EYES ON THE LA MUERTA SERIES PART 2
Maria Diaz stalks the streets as the relentless vigilante LA MUERTA, seeking vengeance against the criminal underworld. For a time, all was peaceful and quiet in her life, until the night that peace was disrupted.
La Muerta #1: Onslaught and La Muerta #1: Devious is gripping graphic novels from the La Muerta series penned by the renowned writer Brian Pulido. These installments from the La Muerta series will take readers on an intense journey through a world where supernatural forces collide with the mortal realm while exploring the intricate world of the vigilante La Muerta.
THE CREATIVE TEAM
La Muerta #1: Onslaught was written by Mike MacLean, illustrated by Joel Gomez, colored by Ceci de la Cruz, lettered by Marshall Dillon, and edited by Brian Pulido. The logo art was done by Jeff Moss. The cover art for the premier Kickstarter edition was done by Diego Bernard and Juan Fernandez.
La Muerta #1`: Devious was written by Mike MacLean, illustrated by Joel Gomez, colored by Ceci de la Cruz, lettered by Marshall Dillon, and edited by Brian Pulido. The logo art was done by Jeff Moss and the cover art for the premier Kickstarter edition was done by Diego Bernard and Ceci de la Cruz, and the cover art for the casebound hardcover was done by Mike Krome and Juan Fernandez. The project had a battalion of contributing cover artists who worked on many cover variants.
THE BOOKS
La Muerta #1: Onslaught is the 7th chapter of La Muerta’s Story printed in full color with 48 pages of story. I got the digital premier Kickstarter edition from the Coffin Comics online shop.
La Muerta #1: Devious – Square-bound/case-bound hardcover graphic novel is the 9th chapter of La Muerta’s story printed in full color on high-quality paper with 48 pages of story and with a red foil-enhanced cover. Noticeably the spine of the hardcover is blank.
All La Muerta books were published in 2021 and 2023 by Coffin Comics founded by Brian Pulido. Expanding out from a love of world-building, Brian and his team created the “Coffinverse”, a shared universe of supernatural characters that includes La Muerta, Lady Death, Hellwitch, and many more to come.
THE STORIES
LA MUERTA #1: ONSLAUGHT
If anyone needs a little peace and quiet, it’s combat veteran Maria Diaz, aka LA MUERTA, the avenging angel of the streets. It’s too bad a gang of murderous psychos seeks bloody payback for their fallen brothers. Meanwhile, the god-like, extinction-level villain, Insurrectus, has tasked his demonic progeny to scour the Earth and assassinate those with supernatural powers willing to defend the innocent, which brings them on a collision course with La Muerta and her allies.
Enemies become allies. The unthinkable becomes possible and revealed. In this story, you’ll see La Muerta as you’ve never seen her before in this critical Deathocalypse crossover tie-in with a special appearance by the one and only Lady Death, one of the main characters of the Coffinverse.
LA MUERTA #1: DEVIOUS
Maria Diaz aka La Muerta learns that a killer stalks the midnight streets of Mexico City, ruthlessly eliminating its criminal elite. Who is this killer? What motivates her murderous ways? And why does she wear the skull face of the infamous vigilante La Muerta? Can Maria stop the merciless pretender? Or will a dark family secret finally lure La Muerta to her demise? Maria goes to Mexico to find the answers to all these questions but she doesn’t go alone.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
LA MUERTA #1: ONSLAUGHT
Pulido, known for his exceptional storytelling and dark themes, weaves a tale that explores the boundaries between life and death. The narrative follows the titular character, La Muerta, as she faces a relentless onslaught of challenges and adversaries.
The graphic novel delves into La Muerta’s internal struggles, emphasizing her resilience and determination as she confronts the malevolent forces threatening her existence because she chooses to protect the weak and the innocent. Through her internal conflicts she is slowly building a purpose to keep moving forward. I’m slowly starting to understand the depth of her inner conflicts and see her growth as she attempts to form valuable bonds with other human beings.
The illustrations are characterized by a combination of hauntingly beautiful scenes and dynamic action sequences, capturing the essence of the supernatural elements at play especially the illustrations of the dark creatures. The visual storytelling adds depth to the narrative, taking readers to a world where the line between good and evil is blurred. “La Muerta: Onslaught” stands as a testament to Pulido’s ability to create a compelling fusion of dark fantasy, horror, and superhero elements, offering readers a thrilling and visually stunning experience within the pages of this graphic novel.
LA MUERTA #1: DEVIOUS
The narrative unfolds with a sinister plotline that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, as La Muerta faces a new set of challenges that test her strength, resolve, and morality. We learn a little about her traumatic past and we see through the story how she is forced to face her past.
Pulido’s storytelling ability shines through as he intricately weaves together elements of horror, suspense, and supernatural intrigue, creating a gripping tale that delves into the complexities of the human spirit in the face of malice.
The illustrations, characterized by their dark and atmospheric tones, enhance the eerie and mysterious ambiance of the story. The attention to detail is evident in the expressive characters and dynamic action sequences that unfold across the pages. The graphic novel not only captivates through its narrative but also through its artwork, making “La Muerta #1: Devious” a must-read for fans of dark fantasy and those who appreciate the seamless fusion of compelling storytelling and captivating visuals.
THE LA MUERTA DEVIOUS CAMPAIGN
The Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for La Muerta #1: Devious offered old issues from the La Muerta series and a large collection of cover art, prints, and trading cards. I chose the tiers that contained La Muerta #1: Devious Premier edition and the hardcover edition.
The campaign is managed by the Coffin Comics management team consisting of 10 team members who do an excellent job with marketing, campaign updates, and customer service with an automated help desk ticket handling. The Coffin Comics Help Desk platform allows you to create your account where you can manage and see the status of your inquiries. The coffin crew consisting of 4 team members in charge of packaging and delivery did a great job. They keep the (potential) backers engaged with games and prices during the campaign such as the Evilverse prize Drop.
For physical backers, they offered free bonus stuff at multiple set milestones such as a vinyl sticker, foil logo enhancement on the premier edition, 9 trading cards, a credit card beer opener, a drink coaster, a fridge magnet, a two-sided La Muerta Devious bookmark, beer can cooler, an ad for Zombie Tramp & Lady Death Kickstarter campaign, a “thank you” letter and a “thank you” card. There were also digital rewards given to all backers such as the La Muerta #1: Devious Digital Copy, the La Muerta: Devious Full digital Script, a La Muerta1: Devious Digital Coloring Page, and a La Muerta #1: Devious Campaign Desktop Wallpaper Pack.
It’s a lot of stuff for investment in the project. You get your money’s worth and then some. The tracking number was timely provided and the one packaging containing everything as promised arrived in good condition.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Brian Pulido’s La Muerta series distinguishes itself in the independent comic book world by embracing the supernatural with a bold and unapologetic fervor for a mature audience. Through the La Muerta series, Pulido weaves a tale that transcends traditional superhero narratives, exploring themes of justice, revenge, and death.
With its compelling characters, moral depth, and visually arresting artwork, the La Muerta series proves that there’s ample room in the comic book world for stories that dare to tread the line between the living and the dead. Another element that disguises
Coffin Comics in the independent comic book world is the people that are part of the Coffin Comics team offering great stories and art and outstanding customer services. They treat their IPs as if they are the biggest fans themselves and that’s how you get people enthusiastic about your product. The contagious enthusiasm will motivate you to support their projects. The Kickstarter campaign is closed but you can still find the main book and variant editions of “La Muerta #1: Devious” on the Coffin Comics online shop.
Check “Eyes on the La Muerta series Part 1” for my notes on the previous issues. Interested in more titles? Check the GRAPHIC NOVELS under the “EYES ON” series where I documented my experience with crowdfunding entertainment and shared my notes on the products I received.
My notes are all set. Let me know what you think.
See you on the next page!
