Mad Cave Studios continues to impress in the world of comics, this time with the debut of Ryan O’Nan and Tim Seeley’s bloody and brutal new horror comic Pretty Hate Machine. The violent world O’Nan and Seeley thrust the reader into is immediately enthralling, and reads like a twisted modern take on Shakespeare’s iconic Hamlet. With monstrous series like A Legacy of Violence and The Devil That Wears My Face already published, and the upcoming Land of Never, Mad Cave is quickly establishing itself as the perfect escape for fans of horror comics.
Pretty Hate Machine is a 5-issue miniseries that promises to shove readers right into the heart of a tragic, violent conspiracy, as young Thomas must discover the truth of his father’s untimely death. Just like Hamlet, Thomas’ mother is being comforted a little too closely by his uncle, his father’s brother, leading to a devilish showdown between the teenager and the truth. The first issue of the series is illustrated by Paolo Armitano with Roman Stevens on color, and me-oh-my does Armitano deliver. From solicits it looks like Hank La Marca is taking over illustration duties starting on issue #2 (not sure why!), but regardless, Armitano does an excellent job setting up the world of Pretty Hate Machine.
Mad Cave
If you don’t know, Pretty Hate Machine is the title of the beloved American rock band Nine Inch Nails’ first studio album. I really wish I was more of a NIN fan so that I could extrapolate some deep meaning behind songs on the Pretty Hate Machine album showing up in the comic series, but alas, I mainly know NIN from Trent Reznor’s musical work on the Tron film series. Sorry! Regardless, it is clear the creators are huge fans of rock and metal music, since the main character Thomas can be seen wearing t-shirts for the bands Meat Puppets and Type O-Negative, which is a fun way of visually developing your lead character.
Pretty Hate Machine #1 starts with a bang, as a group of three teenagers come across a horrific visage: Their own mutilated bodies used to spell out the message “Bring Thomas…” Yikes! Eventually they do bring Thomas, during his father’s wake no less, which is when Thomas is introduced to “Luther.” Seemingly a demon manifested from Hell, Luthor is a villainous Edward Scissorhands, with knives for fingers and horrible shark teeth lining his mouth. It seems that Luthor knows the secret of Thomas’ father’s death, that he was in fact murdered, and wants to help Thomas solve the mystery, at whatever cost. Thus begins a terrifying and traumatizing relationship between grieving teen and monster, as Thomas must decide if he is willing to accept Luthor’s horrible “means to an end” investigation.
Mad Cave
Personally, my theory is the Luther is actually a future version of Thomas, twisted by trauma and violence and sent back to ensure the cycle of pain continues. He is all burned up but his hair is remarkably similar to Thomas’ and he knows a lot about Thomas’ family. Just a theory though! Armitano’s art is perfectly horrific, particularly the opening sequence depicting the teens ripped apart bodies, as well as Luther’s brutal assault on Detective Ernie. Thankfully, Armitano is skilled at illustrating not just murder but also emotion – which is really what elevates a horror story – and depicts the grief that Thomas is experiencing with excruciating clarity.
I really enjoyed Pretty Hate Machine #1. I thought it was a fun, terrifying, exciting debut and it made me pumped to read the rest of the series. O’Nan and Seeley’s writing is stellar, and draws you into the story immediately. One of the only complaints I have is that I would have loved to spend at least a few panels with Thomas’ mom and uncle, ostensibly the true “villains” of this tale. Regardless, Armitano’s evocative art paired with the writers skilled character development and dialogue make this a strong debut for Mad Cave’s newest horror comic. If you are a fan of Hamlet, revenge stories, or just love classic Nightmare on Elm Street-esque teen horror, I’d highly recommend you check out Pretty Hate Machine.
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