The Hardcore Review: Krystal Tales Of A Trick Baby

The new Krystal: Tales of A Trick Baby is a one shot is about the character, Krystal, created by Jaymes Reed of both “Comics” fame and known for his lettering skills with DigitalCAPS. The Krystal character and story debuted in Best Cellars #1 from Out of the Cellar Comics 20 YEARS AGO, which also had a prototype of Eric Powell’s The Goon. But this isn’t about Eric Powel, or the Goon. This is about a kick ass female vigilante, in the future. And much like a certain flying rodent, she’s even got herself a “Commissioner Gordon.”

Cover to the anthology one shot, Krystal: Tales of a Trick Baby

Reed was nominated for the 2012 Sheldon Dorf “letterer” award. Reed didn’t take home the trophy, however in a great side note to the story, the winner, Stan Sakai, creator of Usagi Yojimbo, found out he won by following Reed on facebook. Besides being a top quality letterer, Jaymes Reed has been trying his hand at subversive comic book writing for some time now. Jaymes writes all of the stories in the one shot, while Marc Borstel handles the penciling duties. Inks and colors are handled by different creative forces in every short.
The book, Krystal is a futuristic feminist punch to the gonads. And I’m pretty sure Reed meant it to be this way. Even if he didn’t, he’s told me to be honest with my review. It’s almost to the point of man hating, with a few notable exceptions. Krystal: Tales of a Trick Baby is an anthology one shot of the eponymous titular character’s origin and skull crusing adventures in the futuristic Dalworth City. Krystal is an orphan of sorts in that she is born to a sexually assaulted prostitute and her dope addicted pimp/boyfriend, and then uncerimoniously dumped into a trash bin. Krys, gets adopted of sorts by Penny Kalisto, a street walker. Penny is killed by an insane pimp who she’s apparently been with holding money from. Krystal escapes to the sewers of Dalworth, where she is rescued by Goldie. Krystal gets trained in martial arts, weapons and technology in order to take the fight to Dalworth’s corrupted citizens. That is Krystal’s origin in a nutshell.

First page, and the horrible begining of Krystal’s origin

When Krystal becomes and adult, still guided by Goldie, she prowls the streets and hover lanes of Dalworth CIty and preys on those who prey on the weak. There’s a ton of collateral damage. But not nearly as much as is in every issue of Savage Dragon, and Krystal manages to keep her clothes on. In a way, this new feminist icon is a role model for modern heroes and the needed backlash for the chauvinist days of the Golden and Silver Ages, where female characters only worried about marrying Green Lantern instead of running multi-million dollor aircraft companies. And it is a welcome growth from the Bad Girl Era of the 1990′s, when it was all T & A mixed with a surly attitude and absolutely no substance at all. Although in truth Krystal first debuted during this time period.

So, you should check out Krystal: Tales of A Trick Baby, you know, unless you’re a chauvinist pig or one of those women who believes your place is barefoot pregnant and in the kitchen. If you wanna pick up this small press title, check out this link to comiXpress. http://www.comixpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=2126

Johnnie Mae Young

As for the grade to Krystal: Tales of A Trick Baby, Jaymes asked me to focus on women’s wrestling if possible. There were some names mentioned, but let’s be honest, I was probably drunk at the time and agreed to just about anything. And while, I would love to recall the greatness of an Alundra Blayze or Rockin’ Robbin, I’m gonna go with the tried and true exploits of one Mae Young.

Mae’s been in the business since before there was a business. But in the past few years Mae’s age has begun to show it’s effect upon her body. However in a really funny moment on Monday Night Raw from a few years ago, the Two Diva Power Trip of LayCool, Layla El and Michelle McCool, were co-holders of the new Divas Championship. You know, cause calling your women wrestlers, wrestlers is as insulting as calling your male superstars wrestlers. They were lauding it up in the ring, as a familiar tune played and out from the back came 80 something year old, Mae Young seconded by the rest of the lady wrest- er Divas.

El and McCool walked up to Young and began giving her the bad mouth. Probably some incoherent ramblings about how Mae is a thing of the past and she should just walk away. But not Mae Young. Balling up her fist and clocking both LayBims out, the crowd exploded and Mae Young was cheered. Rumor has it that when Mae turns 100, she’ll get a shot to wrestle Triple H and Stephanie’s first daughter who would be about 16 at the time. Keep going Mae. You’re an original.