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Posted on Oct 23, 2004 - 03:45 AM by Admin |
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You may be too old to don a costume and go trick or treating with the kids, but that doesn’t mean Comic Fanatics can’t find a few treats of their own this Halloween! For some truly horrific Halloween treats, head on over to your favorite comic book store - the costume is optional! Need help in your search for the best horror comics in the industry today? The Comic Fanatic.Com has compiled a list of 20 comics that would make for horrific Halloween treats for any Comic Fanatic!
1. The Walking Dead (Image) -
Writer Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead is perhaps my favorite ongoing series in all of Comicdom right now…and has been since its shocking first issue. This is a book that zombie fans have been needing for years, but this book is much more than a simple shock and gore zombie tale. The Walking Dead is first and foremost a tale of survival. Imagine the movie “Night Of The Living Dead”…but it never ends!
The Walking Dead chronicles the adventures of police officer Rick Grimes, his family and a group of fellow survivors’ efforts to stay alive and adjust in a world gone mad. In the classic zombie scenario, we aren’t sure what caused the zombie outbreak, nor do we know how widespread the zombie infection is. What we do know is that zombies can and will turn up at any time…and no one is safe!
Kirkman keeps the reader off guard constantly. You never know when a zombie attack will happen, nor who will die next. More importantly, the reader never knows if an issue will even feature a zombie! In many cases, it’s these zombie-free issues that tend the pull the reader in more…setting you up for the unexpected horror that’s always around the corner!
Kirkman has been blessed with two incredible artists on this series. Artist Tony Moore illustrated the first six issues of this series, and continues to illustrate the covers - some of the most eye catching covers in the industry. Artist Charlie Adlard took over with The Walking Dead #7, and hasn’t looked back since!
The first six issues of The Walking Dead have been collected in the very affordable ($9.95!) trade paperback “Days Gone Bye” and a second trade paperback collecting issues #7 - #12 called “Miles Behind Us” is scheduled to be released soon. The Walking Dead is a monthly ongoing series that retails for $2.95 and is published by Image.
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2. Bogus Dead (Jeroman Empire) -
Here’s a hidden gem for the hardcore zombie fan. This anthology edited by Jerome Gaynor features tons of zombie tales as told by 42 different cartoonists from around the world! 144 black and white pages of undead goodness for $10 bucks?! A zombie fan couldn’t ask for more!
Bogus Dead features a little something for every zombie fan. From comedy to horror and the downright bizarre, this collection will make you laugh one minute and send chills down your spine the next! Featuring the work of the legendary Jim Mahfood and dozens of other talented independent creators, Bogus Dead will leave you craving more!
Bogus Dead is a must have for any zombie fan. This 114 page collection can be purchased for $10 by visiting Jeroman Empire.Com.
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3. Zombie Highway (Bughouse Comics) -
Keeping with the zombie theme, here’s one that caught me off guard and blew me away this year! This miniseries written by Jason Pell with stunning art by Roberto Viacava was originally a self published, three issue miniseries that may have slipped under many zombie fans’ radars.
Zombie Highway is best described as a Hollywood quality road trip/buddy movie…filled with the undead! With snappy dialogue and a breakneck, action packed story, this is a zombie tale that belongs on the big screen…and in the hands of each and every zombie fan!
Four mismatched friends with characteristics that may seem familiar to any guys who have had cool and not so cool party pals find themselves in a world filled with the undead. In an attempt to transport a mysterious package across the country, these fellows must contend with the police, demons, lesbian zombies and a psycho with a pregnant zombie! Yeah! You have to read this one to believe it!
Zombie Highway is being collected in a trade paperback. This 96 page graphic novel will feature a color cover by Nick Bradshaw and black and white interior art by Viacava. Zombie Highway will go on sale for $12.95 in November. To find out more about Zombie Highway, visit Bughouse Comics.Com.
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4. Remains (IDW Publishing) -
Another zombie entry, and this one is a product of the “Master of the Macabre”, writer Steve Niles. Remains is a slightly different zombie tale that smacks of the science fiction tales from the 1950s, all the while moving zombies into new territory.
A simple clumsy human mistake causes a disaster that turns much of the world in the very near future into zombies. A couple named Tom and Tori manage to survive through a little naughty action inside a safe in Reno. However, this couple seem to be more of a danger to themselves than the flesh hungry zombies surrounding them! Somehow, these two people who despise each other must work together to survive hordes of brainless zombies…The twist? These zombies aren’t brainless! They’re learning and adapting!
Remains is a bloody joy to behold thanks to the gory and stunning art of Kieron Dwyer. From beginning to end, Dwyer brings this horrific tale to bloody life…or in this case, un-life!
Remains is a five issue miniseries published by IDW Publishing. This miniseries is scheduled to be released as a trade paperback in December.
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5. 30 Days Of Night, Dark Days and 30 Days Of Night: Return To Barrow (IDW Publishing) -
Speaking of Niles, these vampire miniseries are considered by many to be his crowning achievement thus far in his illustrious career. Featuring the dark, eerie and moody artwork of Ben Templesmith, the 30 Days saga is guaranteed to keep you awake at night!
Niles captures a claustrophobic and terrifying feel with the first 30 Days Of Night miniseries, trapping residents of Barrow, Alaska in 30 days of darkness with bloodthirsty vampires. After the first miniseries’ stunning end, Niles continued the dark tale with the different, but equally eerie Dark Days, which followed Stella Olemaun in her efforts to expose the truth of what happened in Barrow…and to prove vampires walk among us!
Niles wrapped up the 30 Days saga - at least until the ongoing 30 Days Of Night: Bloodsucker Tales debuts - with the six issue miniseries Return To Barrow. Featuring a cast of new characters and some old, familiar faces, Return To Barrow returned to that claustrophobic feel of the original 30 Days Of Night and wrapped things up with a bang!
The entire 30 Days Of Night saga is easily defined by the dark and moody art of Templesmith. Sure, Niles comes up with the spooky story, but it’s Templesmith who sets the mood and puts the reader there on the edge of their seat. Templesmith’s art will creep you out and unnerve you! Templesmith has wowed me on everything he has ever done, but this is the saga that made this artist a superstar in my eyes!
Each of the 30 Days Of Night miniseries can be found in trade paperback form, as well as hardcover trades. To find out more about the 30 Days Of Night comics, visit IDW Publishing.Com or Steve Niles.Com.
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6. Aleister Arcane (IDW Publishing) -
While we’re talking about Niles, let’s talk about this excellent and surprising miniseries. This is one for anyone who grew up watching those late night creature features - and I did! Aleister Arcane is one such creature feature TV host who returns to his hometown in Oklahoma to thrill late night horror movie buffs. However, a strange set of events leads the town to ostracize Aleister…and eventually drive him to his grave! Aleister leaves behind some young friends who appreciated his horrific tastes. And Aleister also left something behind for their parents and the rest of the adults who turned him into an outcast…
The real star of this miniseries is artist Breehn Burns. Never have I read a comic that has such atmosphere. Burns has a beautiful, clean style, but also has a knack for creeping out the reader! Burns’ art is atmospheric, ominous and filled with some of the spookiest shadowy creatures and monsters, which will leave your mind reeling!
Aleister Arcane is a three issue miniseries published by IDW Publishing.Com. Aleister Arcane is scheduled to be released as a trade paperback in time for Halloween.
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7. Wake The Dead (IDW Publishing) -
Yep. It’s that Niles guy again. My all time favorite movie monster is Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein’s monster. In this five issue miniseries, Niles reinvents the classic Frankenstein story in a modern day setting with some surprising twists. This one was almost immediately optioned as a motion picture, and after reading just the first issue, you’ll know why.
Part teen drama, and all horror, Wake The Dead showcase the detailed and gory artistic style of the artist known only as Chee. Each issue has several scenes that will leave you slack-jawed in horror, a power few artists possess. Chee sets the bar high, and Hollywood will have a tough time capturing the horror this artist has brought to the printed page!
Wake The Dead is currently available in trade paperback from IDW Publishing.Com.
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8. The Nail (Dark Horse) -
Okay. Last Niles entry on the list, I promise! This time around Niles joins forces with the creative and twisted mind of rock star/horror movie maker Rob Zombie. The results? A comic that reads like a really good, over the top 80s horror flick! If this one doesn’t follow the trend of other Niles’ tales as movie projects, Hollywood isn’t paying attention!
Only Niles and Zombie could take wrestling, rock and roll and demonic bikers, roll them into one book and make it creepy, rather than comical. Niles and Zombie leave a lot of the origins of this story’s creatures up to the reader’s imaginations, which can be even more twisted in my case!
Artist Nat Jones shines with this miniseries, illustrating some eerie demonic bikers, twisted freaks and some truly pulled off the big screen gore scenes! And the Simon Bisley covers just make this incredible miniseries all the better!
The Nail is a four issue miniseries and The Nail #4 has just been released from Dark Horse.
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9. Army Of Darkness: Ashes To Ashes (Devil’s Due Publishing/Dynamite Entertainment) -
Speaking of movie-like comics, how about one of the granddaddies of them all?! The “Evil Dead” trilogy has always been one of my favorite series of movies - especially “Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn”, possibly the funniest movie of all time! Now, Bruce Campbell’s lovable, laughable, hapless Ash returns in this comic book sequel to the third and - to this point - final “Evil Dead” film, “Army Of Darkness.”
Writer Andy Hartnell captures the essence of Ash to a tee, making this comic book believable as the long awaited sequel to “Army Of Darkness.” Give a big assist for this Bruce Campbell-ness to artist Nick Bradshaw, who gives this comic a comical look that fits Campbell’s character perfectly.
If you enjoyed the time traveling adventures of Ash in “Army Of Darkness”, you will love this miniseries. This time around, Ash time travels to face…himself! That’s right! It’s Ash versus Ash! Plus, we see the return of Ash’s possessed and severed hand from “Evil Dead 2”!
Army Of Darkness: Ashes To Ashes is a four issue miniseries published by Devil’s Due Publishing and Dynamite Entertainment. So far, issues #1 and #2 have been released.
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10. Hack/Slash: Girls Gone Dead (Devil’s Due Publishing) -
Here are those Devil’s Due folks again! I shamefacedly have to admit that I somehow missed the first Hack/Slash comic, but there was no way I was going to miss this one…after seeing that cover! Luckily, there was an even more incredible story behind that stunning Tim Seeley and Sunder Raj cover!
Filling a void in Comicdom, writer Tim Seeley and artist Stefano Caselli bring us the adventures of the slasher hunting duo of Cassie Hack and her monstrous partner Vlad. This time around, it’s off to Spring Break in Florida to stop a slasher called Father Wrath and his psychotic hottie “handler”! If you’re a fan of slasher flicks, you haven’t seen anything this good in years!
Hack/Slash: Girls Gone Dead is a $4.95 one-shot published by Devil’s Due Publishing.
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11. Before Dawn (Green Fly Productions) -
Before we get too far away from the “Evil Dead” talk, allow me to introduce you to one of the best horror movies you’ve never seen. Writer Wesley Craig Green and artist Jason Whitley have created this little jewel that pays tribute in the greatest possible way to the classics “Evil Dead” and “DeadAlive.”
Take a mansion in the middle of nowhere, a graveyard next door, a demonic book in the basement and love starved teens, and you have the makings for a fantastic horror movie that can’t be seen on the small or big screens…only in the very affordable pages of this graphic novel! 64 pages of black and white zombies, demons, gore and horror movie fun for only $5.95?! It’s a deal horror fans can’t afford to pass up!
Before Dawn can be purchased by visiting Green Fly Productions.Com.
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12. The Black Forest (Image) -
If you like the classic movie monsters of the Universal sort, here’s a graphic novel for you! Take two motion picture guys and a legendary artist who all love the classic Universal monster movies and you get one of the greatest graphic novels of the new millennium!
Writer Robert Tinnell and Todd Livingston joined forces with artist Neil Vokes for this World War I tale that plays out like a lost Universal monster movie jam! Vampires, werewolves, zombies, the Frankenstein monster! They are all here in their Vokes’ illustrated black and white glory! This book is the movie that Van Helsing should have been…and much more!
Tinnell, Livingston and Vokes definitely give Comic Fanatics their money’s worth with The Black Forest! This graphic novel tops out at a whopping 100 pages for only $9.95! The Black Forest has now gone to a second printing published by Image. For more information about The Black Forest, visit The Black Forest.Net.
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13. Sword Of Dracula (Image) -
Speaking of classic characters, writer Jason Henderson did the unthinkable with this six issue miniseries. Henderson took the classic Dracula character and gave the Lord of Vampires his most incredible makeover in over a century!
Henderson amped up the already powerful Dracula by giving the Count some amazing abilities, including a stunning control over blood, allowing Dracula to create a castle, weapons, carriages and even ninjas all out of blood! And Dracula uses these powers to defend himself against a well armed vampire hunting organization called the Polidorium, led by the tough hottie named Ronnie Van Helsing! Heck, even John Kerry made an appearance in this miniseries!
Through six issues, Henderson was assisted by the amazing artistic talents of Greg Scott, William Belk and Terry Pallot. Each artist brings something different to the table, from Scott’s dark and gritty style to Belk’s amazing flowing manga style and Pallot’s detailed and often gory art. A variety of eye candy to compliment a compelling story that can only be described as “‘Black Hawk Down’ meets a Christopher Lee Hammer Dracula flick!”
One of the best things about Henderson’s Sword Of Dracula is the vast and - to this point - barely explored universe he has created. Read this miniseries, and not only will you be left wanting more, but you will also see that Henderson has barely scratched the surface of the endless possibilities to be found in the world of Sword Of Dracula!
Sword Of Dracula is a six issue miniseries published by Image. A trade paperback of this miniseries is planned for February 2005. For more information, check out Sword Of Dracula.Com.
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14. Phang and Mäk (Silent Devil Productions) -
Like vampires? Want something completely different in your bloodsucker?! Look no more! The folks from Silent Devil Productions have just the vampire miniseries for you: Phang and Mäk! I bet you’ve never read the adventures of a man and his dog…both who just happen to be vampires! Imagine Scooby-Doo and Shaggy, fearless and fang-faced! And while you are at it, throw in a dash of The Sopranos!
Phang and Mäk is without a doubt one of the most original vampire tales I have ever read. Humorous at times and horrific at others, writer Adam Beranek and artist Jason Day have put together a miniseries worth tracking down and…you knew I’d get to this pun eventually…sinking your teeth into!
For more information about this three issue miniseries, visit Silent Devil.Com.
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15. Jack The Lantern (Castle Rain Entertainment) -
What would Halloween be without this jack-o‘-lantern-looking character?! Not only is Jack The Lantern one of the coolest looking characters in all of Comicdom, this is a character with a complex, rich story that you have to read to believe! This character is definitely more than a pretty face!
Created and written by Michael Angelos, Jack The Lantern combines aspects of horror and fantasy with just a dash of the vengeance seeking superhero along the lines of a Ghost Rider! Our hero is a man named Jack Gordon Corby. Jack’s life has been plagued by demons, and now he finds himself the host of a real life demon named Argotakar! With the help of a knight named Lisa Fraser and a wise doctor named Frank Casper, Jack has to learn how to master his new found power in order to save the world!
This six issue miniseries features some of the most amazing black and white art to ever grace a comic book page! The first three issues of Jack The Lantern (issues #0 - #2) are illustrated by Scott Lee of 22 Brides fame, while the final three issues are illustrated by the legendary “Godfather Of Horror Comics”, Tim Vigil!
Jack The Lantern is being collected in trade paperback and is set to be released in the next few weeks. For more information about Jack The Lantern or to order individual issues or the trade paperback, visit Castle Rain Entertainment.ca.
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16. Students Of The Unusual (3 Boys Productions) -
The name nearly says it all…unusual! If you are a fan of anthologies, this one may have slipped under your radar, but it is one of the best to hit spinner racks in years! This collection offers a hefty helping of horror, the bizarre, the unexplained and a little dash of humor!
Writer Terry Cronin’s first issue reminded this ole horror and Comic Fanatic of those classic shows like The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. With stunning artwork and original stories, Students Of The Unusual is an anthology that will stick with you. You may not have nightmares after reading this, but I guarantee you’ll be thinking about it for a long time to come!
The second issue of Students Of The Unusual is scheduled to be released just in time for Halloween. For more information about Students Of The Unusual or to order copies of the first two issues, visit Students Of The Unusual.Com.
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17. Western Tales Of Terror (Hoarse And Buggy Productions) -
While we are talking about anthologies, try this one on for size. Hoarse And Buggy Productions Editor In Chief Joshua Hale Fialkov hit upon a great idea with this new series: combine the western and horror genres! The result? A runaway hit!
Fialkov offers up a strong starting lineup for the first issue, including writers Steve Niles, Dan Taylor and more. And the art is just as strong as the stories, with names like Chuck BB, Nick Stakal, Jared Bivens, Scott Keating and more! This is a high quality book with an impressive look and chilling and thrilling tales of yesteryear!
Western Tales Of Terror #1 is a 40 page black and white anthology scheduled to be released in November by Hoarse And Buggy Productions. For more information, visit Western Tales Of Terror.Com.
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18. The Wicked West (Image) -
Speaking of westerns, this one just landed on my desk two days ago, and I can’t stop reading it and rereading it! The creative minds behind The Black Forest reunite for this western horror tale that reads like Clint Eastwood riding into ‘Salem’s Lot!
Forget banditos! Cotton Coleridge is a gunslinger who has to worry about vampires! Don’t think for a second that this is strictly a vampire fest. Writers Robert Tinnell and Todd Livingston deliver a tale filled with horror, good ole fashioned western movie matinee moments and a touching story! Combine that with the breathtaking art of the legendary Neil Vokes and you have another must have instant classic!
The Wicked West is a 96 page full color graphic novel that was released this week from Image. For more information about The Wicked West, click here.
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19. The Drowned (Image) -
The folks at Image are the publishers of another one of my favorite graphic novels of this new millennium, a gorgeous book called The Drowned. If you’re a fan of gothic horror, allow me to introduce you to a book that I like to classify as “sophisticated horror.”
The Drowned is the debut project of the husband and wife team of Jim and Laini Taylor-Di Bartolo. Laini writes an eerie story that plays out as a mystery and a chiller, involving madness, witches and a mysterious village beneath the waves! Along the way, Laini throws in enough twists and turns to keep the reader wondering to the point that you’ll never see the huge twist near the end of this book coming!
Jim provides the art, and what art it is! Jim’s art is some of the most beautiful and expressive art to ever grace a comic book page! This is the kind of art you want to stand back, “ooh” and “ah” at and wonder why it’s not hanging on a museum wall rather than in a comic book!
The Drowned is an 80 page graphic novel published by Image that retails for $9.95. For more information, visit The Drowned.Net.
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20. Angel Fire (Shattered Frames) -
Last, but certainly not least is the graphic novel that has most recently kept me awake at night. Angel Fire is the product of two of the UK’s top creators, Chris Blythe and Steve Parkhouse.
Blythe’s story centers around John Dury, the poster boy for a morally corrupt generation. Dury’s bad choices and shady dealings cost him his wife and sends him off into a horrific world that will haunt his dreams and his waking hours. Oh…and this book will do the same for you! Wait until you get a load of…the Shadow Man!
Parkhouse’s art will send chills down your spine, especially when you get a glimpse of the Shadow Man! Parkhouse has an atmospheric style that sets the mood for this eerie tale filled with mystery, ghosts and a haunted house, making Angel Fire the creepiest horror movie you’ll see this year!
Angel Fire is only available online and appropriately goes on sale beginning on Halloween. To order your copy of Angel Fire, visit the Angel Fire Mini Flash Site.
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