I know I may be one of  two people that read this series.  But I’m ok with that.  I read Elephantmen for really two reasons: 

1) I’m a huge Richard Starkings fan and I love his perspective on the industry, the design aspects of books, and for every ounce of love he puts into his book. 

2) I love crazy sci-fi stories.

Now don’t get me wrong when I say this is crazy.  It’s not crazy in that wacky, goofy sort of way.  It’s crazy in that way that messes with your mind and makes you think about some pretty messed up stuff.  When you think about the concept of the universe Starkings has created it’s pretty crazy:  Driven to war in the aftermath of a world crippling plague, one company sets out to make the ultimate soldier…that look like animals.  And I’m not talking about a goat carrying a Mack 10.  I’m talking huge, hulking monstrosities with no concept of right or wrong.  They are machines of war without a soul.  And this is what Elephantmen:  War Toys sets out to explore.

In the regular series, the readers have been introduced to the remaining soliders through characters such as Hip Flask, Ebony, and Obidiah Horn, but in this min-series, Starkings explores what happened during the war these Elephantmen fought in.  We get to see the darkness these creatures endured, the hardships they caused, and inklings of the reclamation of their souls.  Each issue in this mini featured a human counter part to play foil to the destructive force of the animals, and what happens here is that Starkings is able to show us that in some ways, we are no different.

The art throughout this series has been beautifully done, featuring a washed out black and white style.  The art feels dirty, but smoggy and wet all at the same time.  It adds this sort of luciousness to the art, this vibrance that makes the story feel alive.  It’s a wonderful technique, and it plays well to the mood of the story.  As always, with books put out by Starkings, it’s simply a stunning piece of work with thick paper and a masterful treatment.  The content in the back is fun as always as it delves into some lite comic history.

If you haven’t done so already, give Elephantmen a try if you dig some good sci-fi stories.  A TPB of the first hardcover is expected in the month of May, and at $16.99 for over 200 pages, that’s a pretty sweet deal.  And it just so happens that the stories within it are great fun.