Project Riese: A Simple Love of Pulp

Project Riese is Mad Cave Studios’ tribute to pulp magazine adventures. You’ve got your usual Nazi bashing adventurers, deep mysteries, and most importantly egotistical protagonists. The kind that give supporting casts a little more development.

Project Riese: Influencers Could Star In It

Zac Thompson makes the lead character Sam Safdie grounded in a familiar reality. He’s the kind of smart aleck you might follow because their persona is so entertaining. I mean certain YouTubers get people interested in things they didn’t know they liked. But since this really is his personality, you can’t help but sympathize with his crew for how cringeworthy Sam can be. Besides taking unnecessary risks, he’s not the most transparent guy to work with. Whatever arguments you can think of to justify Sam’s actions, it doesn’t change that he and a crew member are hiding something.

So why follow this lunatic? Because who wouldn’t want to dive into the chance to bash Nazis and bring their secrets to light? Especially when the real Project Riese gets a sensational makeover?

Sam’s Make-up Artists

The fashionista, Jeff McComsey really knows how to make a dull scene more interesting. Like how Sam’s quiet approach gets interrupted by a suspenseful page turn. Only for a well executed joke to break the tension, followed by another joke with a change in lettering by Justin Birch. The next transition is a clever bit of work by Paul Little in coloring; not only did a previous scene look better but there’s a real sense of time passed with how a formerly bright light looks dimmer. Can’t forget the motorcycle chasing our heroes coming out nowhere either. It almost looks like a tribute to Inglourious Basterds.

Project Riese: Juicy Enough For You?

Project Riese is a fine tribute to pulp fiction with entertaining characterizations. It feels like a budget film made with passion from everyone involved. And there’s so much potential to be found as the story goes on.

Final score: 8.5/10.

Thanks for coming to the end and as always remember to look between the panels.