BACCHUS is Eddie Campbell's answer to mainstream comics - a fun-hearted departure from his poignant autobiographical Alec tales, it's undoubtedly my favorite work to come from the resurgent British comics scene of the eighties. With these early stories, Campbell creates something that looks like an adventure serial, is at times a biting satire, and often a journey into historical legend. Campbell's the Seijun Suzuki of comics and BACCHUS is his Branded To Kill, a self-styled masterpiece that defies description.
IMMORTALITY ISN'T FOREVER launches Campbell's fifteen-year love affair and re-presents the first of his classic Deadface tales. Here we have Bacchus, a four thousand year old god, who'd just as much enjoy a smooth retsina or start a bar fight then all of that "messing with mortals" nonsense. He's moved to action when his old foe Theseus starts making waves as an international business tycoon and crime czar. Throw in the Eyeball Kid, destroyer of the gods (and the strangest chap I've ever seen put to comics), and you've got the makings of a brilliant, surreal adventure that'll set straight whatever notions you've got of the Greek myths.
Our story opens with our man, Bacchus, in the slammer, being questioned about his weathered, dead looks. The old god gives his best Michael Caine, when Michael Caine was tough and cool and didn't give a damn, and simply answers: "Too much wine, women and song."
Brings a tear to my eye, every time.
Peter Aaron Rose is a writer, producer and technologist who lives and works in San Francisco, CA. Under the pseudonym "Peter Siegel", he recently authored Killing Demons, a graphic novel available from Engine Press and Platinum Studios.
