Category: Comic Books

Haunt-Tober Day 18, 2023/COMIC CORNER: Stanley and the Haunted House

Posted on by Crockett Houghton

While horror movie watching is a year-round event, this is that time of year when all of us can flourish, embracing the weird.

So, come one, come all, beasties unite! It’s Haunt-Tober time!

From their inception in 2013, Storm King has continued to push the boundaries of horror for all ages. From their more mature releases to their Storm Kids line, Storm King really does have something for everybody under the sun (or the haunted night sky more likely). Stanley And The Haunted House continues that tradition of making horror accessible to even the youngest of readers and I have to say, even for a thirty-eight-year-old man, it was still pretty fun.

It all begins on Halloween night when Stanley (a hyper and precocious squirrel) and his other animal friends decide to tell each other ghost stories to get in the holiday mood. Quickly it becomes apparent that Stanley does not believe in ghosts and a challenge is handed out; to take a walk through the supposedly haunted Bunnyburrow Manor. They all meet the next day to enter the manor and very quickly any doubt that was held by Stanley is washed away. What follows is a very Scooby-Doo-like adventure, being chased from one scare to the next, all while trying to get to the bottom of what’s going on. Eventually, a lot of the mystery is unearthed (I won’t spoil it here) and new friends are made when an understanding is reached. One thing I will say is, that every home should have a candy room.

MEET THE GHOULIES AND GHOSTIES

It takes a village to make a palatable comic and the team behind Stanley And The Haunted House really nailed the assignment. Of course, with any comic, book, or even film or TV show, it all starts with the writing. Nothing can be done without a script in place and for this, Jeff Blake wrote a really compelling and fun tail (this is a pun) that not only was entertaining for the target audience and adults alike but it also managed to sneak in a positive message without being preachy. It was really well done.

The art team is a huge part of any comic, having to set the tone and convey the aesthetic that the writer was going for. Basically, they deal in mood, handing out emotion one panel at a time. The art in the Stanley books are always top notch and this was no exception. On pencils, Walter Carzon really brought us a diverse cast of characters, each with their own unique style and flavor. It’s always fun for me to see animals act like people. I’m a child of the 80’s, what can I say?

The inking duties went to Horacio Ottolini who set those lines and laid in that black with precision. The shadows are deep and full of mystery, he did an amazing job. The final color was dropped in by Jeff Blake, pulling double duty. The colors really popped off the pages and ran the course of bright primaries to dark and moody muted. On letters we had, Janice Chiang, continuing her amazing run of giving each character their own voice through font. The entire look of this book is fantastic.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Like I said earlier, I’m not the target audience for this book and even still I had a good time. The story really tackles some complex questions in a childlike way that can easily be understood. It also carried with it a message of friendship and adventure, understanding others points of view, and of acceptance. It was quite beautifully done while at the same time giving the kids (the Storm Kids) who came here for frights, plenty of ghosts and jumps to wet their appetites.

The Stanley books are an ongoing series for Storm King with many adventures of these furry friends already out and ready to be consumed. Stanley And The Haunted House is a great addition to the many volumes that already exist. If you’re a fan of horror and you have children this is a perfect series for them to start growing their love as well. Or, even if you’re just an adult like me who likes to see cartoon animals act like people, this book has a little bit for everybody. I honestly can’t recommend it highly enough.

Today’s winner:

Haunt- Tober 2023 Day 9/Comic Corner: John Carpenter’s Tales of Science Fiction: The Envoy

Posted on by Kstrouse

While horror movie watching is a year-round event, this is that time of year when all of us can flourish, embracing the weird.

So, come one, come all, beasties unite! It’s Haunt-Tober time!

Ah, the perils of science fiction, inflated egos, and of becoming too intelligent for our own good…

The Envoy revolves around two colleagues who were once inseparable, but have now been burdened by jealousy and competitiveness. These two brilliant minds, who were best of friends during their college days, have embarked on different paths in their respective careers. However, in the captivating world of Envoy, their destinies intertwine once again.

Meet Steven Allard and Ben Raines, both esteemed men of science. Steven, driven by the pursuit of financial gain, channels his focus into finding cures for life’s afflictions, such as cancer. On the other hand, Ben Raines, having tragically lost his wife to cancer, is on a relentless quest to establish a means of communication with the departed.

While The Envoy incorporates fresh themes and incorporates elements from other sources, it manages to retain an enthralling sense of novelty. The vivid colors and mesmerizing artwork employed in the book serve as masterful tools in constructing the atmosphere, while also providing distinct visualizations for each character. Our two protagonists, though distinct in their individuality, are equally captivating and driven in their own unique ways. The rivalry between these two goes from moderately safe to wildly unhealthy, and fast.

Is anyone out there?

They make contact with an extraterrestrial and also get success in testing this strange blue box that seems to cure cancer. How? Why? Maybe we don’t need to know…

It’s a clever concept, one that feeds our science fiction fix while also delving into some horrifying depths.

The comic is more dialogue heavy than many and could use more entertainment driven sequences. It never feels too talky, but it borders it. Still, the artwork is fantastic, and the character work is top notch.

With electrifying cover art (pun intended) that smartly ensnares the reader, you’re immediately intrigued.

The narrative brings a lot of exposition and yet leaves a lot mysterious which can challenge a reader who needs to know each distinct detail. The artwork by Esparza is mesmerizing though, and I only wish there were more action to show it off.

John Carpenter’s Tales of Science Fiction: The Envoy is a valued addition to the lineup of work with a clever story and transportive designs.

Today’s winner:

Stay tuned for more coverage and winners!!

Bestselling Comics

Comic Corner: Night Terrors: 13 Horsemen

Posted on by Crockett Houghton

What would you get if you bred the television show Sons of Anarchy with the movie John Carpenter’s Vampires? You would get the latest release from Storm King Comics, Night Terrors: 13 Horsemen. Packed with more demon slaying than you can shake a stick at thanks to a monster hunting band of outlaw bikers, this book calls for blood on every level.

Night Terrors: 13 Horsemen wastes no time jumping right into the action and introducing us to the core group of slayers lead by the grizzled vet in the game, James. His introduction into this world came years ago when he was forced to watch his wife’s murder at the hands of the demons from hell and it was then that he made revenge not only his goal but his purpose in life. Following a priest that everyone calls Father, the group are constantly on the lookout for who they believe is the main threat called Corbin. There is of course a prophecy that seems to be coming true and if they can’t stop it, it will mean the end of days.

This book moves fast from one blood and gore soaked scene to the next. From one rescue to another, always with the end goal in mind, to find Corbin and stop the prophecy. There isn’t a lot of downtime and never a chance to breath, the action is swift and intense because the 13 Horsemen can’t allow anything slow them down. The fate of the entire world is at stake after all.

From The 9th Circle

Night Terrors: 13 Horsemen is the brainchild of Nat Jones. He had double duty on this one, not only doing the amazing art (every page in this book is just as beautiful as any he has done in his many collaborations with Steve Niles) but he also conceived and wrote the story. So, let’s talk about the writing first.

This story is a very interesting take on the hunting genre of horror, whether that be monsters or vampires or in this case, demons. The element of the biker gang added a lot of flavor to a trope that we’ve seen a lot over the years, opening up the world to where there are no weak characters. Everyone is very capable of handling their business and that’s especially important here, with each turn of the page the problems literally become bigger and bigger.

The art, well, what can I say about the art of Nat Jones that hasn’t already been said over the years. He has a very unique style that is often imitated but never duplicated. The man is in a world of his own when it comes to how he renders a page. Everything is always in motion, I dare not ask the question “is he’s capable of doing a still life,” because he would probably draw a vase of flowers but place it in the bed of a speeding truck, or in this case, on the back of a motorcycle. But seriously, the art is once again amazing and there are many pages I would love to have as a poster in my office.

The other contributor to the book was the always amazing lettering of the one and only Janice Chiang. She was once again able to match the tone and feel of the artist and still find room for her own voice among the chaos. Dare I say, she never misses?

Final Thoughts

Night Terrors: 13 Horsemen was a thrill ride of a read. I consumed it in one sitting because putting it down just simply couldn’t be done. It made me want to grab my leathers and my crew and head out to battle the demons of the night until I remembered that I didn’t have any leathers nor a crew and as far as I’m aware the only demons of the night are my children when it’s time for bed.

I’m slowly starting to think that Storm King Comics doesn’t believe in publishing subpar stories because everything I get my hands on is top notch. Imagine that, a publishing house that puts out original stories and creator owned work, surrounding themselves with the best of the best. Night Terrors: 13 Horsemen just solidifies my hypothesis, it’s a fantastic addition to any graphic novel collection. Jones and Chiang knocked it out of the park.

Comic Corner: Tales of Science Fiction: Civilians

Posted on by Crockett Houghton

Science fiction (when done well) has always held a special place in my heart. If you think about it, most of the DNA you’ll find in the best horror stories factor heavily into everything that makes for a great science fiction tale.

An other-worldly presence, a mysterious figure pulling the strings from the shadows, an end of the world type scenario, it’s all there front and center in both. In John Carpenter’s: Tales of Science Fiction: Civilians (the latest from Storm King Comics) we get plenty from each of those buckets.

The opening words, the very first thing we see on page one, set the tone nicely and let us know exactly what kind of a journey we were in for. It begins, “it was a nice day for a mass casualty event,” I think that sums up quite perfectly everything that followed. The ending to that scene was chilling and had a beach full of people walking helplessly into the ocean, not knowing why they were doing it, yet, powerless to stop themselves. A crackpot on YouTube has a theory as to why that happened (as crackpots on YouTube tend to do) but nothing that could be taken seriously… could it?

After the tragedy at the beach we are introduced to the mother of one of the victims as she’s making her way through the airport the following day. Elsewhere it’s raining homeless people off of an overpass. That event was followed up by a group of seemingly normal people going blank and trying to steal anything that wasn’t nailed down in Beverly Hills. These events bring together three very different people, all who have a good reason to get to the bottom of what’s going on. What follows is one strange happening after another while these strangers search for the truth, for the cause of all this madness.

The architects of the apocalypse

Civilians was written by Duane Swierczynski and the influence of the great science fiction shows of the past is apparent on every page. Maybe this is only me projecting but this book felt like a top-tier episode of The Twilight Zone. Swierczynski wasted no time jumping right into the story with a wild event that sucked me in from the word go. Even the way the mystery was slowly unraveled, like a ball of yarn slowly being unwrapped, was reminiscent of that 1960’s sci-fi staple. No, he doesn’t leave the ending or the cause of the crazy up to us, the reader, the information is very deliberately withheld until we needed to know. It wasn’t what I was expecting and for that I loved it all the more.

Besides the great story that was told here, the book itself is absolutely beautiful to look at. For that we have several people to thank, the first being the man behind the pencil, Andrea Mutti. His character designs were, as always, on the border of animation and live action. He somehow manages to make these 2D people feel real even though we know we’re reading a comic. It’s always a pleasure getting to look at his work. With that said, we have to give credit where it’s due, to the inker on the book, Gigi Baldassini. The lines were always tight and the shadows were always deep, it was great work.

Valerio Alloro followed those two by bringing the color to the page. One thing I’m always interested in when I read a book like this is how the artists choose to use color. It can vary greatly from title to title from very muted and moody to bright and fun. Civilians falls somewhere in the middle of those and has the perfect balance of both worlds. Like I said, it’s a beautiful book. The final piece of this puzzle is of course the lettering and it was laid in with expert precision by Janice Chiang. I don’t have the best vision in the world and I never found myself squinting or trying to guess a letter, that’s a huge win in my book. It was fantastic.

Final Thoughts

Civilians was a throw back to the science fiction tales of the past that managed to keep a modern day feel. Once it started (on page one) it didn’t let up until the horrifying conclusion, and even then, it only relented because it was over. This was very much a quick and fun read where I never once found myself bored or wanting to do anything but propel forward—the mark of any great story. It had been a while since I’ve been able to read a science fiction story that I cared to finish so this was a great breath of fresh air.

Some people believe that if it doesn’t involve space or aliens or time travel then it can’t be a science fiction story and I never understood that stance. Sci-fi is as broad a medium to work in as drama or comedy or horror and when it’s done well, you can’t beat it. This is very much one of those times so, if your life has been missing a good science fiction yarn, if your heart has been yearning for an original tale to make you think and keep you entertained, then you need to give this book a chance. Civilians was the best sci-fi story I’ve consumed this year.

Comics Corner: Night Terrors: Usher Down

Posted on by Crockett Houghton

Storm King has a rich and storied history of releasing unique and fun horror and sci-fi comics and that tradition continues in a big way in their new graphic novel; Night Terrors: User Down.

The story centers around Dana, a psychic who sometimes works with law enforcement by helping them to discover or find the bodies of the deceased. While she’s walking her dog a storm pushes them further into the forest and when Dana gets knocked into a rushing river, everything changes for her. Dana is sucked into a hole and finds herself deep underground, face to face with Poe’s fabled House of User.

Broken into two pieces (like the Titanic it is stated by more than one character) Dana finds it hard to believe what she is looking at. The house appears to be stuck in time and from all appearances, extremely haunted. Dana is fairly quickly rescued but immediately recruited to lead an expedition back to the house to explore and try to find out just what the heck is going on there by Bernice, a government agent.

Going back is a tall order for Dana but she agrees and quickly the team finds out that the house is haunted not only by ghosts but by time itself. Things are constantly changing, sometimes in horrifying ways, like something you would see in a Silent Hill video game. It’s very cool.

The architects of madness

Putting the pen to the paper was Jason Henderson. His writing really shines in several ways in Usher Down, the one that resonated the most for me was his ability to layer the mystery. Nothing is quite as it seems upon first glance and it is very clear that when he said he took inspiration from; The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting, and Rose Red, he meant it. It bleeds through in the best ways. Henderson never pulls down his sunglasses, sitting at the poker table and pushing his chips all in when he’s ready. His use of a strong female lead was refreshing in a genre the can sometimes lack such representation. My only question is, what does he have cooking next?

The art was quite masterfully done by Greg Scott who managed to put together a consistent look for the book that was somehow both realistic and stylized. It really pops off the page and forces you to look for the tiny details. Breathing life into his work was the colorist, in this case, Felipe Sobreiro who chose a pallet that was just muted enough that when he really wanted to draw your eye he would add a brighter splash to make sure nothing was missed. I loved the colors in this. Of course no story could be told without the words and the lettering here by Ed Dukeshire. Always easy to read, he gave each character their own style so that even if there weren’t dialogue bubbles, we would know who was speaking. Extremely well done, this team needs to work together, so many more times.

Final thoughts

Usher Down surprised me, it shouldn’t have because Storm King continues to impress with each and every release. It just solidified Storm King as the undisputed champion of horror publishing. The story was a quick read because it forced me to keep going, much like the characters, I was afraid to stop. I wouldn’t know what would happen if I did and I needed to know. The writing and the art are perfectly married in this book and there isn’t a single aspect that makes it anything but a pleasurable experience.

Also, selfishly for me, there aren’t many horror stories that are set in Virginia and as a Virginia boy myself it was quite fun to be reading something that took place in my home state. It made everything somehow that much more familiar and really raised the stakes.

Usher Down was just another perfect example of what is possible in the graphic novel medium, you don’t need to spend millions of dollars on an effect heavy movie when reading (in this house at least) is still very popular, cheaper, and sometimes for my money, more fun. Usher Down was like taking a guided tour through Henderson, Scott, Sobreiro, and Dukeshire’s collective nightmares and it was a dreamscape that I would be happy to revisit. You need to pick up a copy of this book.

Comic Corner: John Carpenter’s Night Terrors: Sour Candy

Posted on by Kstrouse

Sour Candy (great title) is a horror-filled story that keeps its finger on your pulse as it sustains its curated, perpetual unease.

In a twist of fate (perhaps) Phil Pendleton crosses paths in a grocery store one day with a young boy named Adam and his mother.

Soon after, his mother is in an accident and suddenly, he’s responsible for this strange child who refers to him as dad.

The story’s first page teases a troubling future for Phil and a promising page-turner as four months in the future, his teeth have fallen out. His face is weathered and it’s clear that this has taken a toll.

The life he knew is turned upside down and now he’s unsure if he’ll be able to survive at all. Who is this boy? What are his intentions? Is he even a child at all?

It’s a freaky little joy to find out these answers. Phil is a sympathetic and interesting character to follow which makes the journey an easy one to devour. There’s also some really fascinating lore built in that shows the level of creativity at play here. It encourages a variety of emotions while being genuinely creepy at times, which isn’t easy to do.

Nothing bad can come from eating candy, right?

The comic is nightmare fuel come to life as it takes the commonality of a shared dream most of us will have at some time and makes it a dread fest. What Phil soon learns runs deeper and darker than he could have ever imagined. First his teeth, but what’s next? When will he no longer be of use?

In many ways, the storytelling in Sour Candy feels more cinematic than some of the other comics I’ve reviewed. While it is easy to visualize because of the stellar artwork, it also leaps off the paper, hopefully luring someone, somewhere, to adapt.

Written by Kealan Patrick Burke, it flits by, becoming weirder with each scene that combines more intimate psychological thrills with the scope of gods and monsters.

The artwork is interesting. It isn’t always consistent, but it has moments that compel some very powerful imagery. This hellish trap that Phil gets stuck in is brutal stuff and the visuals and narrative symbiosis make it a winner.

It’s hard to put down, just strange enough to raise a brow and creepy enough to drop a jaw. Sour Candy is a compelling slice of chilling child fare that might just be effective enough to have you avoiding the candy aisle.

For more information on Storm King comics click here.

Bestselling Comics

Comic Corner: Tales of Science Fiction: Redhead

Posted on by Kstrouse

This particular redhead writer couldn’t help but be instantly intrigued by the gorgeous artwork on the newest Storm King comic.

The fact that it was part of John Carpenter’s Tales of Science Fiction was a wonderful bonus. And, wow, what a lovely breeze of a read.

Marnie Young is our protagonist: a mild-mannered executive assistant. Things change when one day she has a horrible seizure and from there, her life takes a wild and dangerous turn.

There’s a lot hidden within the pages, which feel layered and delicately delivered in a way that’s certainly intellectual and nearly subliminal.

From Sweet to Savage

When she wakes up in the hospital days later, several nurses are dead and she comes to the sinking conclusion that this may have been done by her hand.

A terrifying premise for sure, Redhead also plays with mind-bending and stimulating ideas that fracture the stability of what’s real and force us to embrace the unreliable narrator. The disconnect between reality and our social existence is a strong one, touched on here perfectly as Marnie admits her own loneliness in “the real world.”

When I started reading I felt like I was in a feverish sorta dream, filled with pastels and mayhem. As I continued, it only filled me with more adoration for the delectable visuals. I commend the team for the immersion and honestly would love to have some pages and panels printed and hanging on my wall.

I love a strong female lead and the artwork is so beautiful that it makes each moment pop off the screen and her personality with it. The soft tinting of the artwork gives an almost blurred feel, so when there are moments of colorful decadence, they sizzle. The use of red (from her hair to the sun, to a twisted, bloodied limb) and the consistence focus on eyeballs are two of the most enduring qualities. Jason Felix, you’ve got a hell of a design.

The story from Duane Swierczynski is formidable in and of itself, utilizing this empathetic character and allowing us to go on this riveting journey with her. I never felt as if the story lagged. In fact, the combination of these two made it so I was able to devour this comic quite fast with anticipation for more.

Redhead solidifies another hit from Storm King Comics whose level of genre-bending, diverse storytelling, and alluring illustrations is unmatched.

Let’s hear it for the redheads.

Tales of Science Fiction: Redhead are currently for sale. For more information click here.

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Bestselling Comics

Comic Corner: John Carpenter’s Tales of Science Fiction – Interference Pattern

Posted on by Kstrouse

I love my science fiction with a dose of horror (and vice versa) -a marriage of weird minds that fits perfectly into my repertoire. Storm King Comics continuously publishes new quality content for fans of both.

This made for an easy and enjoyable read when it comes to my newest comic book endeavor. John Carpenter’s Tales of Science Fiction – Interference Pattern is a perpetual mind warp, a tale of multiple universes and alternate versions of one’s self.

Astrophysicist David Peeler is recruited after a failed attempt to space at “faster than light” speed returns a dead pilot. His expertise is requested by his friend/colleague Nestor, to fix what was started. This brings an adjustment to the technology that goes beyond space and into alternative universes. But at what cost?

Brilliance and discovery lead to a successful voyage, but when David comes back something feels… off.

What Came Back?

Another David soon emerges, and with this, a load of questions; moral, existential, and theoretical. Both of these versions of the same man want their life, and one will get it by any means necessary.

From its opening teaser page to the first set of panels, Interference Pattern wills you to pay attention. Dennis Calero writes thought-provoking concepts, deftly capturing theoretical physics with an intriguing perspective.

Calero also does the artwork, which is moody and gorgeous. It’s a beautifully designed comic that captures the wonder and terrifying expanse of space travel. The visuals are dark and heady, capturing the unknown here on Earth, which is just as terrifying.

Some of the transitions are jarring, a quick rip of a blindfold to the next section of panels, but each time you’re dropped into the abyss – you’re immediately sucked in.

“We just perceive time separately.”

With vibes that occasionally remind me of Event Horizon or my favorite The Thing, (and many others) there’s still a unique voice that gives you a lot to think about.

The scares are ratcheted up slowly, but the story itself moves briskly, never breaking the creeping inevitability to come. It hangs on to each intricately drawn page, creating an emotional tether with the characters while the scope of the proposed consequences echo loudly.

Sometimes it’s not the “if we can”, it’s about: “should we?“

An intellectually stimulating yet sneakingly eerie story, Interference Pattern is high concept, science fiction horror that’ll dig in deep, and hold on.

John Carpenter’s Tales of Science Fiction – Interference Pattern is currently on sale. For more information visit here.

Comic Corner: Storm kids presents: Fetch book one: the journey

Posted on by Crockett Houghton

Storm King comics has a little bit of everything for horror lovers of every age. That couldn’t be more on display than in the Storm Kids line created by John Carpenter and Sandy King. If you’re a horror fan, like me, that grew up in the 80’s and 90’s they have an entire line of comics just for you, and if you’re of the younger generation who is just finding your footing in the genre, they have you covered.

Danni is a twelve year old girl who feels that she is no longer a child because she is mourning the loss of her beloved dog Pirate. She’s handling it almost well but it is clearly effecting her every day life. The other kids at school try their hardest to comfort Danni and she’s almost accepting of the love. She feels like her day takes a turn for the worst when her favorite teacher is out and the class has a substitute.

Miss Phallas is definitely more than she seems and knows just what to do to help Danni in her journey back to happiness. She begins to teach the class about Greek mythology and even gives Danni (quite on purpose) her old and used copy of the text book. Soon, reading the notes in the margins, and putting clues together, Danni discovers that the entrance to Hades is in her town and she knows exactly where it is. Like any twelve year old that has begun learning about such things she decides to go on her very own quest to get her little dog Pirate back.

Out of the Frying Pan

Fetch Book 1: The Journey, was written by Mike Sizemore clearly with kids in mind but that doesn’t change the fact that it is great writing. I found myself just as interested in this story and wanting to find out what happens next, as I would if I were reading a new novel set for my age group. The art was handled by Dave Kennedy with the style being a little cartoony (this isn’t a knock) and it is absolutely beautiful to look at. It fits the story like a perfectly tailored pair of pants. Pete Kennedy was in charge of the colors and he chose a palette that complimented the art and the tone of the story, elevating every part of the tale. Lettering was done by Janice Chiang and just like the rest of the creative team it feels right at home. Nothing was hard to read and each character had their own personality.

The book is a fantastic representation of how a young person would deal with grief, not really yet knowing how to process such a thing, they would create a fantasy to cope, or in this case, a fantasy would present itself and take you on an adventure. Of course nothing ever goes according to plan and when she arrives at the entrance to Hades she finds her brother Sammy in tow.

And Into the Fire

Without giving away completely everything I will say that after she passes the test passed on to her by Cerberus (who turns out to be an adorable three-headed corgi) she has to choose a champion to lead her to and through the land of the dead to accomplish her goal. She chooses Odysseus because she is smart and knows he is the only one to go in and make it back out of Hades in one piece.

We get to meet the Ferryman (who has updated himself to the 20th century and now drives a tiny car on a bridge across the river Styx) as well as many other characters who will 100% be familiar to readers. Perhaps my favorite part was Danni’s first challenge, having to get past Medusa, who she defeats simply by being curious. She asks her for the names of her snakes as well as complimenting her hair. It was cute but not cringe, I was all in on this story.

Final Thoughts

I think if you have kids or even if you just love fun stories that are brilliant to look at, you need to check out this book. It’s only book one, I understand that any story has the possibility to go south even if the first act is amazing, but I don’t think that’s going to happen here. It’s too clear to me that the creative team have poured their hearts and souls into this tale of loss and adventure. I mean, I don’t care if it’s written for an eight year old or an eighty year old, good writing is good writing and great storytelling transcends all ages. This is definitely great storytelling.

Fetch Book 1: The Journey was a quick but pleasant read. There wasn’t a dull moment, it kept me pushing forward like any good story will do, and honestly now that I’ve finished this one I need to hop online and make sure I order Book 2. If you give this a chance you’ll end up in the same boat as me, or car… they drive cars across the river Styx now. What a fantastic ride.

Comic Corner: Tales For A Halloween Night Vol 8

Posted on by Crockett Houghton

Storm King Does it Again with: Tales For A Halloween Night Vol 8!

I’ve been a fan of horror ever since I first watched Candyman when I was a child. The movie crawled deep inside my brain and affected me for weeks. Since that time I’ve found many different ways to devour horror content, whether it be movies or books, or most recently: graphic novels. The latest is an anthology collection from Storm King Comics called Tales For A Halloween Night Vol 8, so join me on my journey into the horrors of it all.

Let’s Start in Hell

The first story in the collection is called Tartarus, written by the horror master himself, Mr. John Carpenter. It features the brilliant art of Luis Guarangna with an amazing color palette by Sian Mandrake. The story centers around a sanitation worker by the name of Junior who has been contracted by a very wealthy stranger.

When he arrives to do the job he is instructed to follow, he finds himself stuck in is a maze of staircases rising to the sky at every possible angle. When he finally reaches his destination he is led to yet another elevator that only goes down. Junior’s cleanup job will be in the basement, literally as low as you can go. Soon, he finds himself face to face with Hell.

The writing on this is fantastic, it hints to a previous job gone wrong and a story that has yet to be told. The art is fantastic and really made me want to see what else would come to pass. The colors were beautiful and really complimented everything that was going on. This was a fun one that left me wondering, was Junior dead and ready to face his afterlife or was this just going to be the hardest cleanup job of his career? You decide.

Cats Always Know

The Caretaker was written by Alec Worley with the art duties being handled by Tim Foster. It opens on the new caretaker’s first night on the job while he’s trying to figure out who broke into a poor elderly woman’s unit. Nothing was taken, but a vase that was important to her was broken and the caretaker promises to fix everything.

After a ghostly vision in the bottom of the vase (the caretaker attributed it to a flashback from his wilder days), he decides to call it a night. The caretaker believes all the trouble is coming from a group of teens that keep hanging around and that night while he is sleeping the same thing happens to his apartment. It’s overturned with no sign of a break-in. He notices a cat in the courtyard and follows it to the boiler room where the teens confront him while the cat coughs up a toe. The caretaker is driven to madness and it is then revealed that the previous caretaker had murdered the teens and they were just searching for their heads.

The art works perfectly to compliment the story in this short burst of horror brilliance. The way the story slowly unfolded and gave us the tiniest bits of info trickling in was done very well. The poor caretaker wanted nothing more than to do a good job and ended up paying for the sins of the person who previously held the job. Hopefully, the cat and some therapy can help him bounce back but I imagine vengeful ghosts looking for their heads would be hard to get over.

Welcome to Club Vampire

The Night The Lights Went Out In Brooklyn was written by Frank Tieri with art by Cat Staggs and tells the story of a journalist trying to get to the bottom of the Millennium Massacre that took place during a blackout in 1977. The journalist finds himself not welcome at an apartment building until he mentions the massacre and is allowed to come up for an interview by the only person known to survive the event. As the man dives into the story of that night in ‘77 it becomes clear that during the blackout the club became under attack from vampires. Our journalist finds this believable and wonders how he made it out alive. As it turns out, our survivor was bitten and transformed that night.

This story had some amazing artwork and I really enjoyed how the vampire was at times toying with the journalist as he told his story. The twist wasn’t completely a surprise but it was fun to see this take on the old “the calls are coming from inside the house.” When the pizza boy finally did show up, he made the proper choice and got out of there fast.

A Cottage in the Afterlife

Beautiful Beast was written by Elena Carrilo with art by Jaime Carrilo and colors from Michelle Madsen. It tells the tale of what happens when you die.

Our lead is found in the woods by a beast that leads her to a warm and inviting cottage. While investigating the beast’s garden she discovers that the scarecrow is actually the bones of a dead police officer. As she makes her escape time begins to feel funny to her and back in Central Park she discovers the bones of her rotting body. She recalls looking at her phone and feeling a strange sensation in her head, which turns out to be an aneurysm. She decides to return to the cottage and spend her afterlife with the beast.

This story had some of my favorite art from the entire book, and a compelling story. The art really brought the little story to life and I loved the design of the beast. Part fantasy and part the horror of facing one’s mortality, you can’t really ask much more from a short piece that this didn’t provide. It was actually quite beautiful for a horror story.

They Came From the Corn

The One Night Of The Year was written by Kealan Patrick Burke with art by Tom Mandrake and colors from Jack Mandrake. It tells the story of Halloween night for a farmer and his dog named Rufus. Every year three monsters come from the corn to torment the old man, taking the form of his dead wife and his two children. This story even features a cameo from John Carpenter himself, working on a film with the farmer’s grown son. Both children are alive and it seems that the family kind of fell apart after the death of the farmer’s wife and his drinking problem. Every year after the creatures show up to further torment the farmer.

This was a very cool short, the designs on the monsters from the corn were fantastic. I love anytime someone wears a sack for a mask, it’s always creepy and the dead wife sporting a pumpkin head with glowing candlelight coming from the eyes and mouth was a very nice touch. It’s a touching story about a man dealing with the demons of his past while trying his best in his present.

Look Both Ways Before Crossing the Street

Sweet Dreams was written by Sean Sobczak with art by Conner Doyle. The story revolves around a couple very much in love who are about to return to Paris for the first time in years. Before they are able to leave, Harold (the husband) is in a horrible accident when he’s hit by a bus and put in a coma. Tilly (the wife) is devastated and doesn’t know what to do. Soon she begins to see Harold in her dreams as he is trying to convince her that he can’t return to his body, that he’s too far gone but they can be together in the dreamland. Is Harold really looking for peace or is something sinister at play?

This visuals matched the writing well, complimenting each other. It wasn’t so much of a horror as it was a sad tale of love and loss and how far someone will go to be with their person. This was my favorite short in this anthology and I personally think it would make a fantastic film. It’s very moving with just the right amount of horror.

Never Look a Cat in the Eye

Purr was written and illustrated by Sara Richard and tells the tale of a man in the 1800s who is visited in the early morning hours by a cute kitten he affectionately names bright eyes. After the man promises the kitten a home and good food to come he is sucked into the eye of the cat. What was once a joyous morning turns into a living nightmare as he discovers the horrors that wait just behind those bright eyes.

This was probably the quickest of the shorts and was carried by visuals alone. There was very little dialogue but it was effective that way. The story has some of the best art in the book as far as having its own style goes and as a quick read, it was a fun and creepy proof of what I’ve said for years: Cats are cute but they are secretly demons sent to take us out.

Don’t Drink and Drive

Gutted was written by Neo Edmund with gorgeous art by Jason Felix. It tells the story of a young lady who had too much to drink at a Halloween party and died in a car accident only to wake up on the table during her autopsy. She flees the scene and runs into other people in a place that’s sort of in-between worlds. A child explains to her what happened and that her heart was going to be used to help her live a very long life. She must have been a donor.

The short starts like many horror shorts of the past, on the table but it quickly takes a left turn into something original. Her spirit not quite passed on gets to meet others who are in transition, and one who clearly is going to get to leave that plain and make it back to the land of the living. I enjoyed that little twist quite a bit.

Cheaters Never Prosper

Proof was written by Amanda Deibert with art by Cat Staggs. For a short piece, it really takes us on a roller coaster of events. It opens with a murder followed by a news report that a serial killer is on the loose. As the story unfolds Chloe (our main character) slowly discovers various clues that she discusses with her best friend that all point to him being a big cheater. Slowly as each clue is found we begin to think that he is the murderer and Chloe is next but hang on… could it really be that simple?

The art really knocked it out of the park and the story had a great twist, making me truly believe it was the awful boyfriend. Of course, some of the details used to convince us made the reveal a little confusing. Still, it was a fun ride.

Holidays Are Scary

Red Meat Flag was written by David J Schow with art from Andres Esparza and centers around a detective who is searching for a serial killer who likes to work on the holidays. They dubbed him Mister Tweezers due to the way he managed to never leave any clues at all to his killings. The detective eventually finds himself in the killer’s sites and realizes he was outmatched. The killer kills on.

This is another that would make a really interesting feature film. The insanely smart killer and the determined detective on his way out of the business are prime for an adaptation. The creative way in which each person was killed added to an already visually exciting piece, especially in the horror space. This was noir meets horror in the best of ways. I want more of this.

Horrors of the Past

Hound Out Of Mind was written by Jennie Wood with art from Richard P Clark. The story begins with a loving couple, Holden and Wade, adopting a new puppy. Very quickly Wade begins to have memories of his past causing him to hallucinate and break a bit from reality. His childhood was full of fighting parents and bad times and the puppy is reminding him of that, even seeing the puppy as a demon hell-bent on killing him. Holden tries to reason with him and that sends Wade on a trip down memory lane where he’s forced to battle the demons of his past before he can be ready to live happily ever after.

The star of this one was definitely the art. I feel like if they had more pages then maybe the story wouldn’t have felt a little rushed. Overall, it was a good reminder that now isn’t then and we can live happily even if how we grew up wasn’t the best. We can confront those demons and find peace in the here and now.

Cosmic Horror Time

Dark Sky Park was written by Michael Moreci with art from Scott Hampton. We find our lead, Ted, in search of a mysterious Alex who has information about the disappearance of his father. When he arrives he immediately begins to get bad vibes about the very cult-like nature of the people he has found. Alex confirms that his father was there for two months and then he left, much like Ted would. That night, as Ted tries to escape after rightfully being mega, crept out, they knock him unconscious and tie him to a rock facing the night sky. Soon we learn what happened to Ted’s father and what fate awaits him.

Cosmic horror is something that I’ve only recently started getting into, it isn’t that I didn’t like it before it’s that I was unaware. This is a really good short that takes the stranger in a cult trope and adds in that cosmic element. The art is fantastic and meshes with the writing perfectly. The ending was unexpected.

Following a Feeling

The Gangster’s Grave was written by Duane Swierczynski with art from Heather Vaughan. It centers around the descendant of a murdered police officer coming home after another family tragedy. As a writer, he thinks it would be a good idea to try and crack the 100-year-old case. First, he has to find the grave of the gangster that killed his relative all those years ago in an abandoned and forgotten cemetery so he can make peace with the past.

This was less a horror story and more of a gothic exploration of what one will do for a story. The art and writing were terrific as a very subdued “listen to what I have to say” trip down memory lane with beautiful visuals. I really enjoyed it.

Don’t Mess With The Van Fleet Women

Buried Deep was written by Sandy King with art from Trevor Denham and colors by Ryan Winn. It begins at a funeral and tells the tale of the latest Van Fleet woman moving back into the family home. The home is haunted by the ghosts of all the women who have come before and they all have a confession, their husbands were NOT lost at sea. They were all murdered by their wives. There’s only one more murder to go and that is to get the last standing Van Fleet woman to be single again. Will the ghosts telling their stories be enough to convince her to murder the man who has been trying, for better or worse, to court her?

I can see so many of these as film adaptations, and this is another to add to the list. The suspense could be played out nicely. The fact that it was just a long line of murderous women was a really fun twist. Have to keep that family tradition alive!

Final Thoughts:

This was a fantastic collection of horror shorts and really what could we expect coming from the King and Queen of Horror, John Carpenter and Sandy King. Their stories book-ended an assortment of stories that range from regular serial killers to ghosts to vampires to the past to space, everything that one might find frightening. There’s something in this volume for everyone and I can’t recommend it enough.

Storm King Comics have been doing this for years and if you haven’t browsed their shelves, you really need to get on that. Horror movies are great but there’s just something about holding a scary book and it making you turn the pages when you could very well just set it down. The choice is yours but I for one am looking forward to Vol 9.

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