Paul Chadwick's Concrete #3

Sorry, I couldn't find an image of issue #3. Here's a great
  portrait of Concrete instead.

   

 Concrete is or was a human named Ronald Lithgow, whose brain has been placed into a gigantic concrete body. 

   The last time I read a Concrete story was a graphic novel or trade collection called 'Think Like a Mountain.' It was sappy, it was far left extremist environmentalist, and it was boring. I read that book several years ago and haven't dipped my toe back in those waters since.  That is until one day recently, when I couldn't for the life of me decide on what to read next. On a recommendation from someone on Facebook, I decided to give Concrete another try. 

   I happened to have an issue of Concrete on hand that I got out of a grab bag. So with suggestion and praise from a fan, I gave Paul Chadwick's creation another try and this time I       was pleasantly surprised.

  The issue might be marked #3 but if you are going to give Concrete a try, this is actually your best starting point. It establishes Concrete's origin; something I wish I had when I read 'Think Like A Mountain.' In this issue, we learn that Ronald was going through a rough divorce and that a buddy of his decided to take him camping. 

  On the trip, the friends end up getting kidnapped by aliens and have their brains transplanted into large concrete bodies similar to that of the aliens. On the mother ship, the guys are subjected to numerous tests that most border on torture. Seeing that their time as living guinea pigs is growing short, the men must make a mad dash for freedom, even if it means being stuck in a body of Concrete forever.

    This is the Concrete I wish I was introduced to all those years ago. The characters were much more interesting and I felt more pity for Ronald and his friend than I did in my previous encounter. The art was very clean and comes through in brilliant black and white. Only the dialogue was the only thing I had a problem with as it was at times B-movie fodder at best.

    Though new Concrete isn't on my radar anytime soon, I am currently searching out the complete original series of Dark Horse Presents. Concrete just happens to star in several issues of that innovative anthology series. So I will be following his adventures again in the near future. Only, I won't be looking at having to read those tales with dread anymore.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.