Drive Like Hell

Bobby Ray and his girlfriend Dahlia are taking part in a little bank robbery where the former’s job is to provide the distraction while their friends get away with the money.  The problem is that Bobby Ray has picked the wrong car for this job.  Not that this car isn’t fast, but it’s actually a demon in automobile form that was called up to Earth for a specific job.  Now, in addition to the law, Bobby Ray and Dahlia find themselves having to escape the forces of Hell – and Heaven – all because they really, really want what’s in this car’s trunk.

If nothing else, “Drive Like Hell” serves up some decent supernatural car-chase action for the length of its four issues.  Don’t go in expecting a detailed character study of the motivations of its protagonists, or anyone else in the cast for that matter.  Do expect writer Rich Douek and artist Alex Cormak trying their best to serve up a story that escalates in craziness, has some decent automobile setpieces in a medium that isn’t generally friendly towards it, and the occasional welcome bit of smart-assedness.

I don’t think this quite reaches the heights seen in the second volume of “Death or Glory,” but what’s here satisfies.  Up until the end.  Which really isn’t an end but a sudden stop that offers nothing in the way of closure.  I wouldn’t have minded seeing more of Bobby Ray, Dahlia, and their car, but that doesn’t appear to be in the cards.  “Drive Like Hell” at least implies that it might be worth checking out what Doueck and Cormak do next to see if they can deliver a full-formed story that better realizes everything on display here.