Greetings ghosts and ghoulies and welcome to The Theatre of Terror the home of horror comic news, reviews, classic comic scans and creepy art from around the world. Just remember, it's not for the nervous!
Issue: Zombie Chuck #2 Writer: Brian Fyffe Artist: Brian Fyffe Release Date: 2012 Pages: 32 Price: $5.00
“Chuck and Lily’s second adventure, in 28 pages of color printed on aged newsprint paper!”
Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5 Zombie Chuck is back, and ready to party for Halloween! I was so excited to get my hands on the second issue of this series from Brian Fyffe, that he avoided me for 2 whole days at C2E2, just to drive up my want level. Building off of the first issue, we now get Chuck in color. This adds to the overall concept and feel of ZC in such a good way. Being a book that is directed at all ages, like Casper would be, it is important to utilize all of the tools at your disposal to try to attract an audience, so the addition of color is a step in the right direction. I really love Fyffe’s style on the entire cast, and while I thought that I the werewolves would be the coolest looking characters in this issues, I have to go hands down to the Big Blue Monster. He is awesome! The designs on the cast are classic in horror nature, but so fun in context to the story. The story itself is full of horror and comedy. I really get this old sci-fi movie vibe from it as well. Movies that were meant to be scary at the time, but when watched now have this fun monster feel to them. The story is great for everyone and anyone and added with the amazing artwork, it makes this book a clear-cut winner. I really hope that at some point we can get more than 1 issue a year, but it’s always great to know that when I go to C2E2 I can pick up the next one. Zombie Chuck is worth all 500 pennies.
Artwork: 4.5 out of 5 • Story: 4.5 out of 5
If you would like to buy or know more about Zombie Chuck you can find it at http://www.fyffo.com
War ensues between the forces of good and evil as Hellboy finally confronts the Queen of Blood one on one, setting the stage for a new chapter in Hellboy’s life!
Mike Mignola and Duncan Fegredo conclude an epic collaboration that began in Hellboy: Darkness Calls!
Based on the Dark Horse comics series Hellboy: The Fury.
There’s a great sound track to these movies that add a new level of interest to the whole proceedings. However, there seems to be a lot of mixed reactions over the voice actors, and whether of not these videos are actually any good. Tell us what you think.
Romanian artist Mihai Marius Mihu spent seven months recreating the hellish visions of the nine circles of hell from Dante’s Divine Comedy using almost 40,000 Lego bricks. We love Mihai’s commitment to his work. Take a look at these awesome models below.
Mihai said:
I didn’t read the Divine Comedy, only the small descriptions of the circles I found on the websites. I didn’t want to be much influenced by the original descriptions because I wanted to give a whole new fresh approach for each circle. I thought more about the significance of titles and from then on it was only my imagination.
This coming August, Vampirella and Barnabas Collins meet for the first time EVER in Dark Shadows/Vampirella #1! Written by the acclaimed Marc (Manhunter) Andreyko and drawn by Patrick Berkenkotter, with a cover by Fabiano Neves, this will be a cross-over to remember! Be sure to pick up Dark Shadows/Vampirella #1 this coming August!
In Dark Shadows/Vampirella #1, when the disappearance of a family friend brings Barnabas Collins to New York, he is ill-prepared for the seedy underworld of clubs that awaits him! And Vampirella’s quest to find the “Big Apple Butcher” sends her on a collision course with the vampire of Collinsport! Will Vampirella and Barnabas uncover the shocking identity of this madman before they kill each another?
“Barnabas Collins and Vampirella are two classic characters in vampire lore, so getting the chance to pen their first meeting is a blast,” says writer Marc Andreyko. “I remember watching Dark Shadows reruns and sneaking peeks at the Vampirella magazines when I was just a wee lad, so getting to do this book seems like fate! And I’m not going easy on Barnabas or Vampi in this series, either! They are going to be put through a gauntlet of terror before this book is through!”
Jim Pierson, spokesman for Dark Shadows rights owner Dan Curtis Productions, adds, “It’s fun to further expand the reach of Dark Shadows and hopefully expose the classic characters to new fans who might just be discovering Barnabas with the new Johnny Depp movie.”
“Cross-overs get a bad rap when they’re not done right, or they feel forced,” adds Dynamite editor Joe Rybandt. “But this one felt like a natural the moment we had the idea. The setting, the characters, the bad guys…the whole thing has come together so naturally, and Marc and Patrick are the perfect pair to make it happen.”
Issue: Monocyte #4 Writers: Menton3, Kasra Ghanbari, Steve Niles, Barron Storey Artists: Menton3, Chris Newman, Ben Templesmith Covers: Menton3, David Stoupakis, Phil Hale Publisher: IDW Release Date: May 2012 Price: $3.99
“The world is in in chaos. Monocyte makes his way to Azrael as the human slaves are freed… Series conclusion with art by menton3 (ZvR: Aventure, Silent Hill) and co-written by Kasra Ghanbari with an incentive cover by world-renowned fine artist Phil Hale and side stories by legendary fine artist/illustrator Barron Storey (Sandman: Endless Nights) and superstar horror writer Steve Niles (30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre).”
Dying Breath: 5.0 out of 5
How can I even begin to put into words what I thought about the final issue of Monocyte without just saying…PERFECTION! That’s all, review over. No, just kidding, but it really does sum up this issue and this entire series oh so damn well. The main story (there are two backup stories) was visually stunning. At one point my eyes melted out of my skull because of how GORE-Geous the pages by Menton3 and Chris Newman were. Since the series is now over, I want to recap how well the art played with the story because it was nailed down with this final issue. The images presented throughout the series were almost like going to an art gallery. I wondered how words could even try to play well with what I was seeing visually, and I think it was a great challenge for Menton3 and Kasra to overcome. Yet, in the hands of these two, a story was crafted that defied visual logic, playing out so poetically that I wondered if the images were even needed! They crafted a world that had so much depth and mystery that it played out beyond what my brain could even comprehend. This issue just solidifies the fact that when the right elements combine you can create something so beautiful it will leave all readers satisfied. Monocyte was a tempting beauty that captured my black heart for months on end. This, ladies and gentlemen, is beyond what comic books strive to be. It is what comic books should be.
Artwork: 5.0 out of 5 • Story: 5.0 out of 5
If you would like to buy or know more about Monocyte you can find it at http://www.idwpublishing.com
Cleanliness may be endowed with a moral quality, as indicated by the aphorism “cleanliness is next to godliness,” but what if the opposite was true as our next story suggests to be the case. Whatever the answer, you’ll definintely be more careful next time you go in The Bath. Art by Bernie Krigstein.
Issue: Product of Society #5 Creators: Jon Michael Lennon, Leo Perez, Chris Newman, B. Alan Hubbard, Lauren Burke, Andrew Dimitt, Don Hills, Kyle Lawler, Donovan Klingal, Josh Filer, Mat Festa, Thor Fjalarsson and Sarah Hollings Publisher: CheeseLord Comics Release Date: March 2012 Price: $5.00
“Synopsis An anthology of Earth’s most disturbed persons. Product of Society features comics covering all known genres from a wide be selection of upcoming indie talents. It is an echo chamber for the despair within the human soul that makes us all products of society.”
Dying Breath: 4.0 out of 5 Dirty, Smut, Filth, Trash, Horror GOODNESS! Each word can only bring 1 oz of justice to the pages of Product of Society #5. I want to start with the cover art because that is just GORE-Geous! I want a story based on whatever is going on there. And the back cover is magnificent! Like most anthologies this book is filled with varying art and story telling styles. I really think that every single artist in this issue is amazing in what they do. They all have a unique visual voice that might not look like it’s neighbor story, but they all play together so well. Visually this book is a winner. So how do the stories hold up? What I always seem to notice in an anthology is some kind a variance in what I enjoy, compared to something that just is not for me. I highly enjoyed 6 of the 8 stories in this book. I did find that some could use a little polishing on the dialogue, but overall it is a solid collection of tales. The highlights for me were “Re:Salvation”, “Moon Shits”, and “Her Eyes”. Out of all the stories these 3 were my favorites. Product of Society may be a mature title, but what is collected inside of it, is solid comic silver. Polishing up some of the edges for future issues will easily put this book in a gold class all on its own, it is worth every penny.
Artwork: 4.5 out of 5 • Story: 4.0 out of 5
If you would like to buy or know more about Product of Society #5 you can find it at http://cheeselordcomics.com/
Viper Comics is proud to announce its Digital 1st comic series which is being launched today, “Ichabod Jones: Monster Hunter”. Get your digital copy for only .99 cents at Graphicly, iVerse, Comixology, iBooks and Amazon.
The series launched with the release of Issue #1 in March. Issue #2 followed on April 18th. Issue #3 is released on May 16 and Issue #4 releases on June 13. The trade comes out on July 11th. Just in time for Comic-Con 2012.
Ichabod Jones: Monster Hunter
Written by Russell Nohelty | Art by Renzo Podesta
Ichabod Jones is a deranged, mentally unstable psychopath. He’s also on a mission to save the world. At least that’s what the bossy voice in his head tells him. The same voice that led him to be interred in a maximum security mental asylum in the first place. Now, he must escape from the asylum and rid the world of monsters in the midst of the Apocalypse. Of course he’s a psychopath, so who knows if anything going on in his head is real in the first place.
I love comic book trailers, take a look at this one below.
Issue: Doctor Spektor Archives Volume 4 HC Writer: Donald Glut Artist: Jesse Santos Publisher: Dark Horse Release Date: February 2012 Price: $50.00
“Confronting supernatural threats and vengeful monsters, Dr. Spektor travels from Scottish lochs to cursed swamplands–and from the surreal dreamscape of the Egyptian afterlife to New York City’s Chinatown! Collecting issues #19 to #25 of The Occult Files of Doctor Spektor and a Spektor tale from Gold Key Spotlight #8, plus notes from Spektor’s secret files, including a piece on Dr. Solar!”
Dying Breath: 4.0 out of 5
Believe it or not review reader, I have never had a chance to check out Doctor Spektor comics before. Sure I have heard of them, but it was not until Dark Horse supplied me with this great volume that I had my first chance to really check this cast out. The artwork in this volume by Santos is fantastic. He does a great job of keeping the cast consistent from panel to panel. The man can also draw an amazing monster or two. I thought that the Leviathan and the Lurker were the highlights of the bunch, but each stories creature or villain could easily hold it’s own. The stories in this series do feel dated (70’s), but they can hold up with the horror detective tales of today. For those fans of Cal McDonald, Dylan Dog, or John Constantine you might want to check out Doctor Specktor. The same concept applies here, in that something bizarre is happening and it is up to him to solve it. Each story has it’s own tale, and they play out like a weekly television show. You have the mystery and intrigue to capture the readers from the start, but then they are wrapped up by the end. So there is a good deal of story to be had in these pages. My only downside was that I felt some of the stories we really good, but others were not able to live up to that same level. Overall this is an amazing collection, that I am very proud to have had the chance to look at. Fans of the horror detectives will easily fall in love with this book, and I think any old school horror fans will be happy to check this out as well. These stories can stand up with the best of them and this book deserves to be on your horror shelf.
Artwork: 4.5 out of 5 • Story: 4.0 out of 5
If you would like to buy or know more about Doctor Spektor you can find it at http://www.darkhorse.com
Issue: Bloke’s Terrible Tomb of Terror #3 Writers: Jason “Bloke” Crawley, Mike Hoffman Artists: Mike Hoffman, Rock Baker Publisher: Mike Hoffman & Jason Crawley Release Date: February 2012 Price: $8.95
“Another 6 tales to keep you entertained and craving more! Retro style artwork and straight to the point story telling, hosted by The Bloke and The Fearleader! The ongoing series from artist Mike Hoffman and writer Jason Crawley continues to help fill the void left behind by those classic mags we read growing up!
Miss those glory days of Horror Anthology magazines? Then look no further….”
Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5
6 more tales of terror are coming your way, when you pick up this fantastic horror comic magazine. Jason Crawley, Mike Hoffman and Rock Baker are not afraid to take you into the dark depths of the comic-verse within these 52 pages. The artwork is drop dead GORE-Geous. It screams out that it belongs in the horror world, with its amazing black and white image that will make your bones shiver. I really loved the look of every story, but I am a big fan of Hoffman’s style. Baker, whose work I am new to, is a perfect fit for this kind of work. The two styles combined to bring a me an eyegasm. The stories live up to what I think of as classic horror. It borders on a Twilight Zone kind of feel. Nothing is over the top gorey, and they are short enough to contain the right amount of horror fun. I often think of these kind of stories to be like Aesop Fables, as you learn what not to do, to survive. My favorite stories of the bunch had to be “Green Fingers” and “Deja Grue”. This anthology can speak to old school horror fans as well as new comers. It has a great throwback feel that will easily win people over. I enjoyed this issue so much, that I am now going to start yelling at “Bloke” until I get another issue in front of me. You need to check this out, and if you get the chance to do it in person, say hi to Jason because he is there as “Bloke”.
Artwork: 4.5 out of 5 • Story: 4.0 out of 5
If you would like to buy or know more about Bloke’s Terrible Tomb of Terror you can find it at Bloke’s Terrible Tomb
Issue: Rachel Rising Vol. 1: The Shadow of Death Writer: Terry Moore Artist: Terry Moore Publisher: Abstract Studio Release Date: 2012 Price: $16.99
“Rachel Beck wakes in a shallow grave and claws her way free as a mysterious woman watches from a bluff. With no memory of the night before, Rachel enlists the help of Aunt Johnny, the town mortician, to find her killer. But when repeated attacks send her to the morgue, Rachel’s ability to wake from death again and again prove to be a blessing and a curse, and the eerie town of Manson will never be the same! Collects issues #1-6.”
Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5 Oh Terry Moore, you wow me on all levels. Rachel Rising was a title in which I did not know what to expect when it came out, and honestly I still don’t know what to expect because it is such a mystery. Within the pages of Volume 1, I was treated to GORE-Geous artwork and a story that left me needing more! Moore’s art style shines on these pages. His characters are a thing to behold. They are so solid on every panel and it says something to the fact that it is all done in glorious black and white. Not that I don’t like gray tones, but they are not needed here. This book captures the elements of horror in expressions and scenes so well. When something is set to scare you, you better believe it will. The story itself had a slower start, but then picked up quickly. By the time I got to issue #3, I was hooked. The dialogue is a huge strong point for this book. Moore has an amazing grasp on how people interact, and it has shown in all of his titles. Going back to the horror elements, he does a fantastic job of building up a sense of terror in the reader, as people have very creepy vibes about them. This world is just beginning to be flushed out, and already I need it to be presented to me more than once a month. This is a book I will be talking about for years to come, and this collection is only just the beginning. You won’t be able to just read this book, because you will be transplanted into this world and feel that it is becoming a part of who you are. Buy now, and enjoy it for many years to come!
Artwork: 5.0 out of 5 • Story: 4.5 out of 5
If you would like to buy or know more about Rachel Rising Vol. 1: The Shadow of Death you can find it at http://www.terrymooreart.com/
Do you want to join the Scream team? We're looking for enthusiastic people to contribute articles on horror or comics here on The Theatre of Terror. Contact me for more info.
War ensues between the forces of good and evil as Hellboy finally confronts the Queen of Blood one on one, setting the stage for a new chapter in Hellboy’s life!
Cleanliness may be endowed with a moral quality, as indicated by the aphorism “cleanliness is next to godliness,” but what if the opposite was true as our next story suggests to be the case. Whatever the answer, you’ll definintely be more careful next time you go in The Bath. Art by Bernie Krigstein.
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