A Roadtrip but BL and in the Wild West
About:
Warning:
There will be spoilers for the manhwa series Dead or Alive.
Content Warning: There may be references to murder, death, gun violence, violence, dubcon, sexual harassment, kidnapping, sexual coercion, robbery, gang activity, manipulation, animal abuse, blood, torture, dismemberment, animal death, mentions of religion, mentions and depictions of capital punishment, BDSM (including nonconsenting and breath play), orphans, betrayal, chronic and terminal illness, drugs, drug use, excessive drinking, confinement, kidnapping, sexual assault, slut-shaming, and mentions of sex work, as they do appear in the manhwa.
Synopsis:
Calahan Boswall is one of the best bounty hunters known across the dusty land. Though he is good at what he does, that doesn’t mean he likes what he does, but once you’re a bounty hunter, you’re locked in until you’ve brought in your 1,000th bounty. Calahan thought he had done just that and was ready to take his bounty and retire out in the middle of nowhere, only to find out one of his kills was so badly damaged that they were unrecognizable.
Unfortunately, this means Calahan’s back on the road, hunting down someone known as Johnny the Grifter. The artist’s rendering is rather crude, but when Calahan happens upon a shepherd hand named Johnny working for some old folks, the Grifter’s usual targets, he’s pretty sure he has his guy. Johnny Downs is fervently denying the accusations, and while Calahan would usually shoot first and ask questions later, he’s determined to turn Johnny in alive and secure retirement. Along the way, Johnny is determined to save himself by any means necessary.
Review:
The art in this is super sketchy. If you’re looking for pristine art, it is not here. It also has a very cartoony look to it that, for whatever reason, gives me Hanna-Barbera cartoon vibes, like Huckleberry Hound. I wouldn’t say it looks childish or that the characters look particularly youthful, but it does give a Western cartoon vibe. I wouldn’t say that’s bad or anything. It’s just unique. Something else that is super unique is how much body hair is in this. I am so used to seeing all of these manhwa men who are either completely hairless or have the smallest amount of crotch hair possible, but now we have Calahan. This man has so much hair all over, and I love it. With that said, if body hair is not your thing, stay far, far away.
One of the reasons I think the art gives Huckleberry Hound is because of the story itself. It is very serious, with a gang trying to kill Calahan while he’s trying to escort Johnny to his death. These moments are intense but often end just as they begin with some level of cartoony escape or trick on Johnny or Calahan’s part. Don’t get me wrong, it still has very thrilling moments, but the speed at which the characters careen through them gives Monday morning 20-minute cartoon segment vibes. This series is 29 episodes long, including the epilogue, prologue, and author’s note. Yet, it tries to do a buddy comedy road trip with smut scenes sprinkled throughout on a Wild West backdrop. It’s just so much packed into what I think is too small of a package.
Plus, there is a mystery. One of the main points of contention in this story is whether or not Johnny really is Johnny the Grifter. There are multiple moments where his character comes into question, such as his lying about his mother and the murder he took part in. But once they reach their destination, someone who looks just like the shitty drawing is arrested and charged with the crimes. This seems to confirm that our Johnny was not the conman after all… except it seems to suggest that he actually was all along. It’s this weird flip of the script that doesn’t feel satisfying or realistic in any sense. I can’t express how disappointed I was when Johnny playfully tried to avoid admitting that he was Johnny the Grifter. I am all for a villain growing and becoming a hero, but we don’t even know he is a villain until all is said and done, so it feels a bit like a betrayal. I just didn’t like the timing of that reveal, especially when the story ends soon after.
Before we head out, I think it’s important as a degenerate to talk about the smut. This is noncon/dubcon heavy, which is already going to scare most people off. I don’t mind it myself, so that wasn’t a problem for me. Thankfully, it isn’t entirely dubcon and noncon, and some scenes in the consenting portions are absolutely delectable. There is a moment in an inn where Johnny makes one of the best ahegao faces I’ve seen in smutty BL. I love it. I wouldn’t say most of the scenes are that nice to look at, thanks to the cartoony and inconsistent nature of the art, but that scene is chef’s kiss.
Results:
This is a pretty mid title. The art is rough, the story is severely lacking, and while there is a killer smut scene with lots of masculine body hair, it’s not that great overall. If you’re desperate for a cartoony western with smut sprinkled in, then this might be worth a read. I still don’t think it’s worth it, though. This one is a miss for me.
Have you read Dead or Alive? If so, what do you think? Do you agree with my assessment? Do you not? Let me know, and comment below!