‘Plush’ #1 Advance Review: More Humorous Horror And Gory Gags From Doug Wagner And Daniel Hillyard

The crazy gang behind Plastic and Vinyl are back with another human-made material named series, Plush, and as you may expect, like the previous two serial killer capers this one has a black comedic heart.

And, just like the previous entries in this terrifyingly terrific trilogy, there is meaning behind the wonderfully abstract title. Anyone who’s read the lowdown on this book will already know that this series centres around Devin Fulcher who attends his very first furry convention with best friend, and furry advocate, Levi. Not that he necessarily really wants to be there but then its better than the alternative. That alternative being Devin’s current heart-breaking personal problems that we learn about on the very first page. A problem he may well be able to put off, but not avoid. As we learn all about later on in the issue.

Devin is a character many will be able to sympathise with, even if many will never (hopefully) have been in his situation. And so, off to the furry convention he goes, only to witness a rather horrifying site. To make matters worse, it would seem he can’t even report it. Why that would be would be giving too much away and spoil the gobsmacking revelations of the issue. Needless to say, Devin has nowhere to run and nowhere to hid. Literally. 

Writer Doug Wagner once more drags you in with a plot that just drags you in. Or, should that be drags you down, in the horror story that is Devlin’s life? Either way, what is already a rough situation for Devlin becomes even rougher, and very quickly by the end if this very satisfying debut issue. It’s Daniel Hillyard who breathes life into every panel with his expressive characters, and especially Devlin,  who run the gamut of emotions as his life goes to Hell in a hand basket. I cannot say enough how his particular style of artwork suits this series so much. It ever so slightly exaggerates reality to give the whole affair a sense of cartoonish fun. A world in which the exaggerated crimes on display fit nicely. 

The very situation alone is rather ridiculous, but works so well in the context of dark comedy. The daft costumes, the daft, but dark set-up, all pays of so well by the last page as a tone of paranoia settles and we are left wonder where can Devlin possibly turn to now? Furry fun and howling funny horror, Plush #1 is out this Wednesday 9th November from Image Comics.