4 out of 5

Gods of Brutality are a metal band based on a sweet, metal myth: when Murder Bats’ vocalist Nick crashed his car and died, he woke up in Hell, having to fight his way back to life and form the ultimate band: G.O.B. 

And now, X amount of years on, Nick is set to retire, and on the eve of his final show, pledges to tell the real story of the Gods’ origin to a skeptical reporter. …Which just so happens to be the same exact story as the myth. 

While we set off fairly “straight,” once the book dives into Hell (via flashback), and starts tossing much swearing and over-violence at us, you’ll get a sense of what you’re reading. To that extent, Mark Welser’s art is Kirby and Simonson by way of Erik Larsen, and none of this is done in a rush or without the artist imposing their own style around these classics, meaning every page is quite a treat. And although GOB does not shy away from the lowbrow, Rich Woodall scripts this silly stuff in a way that doesn’t just rely on metal references and bloodshed and funny curse words: Nick’s adventure is packed with wildly imaginative spectacle, and even when you figure you’ve got the number on a particular event, Rich will toss in a surprising wiggle or two, not resting on simply quirk at any point. 

That said, spectacle and adventure are the priority: Nick is rather faceless, as are the companions he joins with in Hell, as are the various foes. You could swap dialogue between any of the good guys or bad guys and probably not be able to notice a difference. The whole framing concept also goes out the window – this is all in flashback, and we have to return eventually, but Gods of Brutality pretty immediately turns the story into an as-it-happens one, committing the flashback sin of showing us things that happen when Nick isn’t around, and maybe – spoiler – having a bit too much fun, given that this four issue arc is just that, an arc, not coming anywhere near a conclusion. Thankfully, the reader is also likely having fun, and even if it’s stretching the story thin, I’m pleased that we’re promised a volume two.