Reminiscent of works by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, Cherubs tromps through some well-trodden turf in an often hilarious and profound manner. Accused of Heaven's first homicide, five churlish cherubim flee to New York in pursuit of the real criminal, the renegade archangel Abbadon. Befriended by exotic-dancer Mary and pursued by unstoppable Seraphim terminators, the Cherubs alone stand against the impending Apocalypse. The acclaimed Talbot (One Bad Rat, Alice in Sunderland) and cartoonist Stafford skewer a wide range of supernatural-inspired pop culture icons from Buffy to Scooby-Doo by way of Harry Potter, not to mention the abundant hypocrisies inherent within Christianity. Similar to the dwarfs of Disney fame, the five unique, diminutive protagonists often bicker and play among themselves, trading barbs and banter throughout. Stafford's underground-inspired art lends the proper touch of chaos and levity to the proceedings. While at times missing the mark and perhaps a tad too long, the excellent Cherubs provides an enlightening, intelligent, and humorous entertainment. ( )