Sonambulo

Reviewed by Sonambulo
March 30, 2006

Author: Rafael Navarro Artist: Rafael Navarro Publisher: Ninth Circle Studios Website: Click Here Review Rating: Recommended

Sonambulo's Strange Tales
Guest Pin-up artists: Dale Berry, Adam Huntley, Sanyu, Rhode Montijo, Ty Smith, Ira Sherak, and Sol Rac

Sonambulo is a Mexican-wrestler turned detective/bounty hunter. Unable to sleep, he takes to the city at night, facing the supernatural and stealing the hearts of senoritas along the way. If you cross his path, beware, for he can see your dreams!

In Strange Tales, Sonambulo faces zombies, a whole pile of vampires and one seductive client with a very dark secret. Two of the stories are written in comic form, while one is in short story format. The stories themselves have unique feel, and the character's intensity drips on every page.

When a distraught mother walks into his office, Sonambulo has no choice but to aid her in working through the guilt of losing her children. Unfortunately for him, looks can be deceiving!

Next, it's off to Tudzapa in search of a beautiful blonde. Amongst the city's old crumbling buildings, Sonambulo finds himself running around dangerous curves when he discovers a woman named Desire; but Desire knows it's only a small difference between pleasure and pain.

In the final tale, our hero goes to Mexico to celebrate the Day of the Dead with his secretary Xochi. What neither of them expects is that the Day of the Dead is full of REAL zombies! How will Sonambulo get himself out of this deadly situation?

Ghost of a Chance
Guest Pin-up Artists: Andrice Arp, Jed Alexander, Ted Seko, Mark Jiro Okui, Trevor Goring, Mike Hoffman, Tone Rodriguez, Jose Guillen, Javier Hernandez and Michael Aushenkker

When recovering stolen property for a client, Sonambulo discovers that sometimes the past is harder to deal with than the present. One photograph leads to a trip down memory lane and an almost fatal battle against a demon. Will he be able to defeat his own demons and deal with his past?

If the thought of a luchador in a 3-piece suit makes you giggle, you're not alone. When I first picked up Sonambulo, I thought it was going to be a goofy comic about some weird guy with a wrestling fetish. Little did I know that the characters in the stories aren't goofy at all and in fact are rather dark and noirish. Sonambulo is definitely a unique concept with dynamic stories rooted in Mexican folklore. Raphael Navarro throws in ghosts, girls and guns, all the key ingredients for a fun-to-read story.