Narco
The creative team of writer Doug Wagner and Daniel Hillyard have become synonymous with unique and sometimes humorous examinations of their own serial killer world. Starting with the classic Image books Plastic and recently, their follow-up Vinyl. Never a team to rest on their laurels, they have once again combined for a tale that lives in the same neighborhood as their previous successes. Entitled Narco, it tells the tale of a young man who suffers from Narcolepsy. In this case, it is brought on by an increase in heart rate. Which is not the most convenient of circumstances for a young man with designs on a girl. With that in mind, our hero Marcus is working hard to build up his resistance. Can’t fall asleep right when things get interesting can he?
Jess
The girl in question works at a restaurant that Marcus and his friends gather. Well, to be more accurate, Marcus has had his friends meet him there ever since he met Jess. Its been two years now and Marcus still hasn’t made his move. Not that his friends haven’t been encouraging him to. Pania has told Marcus that Jess wouldn’t wait forever for him to screw up his courage and ask her out. He should just tell her how he feels.
Fortunately for Marcus, Jess beats him to the punch. Marcus had recently fixed Jess’s Wi-Fi. She had told him that in exchange, she would make dinner for them at her place. He still hadn’t followed through. DUDE!!?? Jess tells Marcus that she would not take no for an answer. Pick a day next week and a time and it would happen. Surprisingly, Marcus didn’t collapse right then and there. His friends were thrilled for him. Now all he needed to do was follow through and don’t mess it up.
Working on his Dinner Conversation
So, later at home, Marcus continued to work on maintaining his heart rate as he imagines what he might discuss with Jess over dinner. Jess lived in the same apartment complex he did. Right across the hall. It was while pondering his conversational skills that he heard an argument outside his door. Jess and her former boyfriend Ben, who was having separation issues. Especially when Jess closed her door on him and locked it. He pounded on her door trying to get in. Marcus knew he couldn’t confront the angry man so he called the police instead. Unfortunately, Ben had heard Marcus. He then pounded on HIS door, letting him know that the cops wouldn’t be able to save him. Of course, Marcus heart rate shot up and soon, he was laying on the floor.
Dinner or Date?
When he came to, he was still on his apartment floor, none the worse for wear. Under his front door was a note from Jess, thanking him for calling the police. Also included was this add-on: “Dinner, Friday Night, My Place…No excuses.” It was on! But what was on? Marcus (being Marcus) asked his friends over Friday afternoon to ask for advice. Was this an official date or was it just dinner? His male friends, Bindi and Kase assured him it WAS a date. Dinner…just the two of them? DATE! Pania told Marcus to not label it. To do so puts unnecessary expectations on it. Just call it a dinner and see what happens.
So as the time approached, Marcus chased them out, showered, dressed and worried. Trying his best to keep his heart rate from being problematic. Soon she would come over to get him. Sure enough, right on time a knock came at his door. He looked out the peep-hole and saw Jess. But she appeared to be in trouble. Something was happening and she begged for him to open the door. But for some reason, it was stuck. He couldn’t open it. Pulling frantically, he saw a splash of red splatter against the peep hole. But by then, his heart rate had spiked like mad, and he collapsed on the floor. What had happened to Jess? The results are waiting for you to read and find out.
Thoughts
Wagner and Hillyard have become experts at finding original, and entertaining ways to make stories about serial killers…dare I say, fun? Between Plastic, Vinyl and now Narco, they have created an imaginative way to produce a narrative that is both disturbing and addictive. Not the most easy of tasks. But by now, we should expect nothing less. Wagner’s prose, combined with the stylings of Mr. Hillyard have made pretty much any book by the team, a must read. Narco fits right into that collection. You can find Narco as well as a Deluxe Hardcover Edition of the book that started the mayhem, Plastic on their current Kickstarter, found here. Check it out while we wait for the creative team to give us the third chapter in their Textile themed Serial Killer Saga.
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 50 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove head first over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 18 year old boy with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
