Synopsis: Loosely based on the classic solo debut of the shock rock legend Alice Cooper, this comic follows the singer who gets stuck in his nightmare by otherworldly forces.
My Thoughts: First off, as a casual Alice Cooper fan, I'll say Welcome to My Nightmare was one of my first concept albums and to this day, one of my favorites. The distorted instrumentals created a superbly eerie atmosphere enhanced by the uncanny, grim lyrics so the idea of illustrating this aural experience in graphic form sounded like a perfect recipe for visual insanity if handled right.
Much to my slight disappointment, this was not an adaptation but an original story basing its plot off elements from the album. This isn't to say I disliked it since, on the contrary, I was pretty entertained by the pulpy horror aesthetic to the plotline and Cooper's shock performance scenes and casually rash, epicurean demeanor felt in character with his old stage persona. Nonetheless, as one might infer from the three-star rating, I didn't love it to pieces and find it flawless. As fun as it was to ride along the wild jaunt of pagan weirdness, there were many aspects of it which felt like something straight from a kid's fantasy of meeting their hero which is exactly what takes place here, albeit in not the most idyllic way for said kid given the predicament he's roped into. While there are many examples of the "meeting your heroes" tropes being utilized to an impactful effect in media, it came across as trite and unremarkable here as the interaction did not leave a lasting impression on me in the end due to its lack in uniqueness and emotional disconnect with the kid fan whose character wasn't fleshed out enough to care for.
Final Thoughts: Alice Cooper Vol. 1 is a weird little comic which, while lacking in character development and story more or less, was a fun, somewhat campy read a fan of the musician will likely get some enjoyment from. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be wallowing in our continuous nightmare that is very reality we are living in.
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