I receive a lot of material from new creators with a passion for the medium and the drive to self-publish their own work. For the most part, these projects serve as an interesting diversion and often show promise for the future, but usually, the level of quality is middling at best and amateurish at worst. I'm not accustomed to being surprised by such submissions, but the efforts of brothers T.J. and Jason May proved to be an exception to the general rule. Catching Lucifer's Lunch, though not the best titled self-published one-shot I've seen, is remarkably well crafted and solidly entertaining. Furthermore, the visual style is a unique one. Jason May isn't content to simply ape the styles of comics artists he enjoys; he's developed a fascinating black-and-white style. Catching Lucifer's Lunch probably won't be the most widely available comic book released this week, but for fans of indy comics and supernatural storytelling such as what sometimes finds with DC's Vertigo line, it is well worth seeking out.
A man named Higgins finds himself, along with his girlfriend and his brother, captured by cultists and brought to an isolated cemetery. They soon learn that the cemetery is a place of power, where cult leader David Lazarus plans to open a portal to Hell and sit at the right hand of Lucifer, Satan himself. To that end, a special kind of sacrifice is in order, and that's where the innocent prisoners come into play. Higgins himself embarks on a journey into the underworld to save the soul of a loved one, but he's forced to face unimaginable horrors and challenges before he can catch up with Lazarus.
Jason May's black-and-white artwork seems to combine some traditional comic line art with grey washes to achieve a lovely, painted look. There's a vague quality to how he depicts the characters, but it never results in confusion. The players are clearly defined despite the almost featureless appearance the characters have from time to time in the book. Actually, that hazy, non-specific approach reinforces the dark, supernatural tone of the story quite well. Also meriting mention is the professional job Jason May does with the lettering. Too often, solid work on such indy projects is marred by sloppy, amateurish lettering, but that can't be said of Catching Lucifer's Lunch.
I think the point at which I really sat up and took notice of the writing was when T.J. May managed to surprise me with a plot twist that comes around on itself and twists a second time. I didn't see it coming, and I enjoyed that unpredictability.
This story switches genres in the mid-stream, starting out as a thriller but moving into an adventure quest plot. And it works. I was never left with the impression that the creators changed their minds about the type of story they wanted to tell. The tone of the story -- especially in the latter part of the book -- reminded me a bit of the kind of dark fable one might expect from Neil Gaiman. The plotting isn't exactly complex or as sophisticated, but it definitely boasts that kind of strength. 8/10
