Avatar Press releases the furies of Hell upon an unsuspecting cosmos with the sudden return of Jason Voorhees! That’s right, the very same comic studio – or better put, the maniacs – behind the ultra-violent Crossed series has also expanded upon the Friday the 13^th saga – and Jason has found a good home to be in indeed. Expect some beautiful artwork and gallons of gore, because this time around Jason faces off against his most dangerous foe yet –  himself. This is Jason vs Jason X.

 

 

It’s Friday the 13^th and your pal Manic couldn’t be happier! Let’s pause to appreciate the enormity bestowed upon us humble horror fans – a Friday the 13^th in Halloween month? Hell yes! So slap a hockey mask on your Jack-o-Lanterns friends! Get the popcorn and kill the lights!  It’s time to celebrate all things Jason!

 

 

You know I have Jason movies playing on every TV that I own right now. Plus I’ve been racking up all that double XP from the amazing Friday the 13^th game. Harry Manfredini soundtracks are playing in the background and we just can’t get enough Jason around here today. It’s an all-out horror extravaganza in the House of Exorcism!  So in honor of Jason’s birthday, won’t you please join me as we look at this forgotten little gem that furthers the franchise’s story once the credits roll on Jason X?

 

 

Jason X is a polarizing film, I’ll admit that. It’s one of those ‘ya either love-it or hate-it’ deals. I know plenty of loyal fans who absolutely cannot tolerate this movie. They’d rather have their fingernails ripped out than have to sit through ‘Jason in space’ ever again. Personally I do like Jason X. I get why others don’t, it’s certainly a flawed motion picture, but I still have fun watching it. The only film in the franchise I sincerely hate is Jason Goes to Hell. On a bitter-sweet note Jason X was also the last time Kane Hodder would play his most iconic role – as Jason Voorhees – on the big-screen, so that alone gives it a sweet spot in my twisted heart. Not only that, but I can enjoy the ridiculousness of the film’s plot.

 

However, if you happen to hate Jason X, I still hope you would give this story a chance.  Jason vs Jason X is a good read, a fun story – bursting at the seams with all the staples you’d come to expect from a Friday the 13th installment – plus it’s very interesting to see where the story goes and what kind of sequel we could have had with Jason XI.

 

Jason vs Jason X

In the cold bowels of the galaxy the battle-royal of a lifetime erupts as fans of the Friday the 13^th franchise are treated to a deep-red gore fest, splashing in chunks across the stars! Far removed from the familiar settings of Crystal Lake, Jason Voorhees is given fresh life aboard the star ship Grendel. The scavenger crew hoping to salvage the remains of the Grendel have no idea what insidious evil sleeps in deathless slumber deep in the steel guts of the drifting ghost ship. The same bio re-engineering technology that begot the Uber Jason, now resurrects the original mass-murderer. Jason’s new reign of terror begins afresh and no one is safe from his fury. An onslaught of carnage splatters across the pages as Jason carves a bleeding path through the cold silence of space, leaving a steaming trail of beating red pulp in his thundering wake.

 

 

Meanwhile, aboard an interstellar pleasure cruiser, the Fun Time – where it’s promised the fun never ends – the fun comes to a horrific end as arms are pulled asunder, heads are cloven apart and guts spill loudly across mirrored floors. Here the Uber Jason unfurls his chaotic symphony of murderous wrath.  The partiers have no chance of escape as he lumbers across each writhing corpse in his infinite hunt for more flesh to feed his rage.

 

 

Two Jasons – one being a futuristic monstrosity of super-heightened carnage – the other being the original unrestrained icon of our earliest childhood terrors. Both are unstoppable forces of relentless evil and are drawn to one another from across the vacuum of space, to finally meet face-to-face in a murderous showdown. Like infernal magnetism, evil summons evil unto itself, pulling forth the gargantuan might of Hell’s finest killers to clash in this ultimate battle to the death! It’s killer vs killer – two lost souls who share an equal (insatiable) craving for blood and destruction. This is Jason vs Jason X – the classic battling it out with the future –  and it’s the gut-spilling war of machetes we want! Nothing is held back here and there can only be one survivor once the slashing finally comes to an end. The problem is – as all the fans know – Jason can’t stay dead for long. Evil never dies!

 

Jason vs Jason X is a two-issue comic run released back in 2006 by Avatar Press. Picking up a copy of this story might be a bit tricky, but if you’re lucky you might find it at your local comic shop. If all else fails, copies can be purchased on Amazon.

 

 

 

 

This has been Manic Exorcism wishing you all a very Happy Friday the 13th!