#Comic #Review: "The Amazing Screw-On Head and Other Curious Objects"
#talknerdytomelover's @ashleighmayes @kryptodies
In the title of "The Amazing Screw-On Head and Other Curious Objects", "curious" is putting it lightly. When Mike Mignola sat down to write this, I'm not sure what he was thinking, but I can promise one thing: it was WEIRD. When I say "weird", I mean it in the nicest way possible, of course. "Screw-On Head" is VERY different. I don't think I've ever read a story (or in this case, collection of stories) as odd. At first, I was COMPLETELY lost. Once you accept the fact that it's completely off the wall, it's much easier to absorb.
The main story in the book (with the book's namesake) is about a man...erm...metal head that can attach to different bodies (apparently there's a LOT to choose from. In the story, he chooses body #13). He is under the command of Abraham Lincoln and is fighting the antagonist, Emperor Zombie. With the assistance of a seemingly frozen dog (or maybe it's dead...) that can talk and sidekick Mr. Groin, Mr. Head attempts to stop Emperor Zombie from stealing a gem that would allow him to take over the world. There's a huge conflict and I'll let you read to find out what happens in the end. This is the longest story in the book, but its not all that long. There are many, many more shorter stories.
My favorite was written by the author's 7 year old daughter. The story is "The Magician and the Snake". The story is about a magician who makes shapes disappear. He tells a snake that when the shapes reappear, he will die. The snake is heartbroken but determined to make the most out of the magician's last days. The two fly a kite and one night, the shapes reappear. The snake is angry and goes to the rooftop to scream at them. He begs the magician to turn him into a lion so he can eat the shapes and save the magician's life. The magician refuses and leaves his every earthly possession to the snake (because the snake will remember him).
"The Amazing Screw-On Head and Other Curious Objects" is weird, but my ratings aren't!
Creativity of Writing: 5/5 It's definitely random. Honestly, I can't see where the stories are going before they get there and even once I've read them, I'm sometimes not sure of what's just happened or why. That's the beauty of this book, though. It allows for casual reading on a whole new level. Each story is unique, so it allows for an awesome change of pace. The story written by Mignola's 7 year old daughter doesn't feel out of place at all. In fact, I was surprised to find that it was written by someone else at all! Some stories just suddenly cut off. Instead of making me frustrated, the story ending simply makes my mind wonder/wander about what could possibly be going on after the pages end.
Creativity of Art: 5/5 I love the style the stories are illustrated in. It's like a dark Gothic style with scritchy and bold lines. The areas of color are large (I've been reading a lot of stories with this quality lately, but this one definitely stands out). The shading is a large part of what I like about it. It's bold and eye-catching. As to be expected, the style is pretty much exactly that of the Hellboy comics.
Overall Casual Read Rating: 4.5/5 Although the two separate elements individually are perfect, the overall casual read rating is slightly lower simply because the read is SO fast. Although each story is different, they blend together somewhat. I love the book. It's very entertaining. However, if you're a fast reader like me, it won't be around to keep you entertained for long because you'll finish it.
Note to the Creator(s): Awesome book. I wanna pick your brain someday. After reading this, though, I'm afraid that it might be a scary place. ;)
Until next comic, guys!
XOXO Ashleigh
For this and other kick-awesome comic book, video game, and random geekery reviews, visit www.kryptodies.com!