A quick look at ... HORROR COMICS!

(Or, Go Ahead & Touch My ...

1) Dr. Strange vs. Dracula (Marvel)
This trade paperback collects "Tomb of Dracula" #44, "Dr. Strange" #s 14 & 58-62. It introduces some pretty crazy shit, like vampires having their lineage traced back to Atlantis. Why not? But it compiles a much greater story, that being the one where the Comics Code Authority had taken over, and pretty much anything related to horror was being eradicated. Thanks, Frederic Wertham!

2) Army of Darkness vs. Marvel Zombies (Marvel/ Dynamite)
Okay, yeah, last year saw the success of the "Marvel Zombies" franchise, and it was a very good concept. Then, the Marvel Zombies started showing up in the regular Marvel Universe ... and they reappeared in the Ultimate Universe ... and then, Ash Williams crossed over. And while that was an ... alright concept, the part where Ash was eaten by a zombie Howard the Duck, but then the next issue reveals that the Ash that was eaten was from an alternate universe, and an Ash from another universe jumps to the Marvel Zombie Universe ... but somehow retains the memories of the preceding Ash, which goes against even non-comic book dork logic ...

Oh, well, at least "Marvel Zombies 2" came out last week.

3) Doktor Sleepless (Avatar Press)
Warren Ellis writes this dark future tale of a society hardwired to technology, and a mad scientist who leads the way to take back the thrill of organic living. It's good so far, but at one issue, it still has some story to tell.

4) Fangoria Comics
What a difference two months and four days make. That's how long Fangoria comics was in business. They had an interesting list of titles (all descriptions stolen from the internet):
- Bump: A twisted tale of a serial killer named Edgar who turns victims into bizarre wooden dolls with drawers that hold their organs; the name is taken from "things that go BUMP in the night." HAW!
- Beneath the Valley of the Rage: A four-issue prequel to upcoming horror film The RAGE which will feature the maniacal Dr. Victor Vasilienko, who is hell-bent on bringing the world to its knees by infecting it with his Rage serum and transforming all of mankind into mutated, murderous monsters.
- Fourth Horseman: A four issue prequel to the upcoming animated horror movie from Fangoria Films, T4H tells the graphic and terrifying tale of how the Riders of the Apocalypse meet, rise to power and bring upon the end of the world. If only there was one who could stop them....
- Strangeland: Seven Sins: A bloodier and even more brutal prequel to the Dee Snider (TWISTED SISTER) cult classic film STRANGELAND, SEVEN SINS is a "Horror Vengeance" title that tells the terrifying tale of how Carleton Hendricks becomes the merciless Captain Howdy, and the sadistic path of revenge he takes against the seven individuals responsible.
- Recluse: Recluse is a story that involves child abuse, and long buried sins against the innocent. The results of this atrocity are horrifying and uncontrollable, even by the once-young hands that unleash it. This is a cautionary tale, showing that hatred and a black desire for vengeance can have long-reaching effects that sometimes spawn an evil even greater than the one that inspired it.
- Shifter: A brand new take on the werewolf mythos, following the brutal life of a mob hitman who is much more than human. He can be or look like almost any beast or man, and can never be stopped! At least, that is, until a rival boss calls in something even worse than he is... Co-created by and starring Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill)!

Wow, Michael Madsen ... no wonder the line got cancelled. Amazing, considering the success that movie tie-ins and comic film prequels usually have; these books didn't even have the strength of an established film to leech off of. But, alas, apparently the money got lost. And Fangoria gets to stick to publishing their magazine. All remains right in the world.

5) Black Gas (Avatar Press)
Warren Ellis ... zombies ... and an upcoming trade that collects two three-issue miniseries. Can't beat it. A zombie "virus" (really, more like the affliction in "28 Days Later" ... which was NOT zombiism) takes over the residents of an island community. Claustrophobic and harrowing ... and with those subtle Ellis touches that make the story pop.

6) Ghost Rider 2007 (Marvel)
I had a lot higher hopes for this series, because it started off written by Garth Ennis. All well and good. The premise has the Devil escaping hell and splitting into 666 soul fragments that then inhabit 666 people; as Ghost Rider kills one possessed person, the remaining possessed victims increase in strength & power. Not bad ... but then Ennis vacated the title. And Ghost Rider entered the World War Hulk territory, but never came to any conclusive blows with Jade Jaws. Now, with sales falling off, 658 souls are now on the line in the recent storyline. Wow. That kind of conclusion really takes some (lack of) talent to pull off. This was purely a cash-in relaunch, as it came out with the Nicolas Cage film. Now that the DVD's hit the shelves and sold probably about as much as it's gonna, time to put the Rider back to bed, with the other 70s comics rejects. Now, I demand my Dazzler film!!

7) Terror Inc. (Marvel)
Terror is a detective that was actually born in the medieval times, but was cursed to live forever. His body, however, doesn't get the same priveleges, so it has a bad habit of decaying pretty quick. So, he has to replace parts that have a habit of just flopping into the floor at inconvenient times. But, he can retain the talents of the body parts that he steals; if he were to steal, say, Superman's eyes, Terror would be granted heat & X-ray visions. This latest mini ... I've certainly read worse. But I've totally read better; the dialogue is particularly shitty, as it apears to be written by someone with only the most rudimentary senses of humor, like dick jokes.

8) Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Season Eight (Dark Horse)
I don't read this. Tha L does, however, so I asked her for her opinions on the series; for a little background, the creator of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series, Joss Whedon, was cut off one season shy of telling his "grand epic." So, he took the last season to Dark Horse Comics. With that in mind, take it away, girl:

"I like it."

It don't get no plainer.

9) Tag (Boom Studios)
Zombies, zombies, zombies ... ubiquitous fuckers. This time, zombiism is transferred from person to person like the game of tag. The story follows one schlub's life when he gets "tagged." Keith Giffen brings the pain on this one.

10) The Goon (Dark Horse)
This comic was created by a dude from Lebanon, TN. I knew a girl who lived there, named Tracy Callis. Wonder whatever happened to her? She was a cute redhead that went to the same summer camp I did every year; she had a thing for me, but it was back before I had class with the ladies. I remember she went one year to an acting school ... she might have even gone on to be an actress. Oh, and the Goon is about a mob enforcer who encounters the supernatural. Eh, it's alright, from the few issues I've read, but I don't have my local shop hang onto it.

11) Nocturnals (Oni Press)
This book actually features a horror-themed supergroup, sort of a "Justice League of the Living Dead." The regular cast of characters features a Dr. Strangesque wizard, a Gillwoman, a female ghost, a few human/beast hybrids, and the popular Gunwitch, a zombie scarecrow who wields two pistols to dispatch evil Wild West style. They face off for the most part against a sha-dow-y organization called Narn K.

While somewhat derivative, it's still worth a look, if for no other reason than Dan Brereton's artwork. Also, a highlight of the Nocturnals canon is the story, "Troll Bridge," which features the Nocturnals on a universe-traipsing odyssey, which also features Usagi Yojimbo, Scary Godmother, and other indy comics stars.

12) Creature Commandos (DC Comics)
DC takes the Universal monster canon and turns them into double-you, double-you, eye, eye Nazi stomping Allied soldiers. Yep, someone sat in a meeting and said, "Hell, that sounds like a good idea!" And really, some of the stories were actually pretty good. The greatest comic character ever was the "Frankenstein monster" analog was a soldier who had accidentally "found" a minefield. Lack of sensitivity often breeds great creativity.

13) Zombie King (Image)
Featuring remarkable art by Frank Cho, this one only made it one issue to date (and that issue was out July 2006). Oh, and it featured a zombie fucking a cow. I'm not even kidding.