The first publication from DSTLRY is an anthology and The ‘Devils Cut’ is the first statement from the founding creators. They look like they had a lot of fun making this with an eclectic mix of strips from film noir to horror to westerns to perhaps a little more Sci Fi.
A heavy hitting team has put this together. Names I recognise include Tynion IV, Charretier, Jock, Azzarello, Snyder, McKelvie, Ram V, Cloonan and Lotay. As a reader I got the feeling as many superstar comic creators were packed in to make me at least pick up the book. And that worked.
We’ve said it before that anthologies are hard to produce. I think in the last five years (and I include my own titles in this) only one has stood out – and as you’d imagine it came from the U.K., the island of ‘smashing’ anthology titles. It takes a very skilled creative team to tell a fulfilling story in 8 pages, never mind the 5 page stories found in The Devils Cut. At times this makes the publication feel like a sampler with unfinished stories rather than a coherent whole – put I am being picky!
The stand out strip for me was ‘8 Rules To Make It Out in One Piece’ by Elsa Charretier and PK Colinet which has the right balance of action and dark humour that I love. Also this anthology is mainly story rather than character driven – and this story featured a stand out character I’d love to see again. I’m sure you will all have your own favourites, as is the nature of anthology titles.
They said I have found the whole concept intriguing and if ‘The Devils Cut’ is the equivalent of a whisky tasting then there is enough here (at least 9 of the 11 strips) to at least peak your interest for future stories, some of which when you add a little water will make the taste all the stronger. Not bad, but not a classic blend…yet!
7/10
ComicScene magazine 
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