Weird magic, dust and blood prevail in the latest, Dead Sheriff adventure: "Holster Full of Death". This time, New Pulp maestro Fred Adams Jr brings Mark Justice's characters to life in a gusty yarn that brims of wicked wonderment, coupled by the high eccentricity of "The Wild Wild West".
In this chilling chapter, amulet-sportin' Sam, aka Cheveyo, and his corpse puppet encounter the Great Castwell's traveling, magic show. The showman claims to employ the Dead Sheriff as a novelty guest. Of course, Castwell's Sheriff isn't the real deal, even if ushered by the convincing "Hall of the Mountain King". Still, trouble stems in spades from and around the ruse. (For the record, Journalist Richard O'Malley is again on hand, documenting and abetting the Dead Sheriff's eerie exploits.)
Adams brews clever chemistry within the monstrous mayhem, which includes memorable, supporting characters: Castwell and his assistant, Gracie being the major standouts. Sure, the circumstances stretch the confines of Old West reality, but through Adams' capable, storytelling skills, the passages ring with nail-biting dark humor and more importantly, do-the-right-thing virility. The combo sparks success on both gritty counts.
Rob Davis' interior pics are (as should come as no surprise) as awesome as they're perfect, as is Chris Rawding's creepy cover, which kicks off this post. (FYI: A Vol #3 limited edition, with a dandy Davis cover {see image above this paragraph}, was sold at the Pikeville Kentucky Comic and Toy Convention. Copies of are now scarce. One can check the remaining available at...
http://robmdavis.com/Airship27Hangar/index.airshipHangar.html?fbclid=IwAR2juA-Q7IEexQMXB5UI5g-1SEBKdmyHyI695rCiquYNjQsh8Faq-qDeois#deadsher3b.)
Ron Fortier is doing right by Justice's macabre mythology, having fleshed out his own dynamic Dead Sheriff tale, "Cannibals and Bloodsuckers" (see Jan '19 review), based on a manuscript that Justice commenced before his untimely passing. Now Fortier hands the raucous reins to the mega-talented Adams: an outstanding choice. On this basis, the series gallops onward in its imposing, offbeat way. I do believe that it'll become (if it hasn't already) one of Airship 27's most celebrated sagas.
Strap on a copy of "Holster Full of Death" at...
https://www.amazon.com/Mark-Justices-Dead-Sheriff-Holster/dp/1946183636/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?keywords=fred+adams+dead+sheriff+%233&qid=1565218211&s=books&sr=1-1-fkmr0.
And while you're at it, get Vol 1 and 2. You're in for a helluva, gun-smokin', trilogy treat.
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