo

Review: Punk Mambo #2

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Punk Mambo #2

A totally disgusting demon named Uncle Gunnysack is abducting powerful spirits called loas in Punk Mambo #2. Can Punk Mambo stop the drooling, sharp-toothed fiend before it strikes again?

Get ready for magical brawlin’ in a bazaar!

Ahhhh Punk Mambo. The character with less shits to give that a constipated fish.

With Punk Mambo #2, Cullen Bunn highlights Mambo’s abrasive character. It’s a delight for readers as she acts as a thorn in the side of men and gods. Se also refuses to do anything she doesn’t want to do. It’s another way that Bunn allows readers unfamiliar with the character to get to know all they need. While it focuses on Punk Mambo’s attitude and world view – there isn’t a lot revealed about her past. When you know who she is, knowing what she’s done is secondary.

She’s an abrasive punk rocker with magical abilities, and that’s on full show this issue.

I maintain that Adam Gorham‘s art is suited to the character. It isn’t quite smooth and there isn’t a lot of polish or flashy digital effects immediately prevalent. The overall effect and impression of the art is brilliant. Last issue Punk Mambo unleashed her magical abilities. In Punk Mambo #2 she demonstrates her ability to take names and kick some arse. If you didn’t know anything about the character before, she’s going to be making a hell of an impression.

Punk Mambo #2 is very akin to the impact punk music has on those tired of the mundane over-produced music of today. Punk Mambo #2 is a breath of fresh air, followed by a shot of adrenaline. The reader is encouraged to be lost in the music (or the comic) and get taken along on a musical trip. Cullen Bunn, Adam Gorham and colorist Jose Villarrubia have produced one of the freshest feeling comics I’ve read in a long time. Don’t miss this.

Story: Cullen Bunn Art: Adam Gorham
Colours: Jose Villarrubia Letters: Dave Sharpe
Story: 8.9 Art: 8.8 Overall: 8.8 Recommendation: Buy

Valiant provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Punk Mambo Stares Down the Loa in Punk Mambo #2

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Punk Mambo finds herself face to face with some of the most powerful supernatural beings in the Valiant Universe! While others would quiver in her situation, Punk Mambo has no problem bluntly telling the mighty loa to sod off! Out May 29, Cullen Bunn and Adam Gorham unleash the second chapter of Punk Mambo!  

PUNK MAMBO #2 (of 5)

Written by CULLEN BUNN
Art by ADAM GORHAM
Colors by JOSÉ VILLARRUBIA
Letters by DAVE SHARPE
Cover A by DAN BRERETON
Cover B by DAVID MACK
Cover C by CRIS DELARA

A totally disgusting demon named Uncle Gunnysack is abducting powerful spirits called loas. Can Punk Mambo stop the drooling, sharp-toothed fiend before it strikes again?

Get ready for magical brawlin’ in a bazaar!

Guys, this comic has spirit snakessssss. They’re voodoo gods. And they’re giant snakes. It’s awesome.

$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | On sale MAY 29th (FOC May 6th)

Adam Gorham Talks Punk Mambo’s Punk Style and the Balance of Horror Plus an Early Look at Punk Mambo #2

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Punk Mambo #2

Punk Mambo is out now courtesy of writer Cullen Bunn and artist Adam Gorham. Punk Mambo is a hard-living voodoo priestess who grew up in London, then relocated to Louisiana’s Bayou Country. Now, she’s a mystical mercenary for hire. In her first-ever solo series, Punk Mambo investigates a series of abductions in the New Orleans gutter punk scene, stumbling upon a deadlier mystery that takes her to the haunted shores of Haiti.

We got to talk to Cullen about this new series and now we get to talk to Adam Gorham about the punk influences of the comic and the balance of horror visuals.

Punk Mambo #2

Graphic Policy: Punk Mambo has the word “punk” in it and brings up that aesthetic. Did that music and style have an influence on how you approach the look of the series? Did any particular music influence you?

Adam Gorham: I don’t listen to much punk or very hard music; my tastes lean toward the folk-y alternative end of the musical spectrum. The punk aesthetic is one I’m familiar with, though, and is a lot of fun to explore in terms of drawing this character. With Punk’s overall look I kept it simple because I’d have to draw her on virtually every page, so I did away with many accessories I once considered for efficiency’s sake. My variant covers are where I did the most digging for punk rock influence. Early on, my editor, Lysa [Hawkins], had the idea of treating my covers as punk show flyers, giving them that vibe. So we looked at numerous album covers, posters, flyers, etc. It’s been very fun.

Punk Mambo #2

GP: Voodoo plays into the series. Did you do some research into that when designing the look and art? Was there anything about that religion as far as that that stood out to you?

AG: Early on I thought about how best to incorporate Voodoo iconography into my pages. I wanted to be sensitive because I came to the property largely unfamiliar with Voodoo folklore or as a religion. We are exploring the folklore. [Writer] Cullen [Bunn] is very courteous in his scripts because he’d write notes about what imagery he wanted in there, and what the mythological backgrounds of the Ioa are. It was very helpful. It reminded me of American Gods, seeing deities portrayed through a contemporary lens. In other words, I shied away from using symbols and iconography I didn’t fully understand and instead gave the supernatural elements in our series my own flavor.

Punk Mambo #2

GP: The character is relatively new. When it comes to the art, does that free you up at all as far as style and look?

AG: Working on Punk Mambo has been really gratifying for me because I’ve been able to draw it in a way that feels naturally to me. Valiant as a whole is so supportive. They’ve allowed me to up my game here by allowing me to make this character and series my own. I was new to the character, and I’ve come to adore her.

GP: Horror can be over the top scary and also relatively mild, it really runs the gamut. Does that cross your mind at all? Was there anything you’ve done for the series that was too over the top you needed to go back and tone down?

AG: Here and there, I toned down gore and violence for certain action beats. I’m not opposed to getting nasty with horrific violence, but the tone of Cullen’s scripts just didn’t call for anything too mean. Cullen obviously is skilled at writing horror, but horror has many notes and I believe he knows when and how to play them. While Punk Mambo is certainly in horror territory, I think the heart of this story is about Punk Mambo discovering the roots of her magical abilities and how to appreciate them when they’re gone.

Punk Mambo #2

GP: When tackling that, there’s in your face horror and psychological where the reader/viewer’s mind does the real scares. Did you think about that at all as you put together the series?

AG: I certainly did. I really love composing a scene where something gnarly happens, but building atmosphere is important, too. I’ve been able to do plenty of both so far. Hopefully, readers feel they’re getting a bit of everything in Punk Mambo as it progresses.

GP: Thanks so much for chatting and looking forward to what the rest of the series brings!

Cullen Bunn Delivers Punk Action with Punk Mambo

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Punk Mambo #1

Punk Mambo comes to comic shelves this week courtesy of writer Cullen Bunn and artist Adam Gorham. Punk Mambo is a hard-living voodoo priestess who grew up in London, then relocated to Louisiana’s Bayou Country. Now, she’s a mystical mercenary for hire. In her first-ever solo series, Punk Mambo investigates a series of abductions in the New Orleans gutter punk scene, stumbling upon a deadlier mystery that takes her to the haunted shores of Haiti.

We got to talk to Cullen about this new series, his affinity for horror, and a comparison to a certain other British horror comic.

Graphic Policy: Punk Mambo; she’s full of spit and vinegar, and must be a blast to bring to life?

Cullen Bunn: She’s so much fun! You don’t write a character like Punk Mambo and not have fun. She’s all attitude! And she has magic to back her up! In the early stages of the book, I spent a lot of time trying to get into Punk Mambo’s head. I really wanted to make sure I understood where she was coming from, where she was going, and how she tackled challenges. Once I figured her out, it was just such a blast!

GP: Even within the Valiant universe, Punk Mambo isn’t seen as often as some of the other characters. How much freedom does that give you when framing the story?

CB: I had a lot of freedom here. I really took the character and ran with her. I treated Punk Mambo as if I created her from scratch, that I was telling her first story. I really felt like I could take the character anywhere.

GP: A name like Punk Mambo has a musical feel to it; what’s your sound track when writing/drawing the comic? Do you have a go to playlist?

CB: I have a hard time listening to music while writing. Even film scores can be distracting to me. I do listen to music sometimes to set the mood, and for PUNK MAMBO I know I listened to a wide range of stuff, from the soundtrack to RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD to Joy Division (“She’s Lost Control” would likely be Punk’s intro music if she were a pro wrestler) to Dead Boys to The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets to the Dead Milkmen.

GP: Voodoo isn’t anything I’m overly familiar with; how familiar were you with Voodoo prior to the series, and how much did you need to research to stay faithful to the religion (pun not intended)?

CB: I’m familiar enough to make myself dangerous. I’ve done plenty of research on the subject. In this book, though, I’m absolutely leaning into a much more cinematic version of Voodoo. I’m more concerned with defining Voodoo in the Valiant Universe going forward. We’re establishing some rules, showing off some new “powers” in the world, and developing some new villains who will haunt the world for a long while to come. 

GP: With the character being a Brit who is more than familiar with the supernatural, she does invite Constantine comparisons; in your mind, what differentiates the two?

CB: Oh, sure. I knew there would be comparisons. In fact, even I sometimes said that I wanted to establish Punk Mambo as the Hellblazer of the Valiant Universe. But Punk is a lot more action-oriented than Constantine. Constantine isn’t a superhero, but I think Punk Mambo is—even if she doesn’t see that. She is surrounded in magic and ritual, but she is also ready to jump into a fight and kick some teeth in when she needs to.  

GP: You’re writing a lot of horror series and becoming well known for that genre. What draws you to it?

CB: I’m just really messed up.  I’ve loved horror stories for a long time. I think there is so much great material to mine when it comes to fear. I also think that the best horror, for me for all the doom and gloom, is a hopeful genre. It shows that no matter how bad things get, the heroes must hold onto hope and keep on fighting.

GP: That it does. Thanks so much for answering our questions!

Review: Punk Mambo #1

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Punk Mambo #1

New characters, new digs, same Punk attitude! 

From writer Cullen Bunn and artist Adam Gorham comes this hilariously horrifying tale. Punk Mambo is a hard-living voodoo priestess who grew up in London, then relocated to Louisiana’s Bayou Country. Now, she’s a mystical mercenary for hire. In her first-ever solo series, Punk Mambo investigates a series of abductions in the New Orleans gutter punk scene, stumbling upon a deadlier mystery that takes her to the haunted shores of Haiti.

It would be easy to look at Punk Mambo as a riff on John Constantine, but aside from both characters being English (and likely both from London), and both are dabbers in the mystical and magical arts. While there are certainly similarities between the two, and comparisons are going to be made, Punk Mambo is far more than a Constantine knock off.

With Punk Mambo #1, Cullen Bunn gives the reader unfamiliar with the character all they need to know about the character through the course of the issue as he sets up story’s driving factor very early in the book. By doing this, the comic never quite gives you time to breath as you’re left reeling from one story beat to the next. But despite the amount of story condensed into a single issue, you never feel overwhelmed – and most importantly, new readers should feel very welcome.

You remember the comics you read as a kid where you always knew what was going on, even after missing a few issues (or starting a series at #124)? That’s the feeling you’ll get with Punk Mambo #1. You know the character has relationships and a backstory, that she’s got a rich history waiting to be revealed, but you don’t need to know everything before starting this series. It’s a first issue, and Cullen Bunn has made sure anybody can read it.

Adam Gorham‘s art feels perfectly suited to the character; there’s a rough edge or two, and at times the action in the panels can threaten to overwhelm the eyes (though it never does), which couldn’t make me happier. Even Mambo’s loa, a formerly Stay Puft Marshmallow like creature has taken on a more dangerous and edge visage. The scenes where Mambo is unleashing her abilities upon her enemies is gloriously chaotic, and almost too brief.

And yet there are moments of peace within the chaos. Moments where the beauty of the art stands unfettered and unencumbered by the character’s anger and bravado. The effect is disarming.

To borrow from the character’s name, like any great punk song the comic grabs you by the scruff of your neck and screams at you. It takes you on a journey through viscous cannibals, spirits and possession within the first third of the comic. It’s fast, it’s dirty and it’s fucking awesome.

Story: Cullen Bunn Art: Adam Gorham
Story: 8.9 Art: 8.7 Overall: 8.8 Recommendation: Buy

Valiant provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Around the Tubes

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Mary Shelley: Monster Hunter

It’s new comic book day! What’s everyone excited for? What do you plan on getting? Sound off in the comments below. While you wait for shops to open, here’s some comic news and reviews from around the web in our morning roundup.

The Beat – Rucka & Lark Launch New Lazarus Merch to Benefit Comics Creator Lilah Sturges’ Transition Fund – This is really cool to see.

The Beat – UNIQLO releases graphic tees collection MARVEL X POLAN designed by Jason Polan, plus a free Spider-Man comic! – Interesting. We’ll need to check out this line.

iHeartRadio – Jennifer Lopez To Star In Graphic Novel-Based Rom-Com ‘Marry Me’ – Didn’t know this was being made.

Reviews

Talking Comics – Mary Shelley: Monster Hunter #1
Newsarama – Punk Mambo #1

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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Achilles Inc. #1

Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

Each week our contributors choose what they can’t wait to read this week or just sounds interesting. In other words, this is what we’re looking forward to and think you should be taking a look at!

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Achilles Inc. #1 (Source Point Press) – Some of the world has gained superpowers and formed a union and upended blue collar jobs and society as a whole. A really interesting concept.

Ascender #1 (Image Comics) – If you read Descender by Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen you’ll know why we’re excited for this sequel set ten years after where magic has taken the place of machinery!

Criminal #4 (Image Comics) – We’re big fans of noir but even beyond that, this is one of the best monthly series out there. This standalone is a perfect issue to check out.

Dick Tracy Forever #1 (IDW Publishing) – There’s been some weirdness about getting a Dick Tracy comic to the shelf, but we want to check out this latest take by Michael Avon Oeming.

Grace: Based on Jeff Buckley’s Story (First Second) – A graphic novel biography of the musician that includes archival material provided by his mother.

Heroes in Crisis #8 (DC Comics) – Yes the series is all over the place in quality but we’ve come this far and you better believe we’re hyped for the second to last issue.

Princeless Book 8 Princesses #1 (Action Lab Entertainment) – This series never dissapoints with its spin on the “princess” trope. A new volume is a new opportunity to check it out!

Punk Mambo #1 (Valiant) – Cullen Bunn taking on this characters is more than enough to get us excited to check it out.

The Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities (Oni Press) – For those that don’t know, this is a fantastic guide to help you through to understand it all.

Star Trek: Year Five #1 (IDW Publishing) – A new ongoing series focusing on the fifth year of their mission. This one has been hyped up a lot as far as big things for Star Trek and comics.

Preview: Punk Mambo #1

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PUNK MAMBO #1 (of 5)

Written by CULLEN BUNN
Art by ADAM GORHAM
Colors by JOSE VILLARRUBIA
Letters by DAVE SHARPE
Cover A by DAN BRERETON
Cover B by ZU ORZU
Cover C by CRIS DELARA
Punk Variant Cover by DAN BRERETON
Pre-order Edition Cover by ADAM GORHAM 
Blank Cover Also Available
On sale April 24th, 2019
$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | Full Color

New characters, new digs, same Punk attitude! 

From writer Cullen Bunn (Venom) and artist Adam Gorham (New Mutants: Dead Souls) comes this hilariously horrifying tale. Punk Mambo is a hard-living voodoo priestess who grew up in London, then relocated to Louisiana’s Bayou Country. Now, she’s a mystical mercenary for hire. In her first-ever solo series, Punk Mambo investigates a series of abductions in the New Orleans gutter punk scene, stumbling upon a deadlier mystery that takes her to the haunted shores of Haiti.

PUNK MAMBO #1

C2E2 2019: Interview with Punk Mambo Writer Cullen Bunn

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Cullen Bunn is one of the most prolific comic book writers of the past decade. He has worked on Dark Horse’s Eisner nominated horror comic Harrow County, The Sixth Gun for Oni Press, comics like Sinestro and Earth 2 World’s End for DC, and worked extensively on titles starring Deadpool, the X-Men, and Venom for Marvel. Now, he turns his attention to Valiant where he will be writing the first solo series for Victoria Greaves-Trott aka Punk Mambo, a British voodoo priestess created by Peter Milligan and Roberto de la Torre as a supporting character in their relaunch of Shadowman.

Due to sickness, I wasn’t able to chat with Bunn in person at C2E2 about Punk Mambo, but was able to interview him via email.

Graphic Policy: Punk Mambo has had a lot of guest appearances in Valiant books since 2013, but apart from a one-shot, she’s never had a series of her own.  Why is now the perfect time for her to have one, and how will the solo series explore her character?

Cullen Bunn: Valiant is launching several new titles, offering readers something fresh and exciting with new characters and new settings and new adventures. Punk Mambo is a character a lot of readers might be unfamiliar with. She is a great gateway to Valiant’s supernatural world. I’m hoping this new initiative will bring in readers unfamiliar with the character, and maybe even unfamiliar with Valiant as a whole. I’ve talked to many people, who know little or nothing about Punk Mambo, but who are interested in finding out more now that there is a spotlight on her!

GP: Punk Mambo is one of several new #1’s for Valiant. How will you make this series accessible to new readers?

CB: I have written this series in such a way that you need not know anything about this character in order to enjoy the book. In a lot of ways, I’m treating this like her first appearance. Yes, if you are familiar with the character, you’ll get something different out of the book than if it is your first encounter with Punk, but first time readers will not be lost at all. Punk narrates this book so she brings the reader right along with her. And she’s encountering new threats, new enemies, and new allies; most of whom are appearing for the first time in this book.

GP: Punk Mambo is set in Haiti instead of New Orleans or London. What does this new setting bring to the series?

CB: I have written a lot about New Orleans of late, and I love the city as a setting for this kind of story, but I thought it would be fun to bring Punk Mambo to an area where we haven’t seen her. That gives us fertile ground to tell a new tale and keep the characters (and the readers) on their toes. This is a corner of the Valiant Universe we haven’t really seen, and it fits so perfectly with Punk’s ties to voodoo.

Or it doesn’t.

Part of what I wanted to do here is show that Punk Mambo doesn’t really fit into the typical voodoo paradigms. We get to play her against aspects of traditional voodoo culture, and I love that sort of thing. 

GP: How did you write to Adam Gorham’s specific strengths as an artist in Punk Mambo?

CB: Punk Mambo needed to feel action-packed and fun and a little dirty. Adam manages to bring that aesthetic to every panel of every page. The action is kinetic and frenzied. The horror beats are scary as Hell. I’m so lucky to be working with him on this book. 

GP: Even though it’s technically a superhero universe, Valiant has always had a strong supernatural corner. What will you add to that corner in Punk Mambo?

CB: With this story, I want to establish Punk Mambo as a kind of roaming paranormal investigator. Only, she doesn’t just investigate paranormal threats. She kicks their teeth in. I also wanted to expand the “pantheon” of voodoo spirits and gods. Finally, I’m introducing a couple of new villains to the Valiant Universe. These villains will be firmly rooted in the supernatural.

GP: Punk Mambo has an interesting relationship between her and her various Loas. How will you develop these relationships in her own series?

CB: The relationship with the Loa—and with voodoo as a whole—will be a key part of this series. You’ll see both sides of this… partnership. Punk Mambo has been using the Loa for some time now, and she never really stops to consider how the Loa feel about that. 

GP: You have a strong background in horror comics, and Punk Mambo seems to have some horror elements. What are some tricks you use as a writer to make a comic frightening and/or unsettling?

CB: It’s important in a horror comic to make the reader worry about the characters. There are real threats facing Punk Mambo, and if I’ve done my job, you’ll care about her and worry if she’ll survive or not. In a book like this, no one is safe so don’t assume that having a character’s name in the title means that character will make it to the end.

GP: A lot of your recent works (Dark Ark, Blossoms 666, Punk Mambo) have touched on religious elements or rituals. What do you find fascinating about faith and belief, and why do you continue to incorporate them in your stories?

CB: I’ve always been fascinated by faith and by ceremony and by the rules associated with religion. All these different characters allow me to approach those things from different angles, to pull at the frayed edges from different directions, and to explore my own questions without really smashing the reader over the head with them. My hope is that readers will come away with their own questions and their own answers. With Punk Mambo, I really wanted to look into the rules of faith and how someone who doesn’t follow any rules might still be faithful.

Punk Mambo #1 is set to be released on April 24.

Follow Cullen Bunn on Twitter.

Valiant Reveals the Punk Mambo #1 Flocked Punk Variant Cover

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Valiant Entertainment has revealed the first look at the Punk Mambo #1 Punk Variant, which features a striking cover image by incredible artist Dan Brereton and a textured flocked treatment that will offer a unique, tactile experience rarely seen—or felt—in comics!

From celebrated writer Cullen Bunn and badass artist Adam Gorham comes the hilariously horrifying Punk Mambo, about a hard-living voodoo priestess who grew up in London, relocates to the Bayou, and becomes a mystical mercenary for hire. In her first-ever solo series, Punk Mambo investigates a series of abductions in the New Orleans Gutter Punk scene, stumbling upon a deadlier mystery that takes her to the haunted shores of Haiti.

Punk Mambo #1 debuts in comic shops on Wednesday, April 24th. Along with the flocked Punk Variant cover, Punk Mambo #1 features a main cover by Brereton and additional shelf covers by Zu Orzu and Cris Delara. A Pre-order Edition cover by Gorham and a blank cover are also available.

Retailers can obtain one copy of the Punk Mambo #1 Punk Variant for every qualifying order of 100 copies of Punk Mambo #1. There is no limit per store—100 copies ordered will net one Punk Variant, 200 will net two Punk Variants, and so forth. Final orders are due to Diamond Comics by Monday, April 1st.

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