We are moving our server over to a dedicated domain!
If you are following this blog we won’t be posting here any more, so come and check us out at our new site.
You don’t want to miss it, because in a few short days we will be posting our first episode of the podcast!
So please come and join us over at our new site!
Beware: Formula X
Editor’s Note: This review of Beware…Formula X has been moved to the top of the pile so we can let you know about Wewincon.org. Mike Perkins (co-creator of Beware…) will be donating 50% of sales of this book, and several others, to support Boston Children’s Hospital in the wake of the Boston Bombings. For more info click over to We Win Con.
Todd isn’t a popular kid. As a matter of fact when faced with the choice between hanging out with the cute girl that likes him and continuing with his plant experiment for AP Botany, he actually has to take the time to think it through. He decides that if he uses the fertilizer labeled “Formula X” on his fungal experiment, that it should give him enough time to go hand out with the girl for a while.
As with all things labeled “X” not really the most safe decision. The fungus that mimics and orchid to attract and kill ants (by making fungal zombie ants) has a rapid growth spurt and using its biological mechanism for spreading eats the janitor and then begins to spread itself through the school. Todd has to save the day. His quick mind isn’t just for botany, with wiffle ball bats, road flares, and heat resistant gloves he makes improvised flame throwers. He takes the fight to the plant.
Beware… which is is a bi-monthly ongoing from 215 Ink, hits all of the sci-fi horror buttons dead on. It is by turns silly, intelligent and gross. Done by a team of brothers Michael Perkins helms the writing. He has this style of campy horror and sci-fi in the bag, with a story that is reminiscent of the horror comics like Tales From the Crypt, and Haunt of Horrors. Visually the art, by brother Will Perkins, is a little more modernized. The art is like anything that you would see in a modern horror comic book. The fungal take over of people is a gross out in the fun way, and when he spoors and explodes it is even more fun. This is worth picking up, and right now you can do it while donating to a great cause.
Next Time: Deadman: Exorcism #2
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Ghost Rider: Fear Itself #2
Mephisto needs some help, and he has come to John Blaze for that help, much to Blaze’s amusement. After all, he has just gotten rid of the curse of the Ghost Rider that Mephisto tricked him into in the first place. Things are serious though, and even though Blaze wants nothing to do with Mephisto, there seems to be nowhere, and no one, else to turn to. The Ghost Rider has been moved into the body of young Alejandra who has been trained since birth to be the weapon of divine sin destroying justice.
The vision of the future isn’t pretty either. In an effort to eradicate The Serpent, an Asgaurdian deity that is stomping a mud hole in the earth, Adam will wipe all sin from the earth. Leaving the future a bland and lifeless place. The implication is that sin is our flaws, and our flaws are what make us human, and creative. They give us drive, and desire. Inner and real demons to overcome.
Blaze signs on, and soon finds himself trekking through the rain forest on a motorcycle on his way to confront the new Ghost Rider. Upon his arrival Adam is getting Ghost Rider to give the penance stare to the others that were in training with her, the eradication of sin from the world is going to start with his own people. Blaze interrupts and while Adam and Ghosty are distracted Mephisto sends in one of his major demons illiciting an overwhelming response for the Ghost Rider. A swarm of locust pours from her mouth.
The direction this incarnation of Ghost Rider takes is pretty interesting, but not fantastically engaging. It seems a lot like the antagonism that existed between John Blaze and Dan Ketch Ghost Rider in the 90’s. So some of this seems like a bit of a retread to me. The introduction of new and crazy powers for someone that is trained in how to be Ghost Rider is really interesting though. Rob Williams seems to have a pretty firm (if not incredibly creative) take on Ghost Rider. Matthew Clark’s art is good too. Again nothing to unpredictable or surprising, just kind of by the book Ghost Rider.
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Graphic Policy has a preview of East of West #2.
This is a favorite of HHC’s and we can’t wait to get our hands on the new issue!
Go check the preview out!
How excited are we?! Notice the over use of exclamation marks!
East of West #2 on Graphic Policy!!
Dynamite comics will now be avaliable digitally through Dark Horse Digital:
“Dynamite Entertainment has inked a deal to include its comics digitally through the Dark Horse Digital store and apps. Thirty single issues and more than twenty collections are available for purchase today! New titles will be added weekly, with all upcoming Dynamite releases available digitally the same day as print.
“We’ve been looking for ways to expand our digital presence, and this is our first step to building an even more robust library of digital comics,” said Dark Horse President Mike Richardson.
“We’re proud to add Dark Horse Digital to our retail partners selling our digital titles to their audience. Our wide range of titles, from Vampirella to Battlestar Galactica, Grimm, The Shadow, Red Sonja, and many of our other Dynamite titles, are a perfect fit for the large audience who purchase Dark Horse titles. We’re thrilled to work with Mike and his team at Dark Horse Digital on this new endeavor and excited about new opportunities to come,” added Nick Barrucci, Dynamite Entertainment’s CEO and publisher.”
On top of that Dark Horse Digital is turning two years old, and to mark that milestone they will be doing a huge sale, and will be giving away 50 first issues for free for 48 hours.
“As a sign of appreciation for its loyal digital subscribers, Dark Horse Digital announces that fifty free first issues from many of its best-selling series will be available for the next forty-eight hours (promotion ends Friday, April 26, at 9 a.m. PST).
Starting Friday morning and throughout the weekend, Dark Horse Digital is offering 10 percent off all bundles in the web store! And confirmed newsletter subscribers will receive an additional coupon! The newsletter coupon stacks with the bundle discount, offering even greater savings.”
Helheim, Oni Press’ Viking vs. Evil Beasties title, sold out with the distributor and will be going into a second printing with a new cover.
You can check out the press release about it over at Oni.
Helheim gets second printing, and new cover!
Comic Monsters has a preview for one of the comics that we are the most excited to see here at HHC.
Haunted Horror #4 looks like it is going to be just as amazing as the rest of the issues.
Be sure to go and check the preview out.
Bleeding Cool reports that the simultaneous titles Uncanny and The Uncanny are going to play nice.
Basically the opposite of the incident between DC and Clive Barker and his Next Testament.
Gives you a little faith in common decency. Even though it sounds like there are lawyers involved still.
CBR has a great preview of Buffy Season 9 #21 up on their site.
Go over there and check it out!
This was 1993 and the current comic book explosion was at its very peak. Image Comics and Vertigo were absolutely killing. Dark Horse had come along and taken a gigantic chunk out of the market. Your regular costumed superheroes were considered passé by comic publishers and everybody was looking for that NEXT Alan Moore/Frank Miller. I think Marvel started to feel kind of left out of this new “Comics are good literature” idea that was taking over pop culture and college lectures worldwide.
So they hire Rafael Nieves to clean out all of the detritus and extra baggage that Damian Hellstrom was carrying around from years with The Defenders. He gave Damian back his Hellfire and trident by restoring the Darksoul. Mrs. Hellstrom, nee Patsy Walker (aka Hellcat), had been driven insane, slipping in and out of a coma and was now being nursed by Isaac the human gargoyle. Bust mostly we see that Damian had grown cynical of his costumed superhero ways and became dark, deep and brooding (no, I mean really…).
The second stage of this series sees writer Len Kaminski steer the plot into a strictly literate realm, illustrated over several issues as a loose retelling of “Pilgrim’s Progress” by John Bunyan. By the use of some Jungian devices, such as collective unconscious, Kaminski quite beautifully illustrated our spiritual crisis in modern western culture. Important questions were asked, like: Is homosexuality a sin? And: Is everyone able to surrender their ego in order to enter heaven/the great collective? Are angels really aliens and is the afterlife of heaven or hell a subconscious decision made long before ones death? This was not your everyday, run of the mill comics’ content for sure. This stuff was crucial at the time and after a few missteps, Kaminski had the book headed in a decidedly good direction.
With Damian Hellstrom fresh back from hell and a battle with his father Satan, Ellis dispensed with all of the Jungian drama and replaced it with some truly gothic sturm und drang. The evil undertones became overtones and Hellstorm began to really revel in his own sin and evil nature. Ellis simplified the plot and removed the effluvium that was littering the edges of this story. No more emotional heartrending over his role as a superhero. There was full acceptance of his role as the Son of Satan and the guilt had been removed.
This simple move made it possible for Ellis to explore the idea of good and evil and all the grey areas in between. The protagonist moved into a more active role as the agent of change that gave readers that action hit they so desire. As a result, the comic picked up the pace immediately by introducing a two issue mystery that brought in new characters. In addition, Ellis, in quite a humane maneuver, finally put down poor Patsy Hellstrom. I for one was happy to not have to see his wife rolling around in bed in a lunatic haze, issue after issue.
With the death of Hellcat, Damian was now able to slut around with whatever sexy occultist he chose without making the reader uncomfortable. The human gargoyle Isaac was revamped as well and became a more central player who acted as a separate conscious for a man without one of his own. But the best thing he did for me was the introduction of two concurrent themes: Demons who through jealousy of his lineage or by hubris crossed his path and a fight on Earth between Angels and the occultists who were devoted to protect her.
Underneath it all is Damian’s sister, Satana pulling the strings in an attempt to gain favor with their father. Sibling rivalry! Wow, all of this metaphysical fighting and violence is all about sibling rivalry. The simplicity of it is just one of those moments when you sit back with a smile on your face and say No Shit! This is the series that set Ellis up as one of the premier writers in the industry and at the ripe old age of 26! It was nice to see Marvel comics lose control for a short while and produce a book with teeth. Here’s to days long gone.
Haunt of Horror Comics 