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!
Hallowscream 2017
Download the epic latest issue of the Hallowscream horror anthology.
Hallowscream 2016
Download the eerie eighth issue of the Hallowscream horror anthology.
Hallowscream 2015
Download the shocking seventh issue of the Hallowscream horror anthology.
Hallowscream 2014
Download the scary sixth issue of the Hallowscream horror anthology.
Hallowscream 2013
Download the frightful fifth issue of the Hallowscream horror anthology.
Hallowscream 2012
The fearsome fourth issue of the Hallowscream horror anthology.
Hallowscream 2011
Download the terrifying third issue of the Hallowscream horror anthology.
Hallowscream 2010
The spooky second issue of the Hallowscream horror anthology.
Hallowscream 2009
The legendary first issue of the Hallowscream horror anthology.
Blackfrairs
Vampires and Vikings clash in this Scream inspired tale by Michael Crouch.
It’s October, which means the countdown to Hallowe’en, (and Hallowscream), has begun. Expect a whole heap of horror based postings to this blog over the coming month, starting with this catchy tune from 1982…
A short animated history of the vampire. It’s educational or something…
We at Back From The Depths are once again looking for contributors for our freaky free, annual pdf horror comic, HALLOWSCREAM.
Well, Mister Freakyblobthing, it’s like this…
Submissions should be horror orientated and must be weird or spooky to make the final cut.
We are mainly looking for completed comic strips between 1-7 pages in length. Anything already completed is far more likely to make it into the comic.
Script submissions should also preferably be around 1-7 pages in length.
Eerie illustrations and artwork along with interesting horror/comic articles, scary short stories, petrifying poems or anything just plain creepy will also be considered.
To get an idea of the sort of stuff we’re after, you can download previous issues of Hallowscream here.
If you’re looking to illustrate something, get in contact and we’ll give you details of available scripts to see if anything suits your fancy.
We’ll also consider material previously published elsewhere, as long as the contributors own the copyright.
Completed artwork can be either colour or black and white, and should preferably be A4 (21cm x 29.7cm) 300 dpi jpeg or png.
Submissions can be sent to merjeagles@yahoo.co.uk or ghastlymcnasty@backfromthedepths.co.uk
As this is a non-profit, small press publication, contributors will not be paid but they will retain copyright on any material submitted.
We will accept submissions from the undead, (we’re all for equal opportunities here), but if you keep eating people we’re afraid we’d rather not associate with you because a) it’s not very nice and b) it’s probably highly illegal and we don’t want any further hassle from the authorities after that unfortunate incident with the werewolf.
Non-arty folk or people who just want to submit a sketch can still contribute doodles by taking part in the “Guess the face of The Reaper” competition. We’ll also accept entries to this competition from proper artists what can draw really good and that. Click the image below for details at a larger size.
Simply post a link to your artwork in the comments, (or anywhere else you see the pic), or send your entry to the merjeagles@yahoo.co.uk address.
Scripts, articles and text submissions : Sunday 27th July
Artwork : Sunday 5th October
Completed strips : Sunday 19th October.
The finished issue will be available online as a free pdf by October 31st, with a physical copy becoming available via Lulu.com, shortly afterwards. You can also keep up to date with Hallowscream news via the Facebook Page
You’re welcome.
So there’s apparently a Phantasm V now…
Where the flip did that come from?
Reggie Bannister, Michael Baldwin and Angus Scrimm are back, but although Don Coscarelli produced and co-wrote the film, it’s being directed by the other writer on the project, David Hartman, who, come to think of it, I believe I’m watching on DeviantArt. No bloomin’ wonder he hasn’t uploaded much new artwork recently!
Here’s a question for you… What has a remote cabin from which all means of escape have been cut off, point of view shots of something rampaging through the woods making freaky noises, a book of spells and incantations, something nasty hiding in the cellar and a disembodied hand attempting to throttle someone?
The World Beyond is the second of two pilot episodes of an occult detective television series, starring Granville Van Dusen as Paul Taylor, a sports writer who develops the ability to communicate with the dead after a near-fatal motorcycle accident.
The first pilot, The World of Darkness, premiered on CBS in April of 1977. The World Beyond followed on January 27th, 1978 and also stars Barnard Hughes, (Grandpa in Lost Boys), and JoBeth Williams, (Diane Freeling in Poltergeist). Yep, that’s right – There’s someone called J. Williams in this.
The World Beyond appeared on television at precisely the moment Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell were conducting ‘research’ for their first foray into the horror genre. Coincidence? Judge for yourself. It’s just under 50 minutes long…
“The book served as a passageway to the evil worlds beyond…” (ooh, what a giveaway).
Not named after your truly, The Ghastly Awards celebrate the finest horror comics. This year’s nominations are:
The 2013 Nominees are:
Best Ongoing Title:
Afterlife with Archie (Archie Comics)
B.P.R.D. (Dark Horse)
Coffin Hill (Vertigo)
John Carpenter’s Asylum (Storm King Comics)
Rachel Rising (Abstract Studios)
Best Mini-Series:
Colder (Dark Horse)
Five Ghosts: The Haunting of Fabian Gray (Image Comics)
Killogy (IDW Publishing)
Locke & Key: Omega (IDW Publishing)
Lot 13 (DC Comics)
Best One-Shot:
’68: Hallowed Ground (Image Comics)
Baltimore: The Widow and The Tank (Dark Horse)
Edgar Allan Poe: The Raven & The Red Death (Dark Horse)
Fubar: Free Comic Book Day (Alterna Comics/Fubar Press)
The Living Corpse: Haunted (Dynamite Entertainment)
Best New Series (Fans Will Decide the Winner):
Abe Sapien (Dark Horse)
Afterlife with Archie (Archie Comics)
Coffin Hill (Vertigo)
Ghosted (Image Comics)
Ten Grand (Image Comics)
Best Anthology:
American Vampire Anthology (Vertigo)
Bela Lugosi’s Tales From the Grave (Monsterverse Entertainment)
Bloke’s Terrible Tomb of Terror (Independent)
The Witching Hour (Vertigo)
Twisted Dark (T Publications)
Best OGN:
Aliens: Inhuman Condition (Dark Horse)
Eldritch (SLG)
Flesh & Blood Vol. 3 (Monsterverse Entertainment)
Hellboy: The Midnight Circus (Dark Horse)
The Shadow Out of Time (SelfMadeHero)
Best Archival Collection:
B.P.R.D. 1948 (Dark Horse)
Creepy Archives Vol. 17 (Dark Horse)
The Chilling Archives of Horror Comics: Haunted Horror (IDW Publishing/Yoe Books)
The Human Gargoyles (Bleeding Moon Comics)
Steve Ditko Monsters Vol. 1: Gorgo (IDW Publishing/Yoe Books)
Best Writer:
John Arcudi (Abe Sapien, B.P.R.D.)
Cullen Bunn (Helheim, Sixth Gun)
Joe Hill (Locke & Key: Omega)
Terry Moore (Rachel Rising)
Paul Tobin (Colder)
Best Artist:
Richard Corben (Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher, The Raven and the Red Death)
Glenn Fabry (Lot 13)
Juan Ferreyra (Colder, Kiss Me Satan)
Francesco Francavilla (Afterlife with Archie)
Gabriel Rodriguez (Locke & Key: Omega)
Best Inker:
Terry Moore (Rachel Rising)
Jason Paulos (EEEK!)
Drew Rausch (Eldritch, My Blacks Don’t Match)
Emma Rios (Pretty Deadly)
Rob Sacchetto (Rob Sacchetto’s Cape Fear)
Best Letterer:
Jack Morelli (Afterlife with Archie)
Nate Piekos (Billy the Kid’s Old Timey Oddities, Colder, Kiss Me Satan, To Hell You Ride)
Robbie Robbins (Locke & Key, X-Files)
Clem Robins (B.P.R.D., Baltimore, Hellboy in Hell, The Strain)
Rus Wooton (Ghosted, The Walking Dead)
Best Colorist:
Jordie Bellaire (Pretty Deadly, The X-Files)
Jay Fotos (’68, Locke & Key: Omega)
Francesco Francavilla (Afterlife with Archie)
Miroslav Mrva (Ghosted)
Dave Stewart (Abe Sapien, B.P.R.D., Hellboy: The Midnight Circus)
Best Web Comic:
Chopping Block (choppingblock.keenspot.com)
Crossed: Wish You Were Here (crossedcomic.com)
Last Halloween (last-halloween.com)
My Blacks Don’t Match (drewrausch.com/comic/its-alive)
The Eighth Seal (thrillbent.com/comics/the-eighth-seal)
Hall of Fame Inductees:
Gene Colan
Archie Goodwin
Head on over to the website and cast your vote now http://ghastlyawards.com/
The fifth annual Hallowscream! Hallowe’en Special is here! Available to download as a totally free pdf file, this year’s comic features 96 pages of shocks and scares to chill your blood over the Samhain season! We’ve also uploaded an horrific hi-res version this year, to give the gore and ghosties an extra gloss.
Here Are The Download Links :
Lo-res Version (file size = 46.3mb) : MEDIAFIRE DROPBOX
Hi-res Version (file size = 125mb) : MEDIAFIRE DROPBOX
You can also read the issue online at : ISSUU
Full contents of the terrors lurking behind that gloriously icky cover by “The Gurch” are as follows…
Page 3 : Pumpkin Soup Art & Recipe by Simon Mackie
Page 4 : A Mother’s Devotion Story by Chris Charlton, Art by Rowel Roque, Letters by Brant W. Fowler
Page 9 : Bestiary of Beasties : Lurking Tut Article & Illustration by Malcolm Kirk
Page 10 : 6 Seconds To Die by Gordon Innes
Page 17 : And Now A Few Words From Our Sponsors Story by Stu Perrins, Art by Israel Huertas
Page 19 : Wicked Stepmother Story & Art by Philip Sneyd
Page 23 : The Claws of The Catman Story by Paul Bristow, Art by Andy Lee
Page 29 : A Grim Tale : No Bones About It Story by ‘Clark Holland’, Art by Malcolm Kirk.
Page 31 : Empty Story by Chris Charlton, Art by Gregory Woronchak, Letters by Brant W. Fowler
Page 39 : Curse of The Season Story & Art by Carol Kewley ( Merry Xmas Everybody lyrics © Copyright Slade 1973 )
Page 43 : Terrorvision Guide by Malcolm Kirk
Page 44 : Hellevator Story & Art by Paul Gordon Innes
Page 48 : Apocalypse The Board Game Concept & Colour by Tim West, Illustration by Mike Legan
Page 50 : Home Is Where The Heart Is Story by Tim West, Art by The PXD
Page 55 : Bestiary of Beasties : The Spring-Heeled Jackalope Article & Illustration by Malcolm Kirk
Page 56 : Full Moon Jacket Story & Art by Gordon Innes
Page 59 : All The Fun of The Fair Story by Jamie Lambert, Art by The PXD, Letters by Tim West
Page 63 : Bestiary of Beasties : The Pear Wolf Article & Illustration by Malcolm Kirk
Page 64 : Artificial Unintelligence Story by Chris Charlton, Art & Letters by Joe Badon
Page 72 : Bestiary of Beasties : The Crypt Id Article & Illustration by Malcolm Kirk
Page 73 : Hair Scare! Story & Art by Gordon Innes
Page 77 : Run Story by Chris Sides, Art by Simon Bennett Hayes, Letters by Chris Travell
Page 83 : Dead by Dawn ZX Spectrum Game Advertisement
Page 84 : Many Happy Returns Story & Art by Michael Crouch
Page 89 : The North Wind Doth Blow Story & Art by Russell Hillman
Page 90 : Help! Mummy! Story & Art by Simon Mackie
Page 91 : Bestiary of Beasties : The Glook-Gonk Article & Illustration by Malcolm Kirk
Page 92 : Happy Family Story by David Stoddart, Art by Graham Stoddart
Page 95 : Hierophantom’s Poeticorner : Ghost Train by Paul Bradford, Art by Eric Hurley
…and…
Page 96 : Back Cover Skull by Malcolm Kirk
Previous issues of Hallowscream are available to download from backfromthedepths.co.uk/hallowscream or you can buy real-life monochrome paperback versions from Lulu.com.
HAPPY HALLOWE’EN!
Welcome to the Horror Comic Roundup! Join Decapitated Dan, Billy Dunleavy and friends each week as they review new and old Horror Comics that you will either be dying to read or terrified to check out!
Baltimore: The Inquisitor (Dark Horse)
Billy Dunleavy: Mignola and Golden have brought us another masterpiece in the world of Lord Henry Baltimore! This issue shows an inquisitor, and his “holy” quest to stop whoever he deems evil. He has Hodge in a jail cell for what he says are crimes of evil. In reality, Hodge is a friend of Baltimore’s, and has been corresponding with him at length about the vampires (and othe creatures) infesting Europe. A tragic death of a friend, Judge Duvic is judged, and Baltimore waits in the wings for a confrontation with Duvic! Anyone looking for something new, or just even slightly off the beaten path, give the Baltimore series a shot, because with Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden writing, and Ben Stenbeck and Dave Stewart on art, this book never misses! Rating 4/5
BPRD #108 (Dark Horse)
Billy Dunleavy: As “Wasteland” moves to part two, Dr. Corrigan and Iosif talk for the first time in a while, and try to assess what game plan to use moving forward. After the mentioning of Johann, we switch over to the scene of him and his battallion, struggling to survive. They’ve lost quite a few agents to these savage beasts that keep hunting them down, but Johann wont give up. This issue had it all. All out action and destruction, a heartfelt moment between the young boy and Agent Gervesh, some humor to lighten things up a bit, and then a good cliffhanger at the end to get you back for next issue! Two pages in particular stuck out. First, a page with only five rectangular panels that had only eleven words but was sad, encouraging, and creepy all at once. Another page showed the agents arriving at Chicago, and the mass destruction, followed by the disbelief of the agents was fantastic! Kudos to Mignola, Arcudi (writers), Laurence Campbell, and Dave Stewart (artists)! Oh and another great cover by the dude that’s been kicking butt for a while now, Dave Johnson! Rating 5/5
Decapitated Dan: If this book has been this good for a long time, I am going to start kicking myself. WOW what an issue! I never expected to see that (guy) turn into a monster, but he did and it was creepy. The pacing on this story is so fantastic, and it all comes together so well. Tons of scary ass moments, in a world that just seems to have no hope at all. When you add in the GORE-Geous artwork by Campbell you add another dimension of horror that most comics can not achieve. WHY HAVE I NOT BEEN READING THIS!?!?! So good, and now I need more, or at least I need to go back and get some of the older stuff. – Dying Breath 4.5 out of 5.0
The Dream Merchant #1 (Image)
Spaced: Winslow is just a guy who has a had a recurring dream all his life, but this is no ordinary dream. This dream has effected him to the point he now currently resides in a mental institution. But, when Winslow’s doctor decides to use a different method to explore the reasoning behind his dream he unwittingly unleashes something that may break Winslow’s psyche forever. The art is great, the characters are interesting and the writing is engaging. When using dreams as the catalyst to a story the possibilities are always endless and writer Nathan Edmondson has a good grasp on this, which should make for a really good mini series.
Extinction Parade #1 (Avatar Press)
Decapitated Dan: First of all, I loved the artwork. Caceres does an amazing job of drawing zombies, and to make it even better, he litters this book full of them. The story, which really comes across as more of novel, is long, but really good. I enjoy the concept of what will be going on here, but this issue didn’t really get to the point just yet, as we have to wait for the next issue to get things really rolling. So if you are going to pick this one up, expect a lot of build and backstory, which is needed, but expect things to really get rolling in the next issue. Great start! – Dying Breath 4.0 out of 5.0
Denise Dutton: Vampires. Zombies. Two great tastes…together. But not really; Brooks’ story is still in the gearing-up stages in #1, but we know where this is headed. Vampires will have to get up off their usual way of watching the human race from a distance (unless said vamp is having a snack), and begin to deal with the zombie apocalypse. Now this is a horse of a different color! And the colors on Raulo Carceres’ artwork are lovely indeed, as is the detail in the pencils. “They had always been a joke”, says one of the vamps. Wanna bet it’s not so funny in #2? Big ol’ bonus points for a Twilight smackdown. I think I’m gonna like this series. And a look at George R.R. Martin’s Skin Trade cover in the end pages? Yaaaay! (4.5/5)
The Fall of the House of Usher #2 (Dark Horse)
Billy Dunleavy: While Corben is a legend in the medium, his love for boobs is sometimes a bit over the top and can hinder the over all story itself. In the case of this book, it didn’t as much as it had previously, but it still seemed cheesy. Corben’s writing however, is very strong in this issue of the final day of the House of Usher! A murder, a betrayal, and Roderick gone completely unhinged, make this book a really solid read. Poe was an excellent storyteller, and this adaptation showcases that immensely. This book was certainly the strongest out of them all! The cover work must be mentioned as well, because it was superbly done by Corben himself! Great use of shadows and stone! Rating 4/5
Decapitated Dan: I LOVE CORBEN!!!!! Wait let me try again, I don’t want to have a short review here… I LOVE CORBEN!!!! Damn it! I did it again. What I really meant to say was… I LOVE CORBEN!!! This issue was fantastic, and incase you missed what I said last time, I don’t really care for Poe stories. Yet Corben did an amazing job on these 2 issues, and made it much more interesting. The artwork… oh the artwork, it is simply GORE-Geous. Page after page, panel after panel, it was just a pure eyegasm. I did not expect to enjoy this mini, but I am so happy I did. So one last time, let me say it again… I LOVE CORBEN!!!!! – Dying Breath 4.5 out of 5.0
Grimm Fairy Tales Vampires: The Eternal #1 (Zenoscope)
Denise Dutton: An “undead” connecting miniseries that’s a heckuva mouthful of a title. Here you’ve got Samira’s origin story, and can I say that I’m sick to death with *glk* as a drinking blood comic book “sound”? When I read that, in my head I hear vampires choking. Anyway, after the Samira story there’s a tidbit about Van Helsing’s search for Sela. But I’m not invested in this story. I can’t help but think that this series in the Grimm universe is just a way to trot out more hot chicks. And on that note, I can’t stand how they dress Van Helsing like a Steampunk hooker. Plus, The Extinction Parade does vamps much, much better. Much. The good news? The final pages do have me excited for Screwed #1…. (2/5)
John Carpenter’s Asylum #1 (Storm King Press)
Decapitated Dan: Man, I wish I could have reviewed this one as soon as it came out, because HOLY HELL is it an AGHH-MAZING read!! First of all… Bruce Jones people, BRUCE JONES! The story just comes flying out of the gate and never slows down. You talk about a thrill ride, this is it. But, because of that, there is really no good chance to really get to know the cast. It’s not needed though, because the object of a #1 issue is to grab you, and this story did just that. Now let’s talk about how in love with Manco’s artwork I am…. I LOVE IT! There is not a single page in this book that drops the ball, and do you know how hard that has to be to do panel after panel? To be that consistent, oh man… it’s just to damn good looking. Overall a Balls to the Wall read that will just leave you wanting more, needing more, and now you have to wait a bit to get more. Check this book out! – Dying Breath 4.5 out of 5.0
The Last Zombie: The End #1 (Antarctic Press)
Decapitated Dan: I’m starting to get sad because this is series is now on the final “chapter” if you will. I really did enjoy the letter that Keene put on the inside cover of this issue, so that had me ready to roll right from the start. I like that this issue takes place a little in the future from what happened last time. This is a great build issue, meaning things are really just being setup, but be prepared because Planters is going to unleash hell on some poor bastards. The artwork is fantastic, and that final page is so GORE-Geous. I love this story, and I can not wait to see what is left in store for this cast. I hope all of you reading this, are reading this title. – Dying Breath 4.5 out of 5.0
Locke & Key: Omega #5 (IDW)
Spaced: With Tyler fighting for his life and Kinsey having to make one of the most difficult decisions she has had to make it seems that Dodge’s plan will soon be realized, but in true Locke & Key style will this ending be in Dodge’s favor? The intensity and emotion that this comic has wielded only gets better and this issue is no exception. The ending is drawing near and the showdown between Dodge and the Locke kids is coming to a close and only a turn of the key can decide their fates.
X-Files #1 (IDW)
Decapitated Dan: I will say this about issue #1, it was creepy. However I think it would have been more fun, if it did not involve the TV show. The artwork is nice, and it really adds to the creep factor. I think Mulder and Scully look great in this book. I just don’t get the concept of bringing them back. The show is long gone, and it’s okay that it is. I don’t think it would be easily accessible to someone new, you would have to know a good chunk of the story so far. So for me, good stuff, but I just think it could be better as something not involving known characters. – Dying Breath 3.0 out of 5.0
Zombolette (Milk Shadow Books)
Decapitated Dan: “Do you know Zombolette? Basically it’s like she is a zombie or something and she lives with an oversized guinea pig named Cameron.” That is the description taken straight off the back of this fantastic collection of short stories. The book is filled with tons of jokes coupled with solid artwork that lends itself so well to the humor. Baccini delivers so much entertainment from page to page, that I found myself stuck in this fantastic world. I can’t lie the joke that stood out to me the most was Cameron (the guinea pig) trying to figure out how to hold a shotgun, it just reminds me of anything with tiny arms trying to use them both at the same time, hahaha! What you get with this book is a comically solid read from start to finish. You can read it in chunks, or be like me and read it all at once. The short stories make it a very accessible read, and one I know I will find myself coming back to over and over again because of the great humor. Fans of Lenore or Johnny the Homicidal Maniac should be just save some time and go buy this book now, because it is right up your alley. A fantastic read combing what I love most, Horror and Comedy Comics. – Dying Breath 4.5 out of 5.0
Hands up who saw the recent DREDD movie?
Rather good, wasn’t it? Unfortunately, it didn’t do well enough at the box office to guarantee a sequel any time soon, but fear not, because you haven’t seen the last of filmic depictions of Mega-City One. There are currently two short live action fan films in the planning stages, (one of which is being made by a producer of DREDD), and an animated short.
You don’t need to worry about waiting ages for those, however, as there has recently been a completed half hour long film doing the rounds at various film festivals and conventions, it has the full blessing of 2000ad publishers Rebellion, it got referenced via background graffiti in the aforementioned DREDD, (see below), and now it’s available to watch for free online.
Judge Minty is based on an old story from the comics and follows a Judge forced to take the ‘Long Walk’ into the irradiated, post-apocalyptic wasteland of ‘The Cursed Earth’.
You’ll like this. There are mutants and flying cars and gore and stuff…
Submissions should be horror orientated and must be weird or spooky to make the final cut. We are mainly looking for completed comic strips between 1-7 pages in length. Script submissions should also preferably be around 1-7 psges in length. Eerie illustrations and artwork along with interesting horror/comic articles, scary short stories, petrifying poems or anything just plain creepy will also be considered.
To get an idea of the sort of stuff we’re after, you can download previous issues of Hallowscream here.
If you’re looking to illustrate something, get in contact and we’ll give you details of available scripts to see if anything suits your fancy.
We’ll also consider material previously published elsewhere, as long as the contributors own the copyright.
Completed artwork can be either colour or black and white, and should preferably be A4 (21cm x 29.7cm) 300 dpi jpegs.
Submissions can be sent to merjeagles@yahoo.co.uk or ghastlymcnasty@backfromthedepths.co.uk
As this is a non-profit, small press publication, contributors will not be paid but they will retain copyright on any material submitted.
DEADLINES :
Scripts, articles and text submissions : Sunday 28th July
Artwork : Sunday 6th October
Completed strips : Sunday 20th October.
The finished issue will be available online as a free pdf by October 31st, with a physical copy becoming available via Lulu.com, shortly afterwards. You can also keep up to date with Hallowscream news via the Facebook Page
(Note : There won’t be an issue of Shocking Chillers this year, but if you still want to submit a Christmas themed story and you’re willing to wait a year or two to see it appear in an issue, we’ll happily accept it and put it aside for future use).
Horror comic fans can now get their freaky fix by downloading the Madefire App and exploring the exciting new world of Motion Comics.
Set up by comic legend Liam Sharp, along with some very clever tech bods, Madefire is looking to carve its own little corner in the evolving online comics market. Motion comics offer a new experience to reading comics online. Readers swipe, poke and prod their way through the comic, reading at their pace. The app includes sliding panels, movement, actions and sounds to augment the comic experience.
Madefire transform a once static medium into an interactive experience that unfolds dynamically on mobile devices, and evolves with each new episode.
It’s currently worth taking a look at Madefire at the moment, as all the motion comics they have created are free to download. It’s a good range of horror and sci-fi that tick plenty of the boxes we demand here at The Theatre of Terror.
Stories such as: Houses of the Holy, by Mike Carey and David Kendall, a 1930’s vampire, monster thriller with plenty of shocking scenes – The Irons, by Haden Blackman and Gary Erskine, a psycho-killer on the loose cop story, set on another planet, and Treatment, from the mind of Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons.
The quality of the content is very high and they have some decent names on board. Madefire really has come out swinging, hoping to smash it’s way on to the comics scene, a scene which is generally very opposed to change.
Check out the teaser video below.
Madefire may not be to everyone’s tastes. The added elements of movement and sound effects certainly make for a different ‘reading’ experience. I imagine some will loathe what the company has done to their beloved medium, while others will embrace the changes whole-heartedly. It’s really up to you to judge for yourself, but you’ll need an iPhone or iPad to use the app, a factor which will piss a few people off before they’ve even started.
Find our more on the Madefire website.
NOTE: Later this year Madefire will be launching it Motion Book Tool for those looking to create their own motion comics. We can’t wait to get our hand on this bit of kit so keep watching folks, there’s gonna be some Back from the Depths Presents motion comics. You heard it here first.
The words ‘reboot’ and ‘remake’ never seemed to enter into my vocabulary growing up as a bit of a film freak. There was the word ‘sequel’ which cropped up relatively often, but that was always something to be cherished (what Christmas was ever complete without ‘Return of the Jedi’?) Now, the words ‘reboot’ and ‘remake’, that at one stage would be synonymous with the word ‘shit’, are commonly used in relation to films. Too much, some might say. In fact, some might say (okay, me) that we’ve got a bit of a rehash epidemic on our hands. There’s the recent Total Recall remake, the Robocop reboot in post-production. I read somewhere a while back that someone has been tasked with writing a Lethal Weapon remake; I cried a little inside. Good concepts and original material, it seems, are hard to come by these days.
The exception to the rule here, of course, are zombies; the cultural obsession that never, ever seems to get old and die (sorry). Infused across every conceivable media and done sometimes well (Walking Dead, 28 Days Later, Left 4 Dead) and not so well (the shockingly bad Day of the Dead remake-that-wasn’t-a-remake), we can’t seem to get enough. So when Tim ‘Hack/Slash’ Seeley and Mike Norton announced Revival, a ‘rural noir’ about the dead coming back to life in a small town, my Deadhead Radar (™) flickered into life and I found myself shambling to the shop to get my fix. It was here that I found out that Revival isn’t about zombies and is all together a different kettle of (dead) fish. And different is good.
Now, when I say good, I mean this is one of the best of the many original stories that Image comics have released en masse recently, all of which are nothing short of excellent. Seeley and Norton deal us a story about the realistic consequences of what would happen if 23 of a small town’s recently deceased population literally just woke up and carried on with their lives. The town has been cordoned off and quarantined from the outside world (the government are worried that what has happened in the town is contagious and will spread across the country), the religious zealots are having a field day, convinced that this is all the proof the world needs that God exists and members of the scientific community are all trying to work out how the Hell something like this has happened in the first place.
Revival has one of the best issue 1’s I’ve read in a long time. Not to say that the rest of it is rubbish, it’s just the first issue is of such a high standard and poses so many interesting scenarios and possible analogies (this event could represent the current global fear of terrorism, that fundamentalism has run wild etc.) that are crafted with such expert precision in the script and the artwork that you can’t help but take a breath after reading it and then go back and read it all over again.
After a darkly amusing prologue that reads like every coroner’s worst nightmare, we are introduced to Dana Cypress, a small town cop tasked by her over-protective Sheriff father to be the liaison officer to Ibrahim Ramin, a member of the Centre for Disease Control who has been sent in to study some of the ’revivers’ to find out what makes them tick. Through Dana, we meet the rest of the town but most importantly Dana’s sister, Martha, a young woman with a big secret to hide.
To explain the story too much would ruin it due to it being so tightly woven. Needless to say, Seeley’s characters are immediately engaging and believable, all of them with emotional baggage, all of them dealing with the ‘revivers’ in different ways because of that baggage. These people are drawn from a world that is exactly like ours (only the dead are walking around) and the dialogue reflects this; every line is thoughtfully crafted and directly contributes to pushing the story forward. Mike Norton’s artwork is perfect for this story, his detailed, consistent pencils capturing the essence of small town life that has been thrown into the limelight through no fault of its own. Special mention must be made to the colourist, Mark Englert, who works into the artwork such an atmosphere in places that you can almost feel the cold of the snow.
Revival reads in a similar vein to other ‘small town/slice of life’ books like Jeff Lemire’s Essex County and Craig Thompson’s Blankets but piles on the crime mystery and horror elements to create something that borrows from obvious source material but puts a unique and original spin on it. Out of all the Image titles recently released, this is definitely one for the top of the pile. A little of something different definitely goes a long way. Well, let’s hope so. Issue 6 is released at the end of this month and long may it continue.
Buy Revival Volume 1: You’re Among Friends TP
 Latest Posts |  Previous Posts |
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.
The Horrors Of It All is an award winning website which has been delivering top class pre-code horror comic scans for over 10 years.
Courtesy of the The Horrors Of It All
