Irish conman Curly is on the run from a supernatural curse, and seems to keep finding himself in increasingly dangerous situations.

In this volume alone, he has to contend with racist cannibals, uncomfortably curious aliens and a vicious encounter with a supernatural creature, ably assisted by recently widowed, military veteran Kaz.

Creator Lasse Wennerstrand’s Curly isn’t the most likeable character, but there is a certain roguish charm to his foul-mouthed antics. The real star of the show, in my opinion, is Kaz; there’s an almost Big Trouble in Little China-esque vibe to the adventures once she shows up, with Curly believing he’s the hero of the story – yet really, he’s the sidekick of the much more capable, kick-ass Kaz.

The art style hints at a much more light-hearted and comedic tone, but this comic is much darker than it looks. That said, Curly himself is constantly cracking wise, and there are plenty of humourous moments to keep things from getting too grim.

There’s lots of really fun movie references, and I particularly enjoyed an inventive silent issue; here,Curly’s encounter with a creature of the night (as well as his interaction with Kaz) is cleverly told via symbols and other iconography, completely dialogue-free.

This volume also has some fantastically detailed lore between issues, written by DA Holmes, in the style of an in-universe grimoire. Finally, you’ll also find behind the scenes material and concept art, as well as some alternate takes on Curly by different artists, within the packed pages of this volume.

There’s a great sense of world building, fun and plenty of heart in this first volume of tales, and even when the subject matter takes a turn for the grim, Curly the Cursed Con Man himself, as well as creator Lasse Wennerstrand’s cartoony art style, keeps things light enough to ensure you’ll sleep well at night. Unlike poor Curly himself, no doubt!

Check out Curly the Cursed Con Man at Drawmoore Pictures. Many thanks to Lasse Wennerstrand for providing me with a digital copy of Curly the Cursed Con Man Volume 1 for review purposes.

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