Review by Frank Plowright

Curt was once in Puke Hammer, a thrash metal band who released a pivotal album and had several good years before falling apart. Now he’s a househusband who takes care of his daughter and resists all exhortations to get the band together again. Is he truly happy?

Justin Heggs and Cam Hayden open with Curt in his performing glory before jumping forward a decade to the contrast of the present day with all the “hope I die before I get old” pathos that supplies. Heggs creates a completely believable personality for Curt, who’s trying to do right for his wife and daughter, yet is somehow lost. Strong scenes show the self-righteousness and anger that spurred his music can resurface, yet there’s also a tenderness with his daughter and the older son from an earlier relationship.

It’s Death Metal Ducks because Hayden draws the cast as ducks. And why not, as it’s following an old comic tradition and he does it extremely well, investing the cast with emotion and bringing life to the concert scenes. You’ll believe a duck can rock. Hayden also devises different visuals for different people, with Curt distinct for past and present.

What there is of Death Metal Ducks is extremely readable, and although Heggs follows a predictable path, he does so with charm and a lead character to believe in. Curt is so well defined that it doesn’t greatly matter than almost everyone else lacks a personality. We learn about him from start to present day, and how the metal music he discovered at eleven was a life-changing event.

That’s all good. The presumption is that everything we’re reading about is going to build toward something, but it doesn’t. Old wounds are healed and Puke Hammer reform, and that’s about it. For all Curt’s self-questioning, there’s not enough actual drama. You’ll reach the final page wondering if a section is missing, which is a poor application of the showbusiness rule of always leave them wanting more.