Fear in Four Colors: Victorian Undead #2: “The Skull Beneath the Skin”

Writer: Ian Edginton
Art: Davide Fabbri
Colors: Carrie Strachan
Letters: Saida Temofonte
Cover: Simon Coleby & Jonny Rench
Publisher: DC Comics
Publication Date: Jan. 1, 2010

Even the threat of imprisonment cannot deter the inquisitive minds of one Sherlock Holmes and his faithful companion, Dr. Watson, when faced with the walking dead. In the second issue of writer Ian Edginton’s Victorian Undead, a six-issue miniseries from WildStorm that pits Britain’s infamous detective against hordes of mindless reanimated corpses, Watson and Holmes make their way back to the scene of the first undead attack, deep underground the streets of London. What they discover there is beyond anything the pair could’ve imagined, and as things below the surface escalate, our heroes must hope for a miracle in the face of a painful and bloody death.

Once again ,Ian Edginton and artist Davide Fabbri deliver an excellent mash-up of traditional Sherlock Holmes story and the gory antics of the living dead. Edginton’s version of the British detective is characteristically intelligent, but thankfully lacks the patronizing nature that some portrayals of Holmes employ. Although he usually is a step or two behind his quick-witted companion, Watson is given an opportunity to demonstrate his own deductive reasoning in Victorian Undead #2, and I must admit that I was surprised by the degree of competence that he displays.

Unlike the first issue of Victorian Undead, which only featured one or two shambling corpses that were dispatched very quickly, the second issue of this series is far bloodier, much more action-packed, and filled with zombies! The interactions that Watson and Holmes have with the living dead in Victorian Undead #2 give the two an opportunity to demonstrate their physical prowess and sharp-shooting skills in addition to the intellectual and reasoning capabilities generally on display in Sherlock Holmes stories.

Each issue of Victorian Undead runs about 28 pages, so only so much story development can happen with each new installment. Fortunately, Edginton does an excellent job of moving the story along at a quick pace while still providing the reader with enough details to keep him or her from getting lost. Davide Fabbri’s art is the perfect compliment to Edginton’s story—both detailed and somewhat stylized, an excellent balance for the series.

If you enjoy the zombie genre and have an extra $2.99 lying around, I’d recommend that you pick up this issue of Victorian Undead. It’s debatable whether or not you need to read the first issue to understand the second, but I’d recommend at least flipping through the original if you intend to read issue #2. -- Paige MacGregor

VAULTCAST: Conversations in the Dark... w/Bryan White

Brace yourselves, Vault dwellers, because it's about to get very geeky up in here. This week we're talking comics--horror comics, to be more specific. And 1970s Marvel horror comics, to be even more specific. Blade, Man-Thing, Werewolf By Night, Ghost Rider, Tomb of Dracula, the whole nine yards.

Joining me is fellow pop-culture obsessed Gen-Xer Bryan White of Cinema Suicide. He and I had begun conversing recently on Twitter about our shared enthusiasm for one of comics' most underrated movements and eras, and now, it's turned into all this. For those of you horror fiends who are also comics nerds, you're in for a treat. If you beat up guys like us in high school, kindly come back next week. We promise to have our lunch money for you then.

Take a listen to the embedded link below--or proceed directly to the Vaultcast page and download it.

Cinema Suicide: http://www.cinema-suicide.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/CinemaSuicide

Visceral Visionaries: Krystal Fancey Beck

Our irregular look at artists throughout the universe of horror returns this time around with a gifted illustrator who has truly made the most of her prodigious talents, channeling them into the creation of all manner of chilling chotchkies. Nova Scotia's own Krystal Fancey Beck launched The Zombified in 2006, and uses the website to showcase, promote and merchandise the many kinds of items featuring her unique artwork. These items include anything from T-shirts and posters, to buttons and even comic books.

The Houston transplant was kind enough to speak to The Vault of Horror recently about her many endeavors...

You describe yourself as having been a "serial artist". Explain.
As an artist, I've experimented in a wide variety of artistic mediums--pencil, charcoal, paint (and again, gone through a variety of paint types: acrylic, oil, watercolor, etc.), and of course my main love, ink. Furthermore, I've ventured into photography, website & graphic design, sewing, writing, a bit of sculpture... pretty much everything! Hell, I even dance--though I still haven't got the guts to perform. Basically, if it's creative, I have, or have had, an interest.

What items were the first you created?
For The Zombified? Well, I started working on the Hallowhaus comic before I'd actually planned on doing art as a career, but I think the Halloween scene is the oldest design I have prints of available through The Zombified.

Which are you the most proud of?
I'm proud of myself for not giving up on the comic after a couple of pages! I'm easily distracted, and that thing's a lot of work. That aside, I'm usually most pround of whatever I've most recently completed, though I'm not sure if it's because I'm evolving as an artist, or if it's just because I've had less time to pick out all the flaws.

Why do you feel that drawing in ink is your favorite method?
I'm not sure, I just feel most comfortable with a pen in my hand. I like the contrast, the crispness of the lines. I'm not sure if I like that the permanence of it (you can't exactly erase ink that easily) leaves very little room for mistake or not.

Who are some of your inspirations?
I'm hesitant to use the word 'inspire', but there are artists whose work I adore, and perhaps inspires me to try to become more awesome at 'what it is that I do'. But the inspiration for 'what it is that I do' seems to come from somewhere else. I get most of my ideas when I'm supposed to be asleep, perhaps the secret is in the insomnia. I digress. Artists I admire include Gris Grimly, Chad Savage, Keith Thompson and Ben Templesmith.

How did you get into creating comics? Which artists inspire you as far as that medium?
As a kid I said I wanted to become a comic book artist, even though I didn't really have any ideas for a series or anything. Eventually, I decided that since I'd been saying that for ages, I should probably just go for it. I was never planning on showing it to anyone, it was just to sort of challenge myself and see if I could do it. I wasn't even planning on doing more than one issue.

I'm deeply inspired by anyone else who's doing their own thing, creating their comic from the ground up all by themselves, regardless if the quality or content is actually my 'thing'. As I mentioned, creating a comic is a hell of a lot of work, even if the artwork or story is fairly simple. In terms of my personal favorite comics, I'm particularly in love with Hellboy and, a bit more recently, Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse.

Tell me a little about the genesis of the story for Hallowhaus.
I'm making it up as I go along, honestly. Which is another part of the reason there's a large gap between issues. I have a couple future projects in mind for after I've finished the Hallowhaus series, that might (hopefully) be a bit more planned out, but there's still the chance that I'll just grab a new idea and run with it again.

When and why did you first realize that this was something you could turn into a business?
I was close to finishing the first issue of the comic when I learned of the glories of print-on-demand (yes, I know. But I have complete control of my work and can slack off when I'm not actually feeling inspired). I figured what I'd created wasn't entirely awful, started working on a few separate original designs, and just went for it. It was terrifying, since I had (have) the typical artist modesty (insecurity), but it's also been immensely rewarding.

What are some of the most popular items on your site?
The mirrors seem to be most interesting to people, but it's the prints that sell the best. In terms of my designs, everyone loves the Mummy (which was actually one of the very first designs I did with The Zombified in mind), though at the moment my most 'favorited' one on DeviantArt is one of my newest, 'The Dead Will Dance'.

What does the future hold for The Zombified?
More art, more comics, more awesome conventions like Texas Frightmare Weekend and Comicpalooza. A lot of the more interesting plans are a secret until I actually unveil them.

* * * * * * * * * *
In addition to The Zombified and the aforementioned DeviantArt, Krystal's artwork can be found on MySpace, Flickr and LiveJournal, among other places.

Fear in Four Colors: The Trick ‘r Treat Graphic Novel

By Paige MacGregor

Although I can’t answer the question of whether the comic adaptation of writer/director Michael Dougherty’s Halloween horror flick Trick ‘r Treat lives up to its cinematic counterpart (since I haven’t seen the movie), I CAN answer whether the 96-page Trick ‘r Treat graphic novel is worth the two-year wait that fans were forced to endure after the comic’s release date was pushed back from October 2007 to October 2009. The answer? No, Trick ‘r Treat isn’t really worth it.

I’m sure that members of the Trick ‘r Treat film’s cult following will enjoy Marc Andreyko’s Trick ‘r Treat adaptation, but as a reader unfamiliar with the film, I was confused by the multiple stories contained in the graphic novel. Originally, Trick ‘r Treat was scheduled to be a four-part comic series illustrated by Done to Death artist Fiona Staples. The four issues were scheduled to be released weekly in October 2007, the last issue appearing on Halloween. When Dougherty’s film was backlisted, however, the comic’s release was pushed back.

Subsequently, DC/WildStorm made the decision to release Trick ‘r Treat as a single graphic novel, written by Marc Andreyko (Manhunter, Torso), but featuring contributions from four different artists, including Fiona Staples. In addition to Staples, Gen13 artist Mike Huddleston, cartoonist Grant Bond, and The Curse of the Werewhale and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre artist Christopher Gugliotti were recruited to illustrate portions of Trick ‘r Treat, and in my opinion that might be the worst decision that was made by DC/WildStorm with regard to this particular graphic novel.

I was intrigued by the novel’s cover, which was created by the film’s concept designer Breehn Burns and depicts the now well-known Trick ‘r Treat character Sam in his signature costume, partially eaten pumpkin-shaped lollipop in hand. Unfortunately, beyond that I was disappointed. Had Trick ‘r Treat been published in four separate issues as originally intended, I think I would have liked the series better. Lumping four comic-book-length stories that are all based on the Trick ‘r Treat film but are illustrated in very different styles is not the best idea. For readers like me who enjoy some consistency in their graphic novels’ visual style, Trick ‘r Treat’s illustrations detract from the story by distracting the reader from the actions taking place on the page.

As such, I had to read through it several times to focus on the stories being told rather than on the visuals, and what I found was some rather uninspired writing. According to various sources, Marc Andreyko’s writing remains true to the Trick ‘r Treat movie script, which may be why the stories themselves lack imagination and emotion. Stories designed to be told using a combination of audio and visual means don’t always translate well into the written word, even with accompanying illustrations, and despite Andreyko’s best efforts the Trick ‘r Treat graphic novel falls flat.

I would only recommend this graphic novel to those who have seen and enjoyed the Trick ‘r Treat film, and even then I would do so with the disclaimer that I can’t speak to how well the comic captures the feel of the movie. Trick ‘r Treat fans may find that the graphic novel adaptation falls short for them, as well.

Fear in Four Colors: American Vampire #1

By Paige MacGregor

Despite the recent Twilight phenomenon, the most influential vampire lore has traditionally originated in Europe. From F.W. Murnau’s silent film Nosferatu to Bram Stoker’s classic novel Dracula, the most enduring vampire tales have come straight out of places like Germany and England. Now, however, New York Times bestselling author Stephen King joins Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque to create a monthly comic series that revolves around a new, distinctly American breed of vampire.

Well-known short story writer Scott Snyder’s contribution to American Vampire #1 tells the tale of a Jazz Age starlet-wannabe named Pearl and her roommate, Hattie. The two girls spend their days as extras on Hollywood sets, and nights working second and third jobs in order to make rent. When Pearl catches a lucky break on set and is asked to stand in for a light reading for the film’s leading lady, she finds herself swept into a world of decadence, invited to a ritzy party with the film’s elite cast members and other high society individuals. Unfortunately, what Pearl and Hattie discover among the Hollywood hotshots is something far more sinister than expected.

American Vampire #1 features Stephen King’s first comic book writing based on original material. King’s story, titled “Bad Blood”, tells the tale of an 1880 bank robber and murderer called Skinner Sweet. After being taken into custody, Sweet runs into an old enemy while being transferred. The scuffle that ensues gives birth to the first American vampire—perhaps one of the very same creatures that Pearl and her roommate have the misfortune of meeting years later.

The vampires in American Vampire #1 are a unique breed: stronger and faster than their European ancestors, American vampires are also more muscular and vicious than their predecessors as well. Although the first issue of the series leaves the recently bitten Skinner Sweet a bloody heap in the middle of the desert, we already know that he will make a formidable blood-drinker if his personality traits carry over during the transformation.

American Vampire #1 sets the stage for what will undoubtedly be a very interesting vampire story. Assuming that vampires have successfully infiltrated at least part of America (and an influential part, at that) by the time Scott Snyder’s story takes place, the comic series appears to be asserting that a single man could be entirely responsible for the proliferation of vampires in the continental United States. Had the goal of the vampire who turns Skinner been to create a strong, clever creature capable of surviving and even thriving, he couldn’t have chosen a better candidate. After all, the same qualities that made Skinner such a renowned criminal and allowed him to evade capture for such a long time will allow him to survive as a vampire.

When combined with a compelling storyline, the beautiful visual style of American Vampire #1 makes this a must-read title, especially for Stephen King fans. We have a feeling that the king of terror has more than a few tricks up his sleeve for the remainder of the series.

Fear in Four Colors: I, Zombie #1

I'd been eager to check out Vertigo's upcoming I, Zombie series ever since it was first teased last year in the House of Mystery Halloween Annual. And now I've finally gotten my hands on the first issue, and have to say that the jury is still out on whether this is a book I will be reading on a regular basis.

To be clear, I don't regularly collect comics any longer for the most part, but I'm more than willing to make exceptions if I deem something worth my time. The thing is, I, Zombie is interesting, but the first issue really didn't give me enough to make an informed decision. Firstly, it's being touted as an utterly original take on zombie fiction and horror comics in general, but frankly, it's pretty obviously derivative, and reminded me very much of a cross between S.G. Browne's Breathers: A Zombie's Lament, and The Ghost Whisperer.

The story follows the travails of one Gwen Dylan, a very fetching young female zombie who must eat a fresh brain once a month to maintain her sentience and avoid reverting to a mindless, shambling corpse. She's sweet enough to confine herself to the newly deceased, which comes easy since she's employed as a grave digger. The catch is that when she consumes a brain, she gains the memories of the former owner, which inevitably compels her to investigate whatever unfinished business remains in that person's former life.

A cute little premise, but still feels somehow like something I've come across before in a lot of different variations. Which is all well and good, since, as they say, there is nothing new under the sun. It sill has the potential to be quite terrific. The book is written by quirky alternate history and science fiction scribe Chris Roberson. And most impressively of all, taking up the art duties is Mike Allred, creator of Madman. Allred's retro pop-art style could make just about anything cool, and it works with I, Zombie as well. The book is visually delicious, this cannot be denied.

Nevertheless, it's too soon to tell whether the Roberson/Allred team will make the book worthwhile in the long-term. The debut issue doesn't cover much ground beyond introducing us to the primary characters and the concept itself, and quite simply, it wasn't enough to immediately sell me. It definitely piqued my interest; the question is, will it hold it?

New Drool-Worthy Jonah Hex Trailer and One-Sheet...

By Paige MacGregor

Revenge may get ugly, but apparently it also gets sexy. A new Jonah Hex one-sheet that features Michael Fassbender, John Malkovich, Josh Brolin and Megan Fox (left to right, above) was released this week, and I must admit that this is the first time I’ve been more than a little bit excited about the film (based on the classic horror/western DC comic of the '70s and early '80s.) Although Malkovitch is a little old for me, there’s no denying that he’s a very entertaining actor, and the fact that he joins seductive leading lady Fox, delectable indie actor Fassbender, and the (usually) ruggedly handsome Josh Brolin (all scarred up to play Hex) is enough to make my head explode.

Granted, I’m not expecting a great deal from Jonah Hex; it’s received very little press as compared to many of the other horror/thrillers coming out this year (A Nightmare on Elm Street, etc.) and chances are it will be a disappointment at the box office (its June 18 release date pits it against the highly anticipated Toy Story 3). But any opportunity to ogle both Fox and Fassbender during the same film is a-okay by me.

The trailer for Jonah Hex was also released on Yahoo yesterday, and I just have to point out that within just the first twenty seconds, we get more than an eyeful of Fassbender’s character, Burke. The 2:30 trailer promises guns, girls (well, a girl, but Megan Fox is worth more than one girl, in my opinion) and explosions—just what every action audience could ask for. While the one-sheet re-energized my excitement in the film, the Jonah Hex trailer has me on the edge of my seat with anticipation over Michael Fassbender’s performance. Aside from John Malkovitch (maybe), Fassbender can act circles around the film’s other leads.



My guess as to who will enjoy Jonah Hex? People like me, who will go to the theater just to watch a gun-wielding Megan Fox prance around in a bustier on the big screen. Also, Michael Fassbender fans who are excited to see the actor--generally consigned to indie films--in his second recent mainstream movie (the last being Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds). While we can’t predict whether Jonah Hex will be a “good” movie, it’s sure to be at least be entertaining--and probably a bit titillating.

Fear in Four Colors: Victorian Undead #1

By Paige MacGregor

Sherlock Holmes has always been considered the world's greatest detective; a man with all the answers. But maybe that was just because he never had to face a zombie uprising. Until DC/Wildstorm's Victorian Undead, that is.

Following some abnormal celestial activity in the skies of London in 1854, rumors begin to circulate about the desecration of the newly deceased as corpses inexplicably begin returning to life. When two workmen succumb to the dreaded curse and Inspector Lestrade is left with a reanimated corpse on his hands, he immediately calls in Holmes to investigate the curious phenomenon. Although Holmes is in the middle of another case involving deadly automata, the detective and his partner, Watson, are coerced into taking Lestrade’s case and temporarily abandoning the investigation of the seemingly unconnected robotic assassin.

While the first issue of writer Ian Edginton’s Victorian Undead, published in November, doesn’t contain copious amounts of action, it does set the scene for a highly entertaining Sherlock Holmes adaptation, rife with both mystery and zombies. Adopting a more traditional approach to the combination of Sherlock Holmes and the undead—one not unlike that used by author Seth Grahame-Smith in his Jane Austen mash-up Pride and Prejudice and Zombies—Victorian Undead #1 shies away from the level of shtick and camp that readers might expect based on Tony Moore’s cover art and the bold “Sherlock Holmes vs. Zombies!” statement featured just below the issue’s title.

One of the best aspects of Victorian Undead #1 is that the issue isn’t preoccupied with scenes of zombie mayhem, something that undoubtedly would be detrimental to the overall storyline. Instead, Davide Fabbri’s artwork is as basic as comic book illustration can be, avoiding the high contrast, somewhat schizophrenic artistic style often adopted by modern horror comics. Given the prim and proper character of 19th century England, Fabbri's crisp, clean lines are highly appropriate, mirroring the organized nature of the society now faced by a hoard of zombies. Likewise, Fabbri’s depictions of the undead of 19th century London mesh perfectly with their surroundings—rather than appearing as monsters ripped from the diegesis of contemporary horror films, Fabbri’s zombies look like characters from Victorian Undead who have died and come back to life.

As with virtually every Sherlock Holmes adaptation, Victorian Undead is essentially a mystery, pitting the great detective against a seemingly supernatural event and setting the stage for a great reveal somewhere down the line. The first five issues of this Wildstorm six-issue mini-series are currently available from Wildstorm Comics online and wherever comic books are sold. Victorian Undead #6 is scheduled for release on April 28.

Hump-Day Harangue: Walking Dead Cast Takes Shape...

Not really much of a literal "harangue" this week, if you must know the truth--more of a cautiously optimistic nod of approval, as the anxiously anticipated AMC series adaptation of Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comic book series becomes more and more of a reality.

Yesterday, rumors of Brandon Routh being cast in the show were debunked by the actor himself. I'll admit, I couldn't quite figure out who he was going to be playing anyway, especially since two of the prime roles had already been cast.

Speaking of those two roles, it's very interesting to see that AMC is going with relative unknowns for the most part in this, its first wholly owned TV property. The basic cable channel has been on fire lately with shows like Breaking Bad and Mad Men (my personal fave on TV right now), inheriting the throne of TV excellence once firmly inhabited by HBO. And those are both shows which have benefited greatly from having some fresh faces in key parts, so it's understandable that AMC would continue the trend.

As is our wont, we geeky internet types had a ball speculating as to which recognizable actor could take on this or that role. I know I recently conducted a poll which asked who should play lead character Rick Grimes, with choices like Lost's Josh Holloway, Supernatural's Jared Padalecki and Parenthood's Peter Krause (my choice at the time.) In the end, AMC went with British actor Andrew Lincoln (pictured), perhaps best "known" for his supporting part in the 2003 ensemble pic Love Actually. Playing his cop buddy Shane will be Jon Bernthal, an even less known commodity whom I mainly recall from his part as Al Capone in the sequel to A Night at the Museum (hey, I have kids, it comes with the job.)

In the end, I have to give kudos to AMC for resisting the allure of "name-brand" actors, although I'm sure the lower price-tags may have been a crucial factor in the decision, as well. Much like Mad Men, this is the kind of a show that will benefit greatly from a cast of relatively unrecognized talent (although it should be said that Lincoln is fairly known in the UK for his television work.) This shouldn't be something like a CSI or Law and Order spin-off, packed with familiar faces and big-time movie stars slummin' on TV. One of the selling points of The Walking Dead is its dedication to presenting a "believable" zombie apocalypse, as much of an oxymoron as that may be, and the presence of famous celebs would no doubt be a bit distracting.

Kirkman himself seems to be excited, although if I were in his shoes I'd be excited if they had cast Jerry Stiller and Fyvush Finkel in the leads. Nevertheless, I think The Walking Dead has lots of potential to be something very special, and as location scouting kicks off and shooting is almost ready to begin, I gleefully await the realization on screen of one of the strongest comic book series I've read this decade.

Visceral Visionaries: Austin James

It's been a while, but I'm finally bringing Visceral Visionaries back with someone who really does fit the bill, the amazing illustrator Austin James. I recently came across his Tumblog, the appropriately titled The Work of Austin James, and was particularly struck by a horror film-themed collage illustration he recently completely. I subsequently got him to sit down and answer some questions. Behold the results...

What were some of your inspirations, both horror related and otherwise?
I draw most of my inspiration from things I see every day. When you're drawing consistently, you just seem to get in this grind where you're constantly over-analyzing how everything moves and looks around you (at least in my case). It gets to be a bit much, but it's important when you're drawing things that represent real life. Even when drawing strange fictional creatures, it is essential to have some knowledge of how real-life animals move and look.
Modern artists that consistently inspire me are the likes of Paul Pope, Frank Quitely, Daniel Clowes, Ross Campbell and Charles Burns. All of these wonderful artists have such amazing attention to detail and an amazing eye for weight and movement in their work.
Horror always inspires me, especially the truly bizarre, like movies by Frank Henenlotter, David Cronenberg, Larry Cohen and Stuart Gordon. I love movies like Brain Damage, Re-Animator, Society and The Thing. Whenever I see such creative creatures and practical effects, it drives me to create something of my own. And while not really as much horror-related, the wonderful Ray Bradbury and Ray Harryhausen have always motivated me.

You're using Tumblr to promote your work. Do you find this to be effective in getting it out there?
Everyone and their grandmother seems to have a blog now. It's such a great way for any nobody to be noticed. It's so easy for someone to do one thing that gets them out there and have that re-blogged over and over again till they receive their fifteen minutes or so. It's a fantastic way to network. I just recently jumped on the bandwagon, but it seems to be working out pretty swell so far.


For me, of course, the highlight is the horror movie poster. What led you to do that work?
I normally don't do much fan art, but I have a near unhealthy passion for film (particularly horror films). So much of my time is spent watching and reading about movies. I think horror is such an impressively diverse genre with such a devoted fan base. It's great that someone can see the same slasher film done over and over, and really appreciate the little differences that make one so much more special than most of them. It is the most distinctive, polarizing genre, and I think that makes it absolutely special. It was only a matter of time before I put my passion for horror on paper. It was the definitive "labor of love" for me. I enjoyed it very much and it probably will spawn a number of pieces related to movies, particularly cult films.

I notice that most of the flicks referenced in the poster are from the '70s and '80s. Is this a favorite period?
In my opinion, the '70s is the most important era for film, and not just horror. Of course that's debatable, but you can really see this huge creative surge happening at that time. As for the '80s, it is filled with examples of fantastically bizarre cult film-making. The characters I chose to draw were the most prominent in horror culture, as well as some of my favorites. I didn't want to have three werewolves on the poster, so I stuck with my favorite of the lycanthropy movies, An American Werewolf in London (sorry, Lon Chaney).
Some of my choices came down to simply what would look more interesting. I thought the Bride would be a more interesting choice than simply drawing Frankenstein's monster, but also because Bride of Frankenstein is my personal favorite among the Frankenstein films. There were plenty of movies/characters that I wanted to involve, but there just really wasn't space. I'm actually thinking about either expanding it or doing a companion piece.

Some of your imagery is quite bizarre. From where does the impetus come?
Ever since I have had a pencil I've loved to put it to paper and let my mind wander. It's a lot of fun to just see what can come out of you when you push yourself.

Some of your recent posts have depicted animals. Is this from a love of living creatures, or more like they just come easy for you, artistically speaking?
As I mentioned before, I love drawing things around me and I think it's very important to have an understanding of how these things move and look. Besides that, I do genuinely love animals. I've grown up with pets, I've been around them my whole life. I talk to my animals like a crazy cat lady. Put me in the group that loves seeing people getting brutally murdered on film but dreads when an animal is put in danger.

You also have a knack for striking portraiture. Is this something you've pursued professionally? Is art more an amateur pursuit for you, and if not, explain.
Thank you. I haven't done much portraiture professionally beyond a few freelance projects. I am a graphic designer/illustrator trying to make money doing what I love. Most of my work for money is dry promotional material, but I always try to put some sort of my own energy into it. I do very much enjoy drawing portraits, though.

Is there anywhere else my readers might be able to look to find some of your work?
The best place to keep up with me is on my Tumblr, but I do have a new website coming soon that will have prints and such purchasable on there. My art can be found floating around a few coffee shops and galleries in Orlando, Florida occasionally. I'm always available to be contacted by email if anyone wants to know where/how to see or obtain any of my work.

Any projects coming up that you'd like to mention?
I'm working on quite a few new pieces that should be up soon. I'm doing two graphic novels at the moment, but it's a slow process as I'm trying to find time in between my random pictures and work. I'll be sure to have any updates on my blog as they come.

What Am I Most Looking Forward to in 2010?

Yours truly was called upon by Iloz Zoc, fearless leader of the League of Tana Tea-Drinkers, to participate in the latest LoTT-D "Pick-a-Post" blog carnival. The question: What are you most looking forward to in 2010? Well, I thought long and hard about it, and lo and behold, it turns out that the one thing in horror I'm most looking forward to is not a movie, but a TV show. See, although there are some solid releases coming out in theaters this year, there isn't one single film I'm looking forward to more than the Walking Dead television series.

When it was announced some months ago that AMC had picked up the property to be developed into a series, it was literally like a fanboy dream come true for me. I've had my issues with the original Image comic book by Robert Kirkman, but I had always wanted to see it on the small screen in series format. And I wasn't the only one--lots of fans of the book always liked to speculate as to how it would play out on TV. And now, after all the fantasizing, it's finally going to be a reality.

The zombie craze has been with us for some years now on the big screen, and now, at long last, those undead bastids are poised to invade our living rooms. How the hell did it take so long to happen? And while I'm sure there will be copycats galore--MTV is already developing a Dawn of the Dead TV series (*douche chills*)--I have no doubt the Walking Dead project will trump all.

This is for a few reasons. One is that AMC is developing it. Now, I had always felt The Walking Dead would be tailor-made for HBO, and I still feel that premium cable is really the ideal place for this material. But AMC has proven itself to be serious about good television, what with Mad Men and Breaking Bad. While the gore quotient will probably suffer a little bit compared to what it could've been on HBO, I don't have much problem with that--partly because the quality of the show is what's most important, and partly because the gore was never a huge part of the original book to begin with.

As I said, I've had issues with Kirkman's series, and i actually no longer read it. Haven't in years. But I was there at the very beginning, back in the summer of 2005, when the book debuted, and I continued reading it for the first three years. I was eventually driven away thanks to sub-par artwork (which is a non-issue for the TV show), as well as by Kirkman's meandering, often-dull and remarkably zombie-less narrative.

But those early years were often quite good, and I'm hoping that's what the TV show will be drawing on. Once Kirkman got so pretentiously caught up in the day-to-day soap opera turmoil of his human characters, I lost interest. He seemed to be killing time with each issue; filling space. And while some have told me the story plays out better when read in collected form, I couldn't help but be driven away by a terrific premise that seemed to be eventually squandered.

But I don't see this happening with the show. In fact, I see the show exceeding the comic book. We have the brilliant Frank Darabont on board as producer, bringing his keen eye for genre entertainment and compelling drama to bear. We also have one hell of a great concept. So great, it's amazing it's never been done before--a weekly ongoing series following human survivors as they make their way through the zombie apocalypse. Think of every zombie movie you ever saw in which the story just ends and we never find out what happens to our remaining surviving protagonists. Well this time, the story will continue--we will get to see how they get by, how they live their lives in the midst of hell on earth.

There hasn't been much talk of casting, although I have heard fans clamoring for Josh Holloway (a.k.a. Sawyer from Lost) to play the lead part of police officer Rick Grimes, and I have to say he would indeed be a fine choice.

The Walking Dead TV series was, until a few months ago, the subject of fan fantasy, the ultimate wish of hardcore zombie-heads. It always seemed to make perfect sense to do it, but for some reason, no one seemed interested. That's now changed. And I'll be anxiously waiting for Rick and the zombies to join Don Draper and the gang at Sterling Cooper in giving me reasons to tune in to AMC in 2010.

Keep Halloween Going With Vertigo's House of Mystery Annual

DC's edgy Vertigo line has long been a bastion of excellence in the world of comic books, and the House of Mystery series is currently one of the main reasons why. I recently got my grubby hands on House of Mystery's first-ever Halloween Annual, and can honestly say it made my Halloween just a little more festive.

Yes, I read the issue on Halloween itself, appropriately enough, which is why I'm posting my review after the holiday (and if you think that's late, wait till you read my review of the Trick 'r Treat graphic novel). It's still on sale for a couple more weeks, and I'd urge you strongly to pick it up if you're looking to prolong that holiday feeling--and really, who isn't?

In some ways, the issue does a better job of recapturing the old Creepy Magazine feel than Dark Horse's actual Creepy revival book--albeit in a more mature, Vertigo style. In other words, this ain't one for the kiddies.

The entire book revolves around a mysterious mask, which appears on the cover via a painting by acclaimed gothic/surrealist artist Esao Andrews. Inside, we have a framing story involving the familiar House of Mystery crew, in which one of the characters finds the mask. This opens the door to a series of fine little illustrated tales, in which the mask features in one way or another.

For example, there's a quick little piece that brings back the Neil Gaiman/Sam Keith creation Merv Pumpkinhead, a character which hasn't really been seen since Gaiman's now-classic Sandman series. Merv's return is written and drawn by Mark Buckingham, best known for his collaborations with Alan Moore on the groundbreaking Marvelman (a.k.a. Miracleman) in the 1980s.

We've got a neat little Hellblazer one-off by Peter Milligan, whom you may remember as the guy who totally reinvented X-Force for Marvel, freeing it from the suckage of Rob Leifeld. This one is certainly way more enjoyable than that John Constantine snoozefest I reviewed here a couple weeks back...

The somewhat obscure supernatural DC character Madame Xanadu turns up in a quirky story written by Grendel-creator Matt Wagner, and impeccably drawn by Wagner's current collaborator on Vertigo's newest Madame Xanadu series, Amy Reeder Hadley.

But for my money, it's the sneak peek at Vertigo's upcoming I, Zombie series that takes the cake. Written by noted alternate history novelist Chris Roberson and drawn by the absolutely stunning pop-art stylist Michael Allred, this looks to be one hell of an interesting book, and I will be checking it out come 2010 when the official series is set to be launched.

All in all, there's not a clunker in the bunch. Quite obviously, a lot of care went into putting this one-shot anthology together, and so due credit also goes to Vertigo editors Shelly Bond, Angela Rufino and Brandon Montclare for this obvious labor of love. Do yourself a favor and pick it up.

New Constantine Graphic Novel One Hell of a Bore

Ian Rankin and Werther Dell'Edera's Dark Entries is the first piece of John Constantine fiction I have ever read. Maybe that might have something to do with how unimpressed with it I was, I don't know. I'm sure previous Constantine stuff would have to be much better, or else there would never have been a whole franchise built around the character. All I know is that DC Vertigo's latest hardcover release is nothing to write home about whatsoever.

It started out with a promising premise, about Constantine being recruited to investigate a reality series set in a supposedly haunted house. See, the producers are upset because it looks like the place may actually be haunted, and they can no longer control the show. Of course, it turns out to be far worse than that, and Constantine finds himself once again contending face-to-face with the minions of Satan.

It's all told in a very hard-boiled crime fiction style, courtesy of Rankin, a Scottish mystery novelist best known for his Inspector Rebus series. However, whereas it should have been taut and crisp, it fell completely flat for me--a series of boring interactions amongs the decidedly uninteresting contestants on the show, leading up to a tacked-on climax involving one of Constantine's previously damned adversaries returning for revenge.

Rankin has been writing for almost 25 years, but this is his first graphic novel, and I think that may be the whole problem. Whereas other crime novelists like Brad Meltzer have been known to take to the medium like fish to water, I don't think Rankin is one of them. Perhaps down the road he will learn the nuances of style and pacing in this very different format, but for now, Dark Entries stands as an initial, less-than-successful experiment.

Speaking of less than successful, I wish that I could say that the art of Italian penciler/inker Werther Dell'Edera saves the day, but it really doesn't. Though competent, Dell'Edera's work is far from engaging, and he comes off as just another Klaus Janson wannabe. If only the interior work could've been handled by the excellent Lee Bermejo, the long-time Hellblazer cover artist who also did the excellent cover here.

To be perfectly honest, Dark Entries was a bit of a chore to get through, but I soldiered through it in order to bring you this review. Aren't you grateful? Anyway, I would suggest avoiding it, unless you're a die-hard Constantine fan who must have some kind of insight that I apparently don't have.

Zombelina Presents: Creepy Magazine, Then vs. Now

A Quarter-Century of Krueger: The Long-Lost Marvel NOES Comic Magazine...

First off, let me just wish a Happy Rosh Hashanah to all my Vault Kvellers out there. Having said that, I will now turn my attention to a rather obscure yet glorious corner of the Nightmare on Elm Street universe this week in QCK. I'm talking about the notoriously short-lived Marvel Comics NOES magazine.

Don't remember it? Shame on you. It came out in 1989, back when I was at the height of my newsstand comics collecting, being as yet too young and unsophisticated to have discovered the wonder of comic book stores. Did you know that it was the best-selling magazine-sized comic book that Marvel ever put out? Quite a feat when you think that this is the company that published things like Savage Sword of Conan!

And yet, as tremendously successful as it was, Marvel's A Nightmare on Elm Street magazine lasted all of two issues. That's right, two issues. It was a sad state of affairs, especially when you consider that it was a fine bit of reading. It was intending to take on an anthology format, unfettered by the movie continuity, yet still featuring Freddy Krueger on a regular basis.

But all we got was the initial two-part story, "Dreamstalker"--written by the late Steve Gerber, best known as the co-creator of Howard the Duck and mastermind of many other offbeat '70s Marvel titles; and drawn by Rich Buckler, acclaimed '70s Fantastic Four artist and co-creator of Deathlok.

I happen to own both of those issues, and I remember being blown away by them. At the time, much of the comic adaptations inspired by film properties were rather lackluster, but this NOES mag was some quality work. And being in large format, it was free of the crippling Comics Code, which made it that much better.

Unfortunately, it was also this that brought about its premature downfall. In his Marvel.com blog, Marvel Executive Editor Tom Brevoort (then a mere intern) recalls that then-Marvel president Terry Stewart got cold feet when he began receiving letters from "concerned parents" regarding this new magazine that supposedly glorified a child-murderer. And so, despite the clearly labeled warning indicating this mag was intended for mature readers, Stewart pulled the plug.

The story goes that an additional three issues were already in the planning stages. This included a rumored storyline written by Sam Keith (creator of The Maxx) and drawn by Peter David, best known for his revolutionary work on The Incredible Hulk during the same period. A sendup of Field of Dreams, Krueger style (one can only imagine what that might mean), alas, it never saw the light of day.

Marvel's NOES title was the first-ever comic based on the juggernaut horror film series. As we all know, it would be far from the last. But it's a shame that corporate timidity would bring it crashing down so quickly. I don't believe this would be something that would happen today, what with the much greater proliferation of "mature readers" comic books. But then again, when you think about what Savage Sword was getting away with back then, it really makes you wonder what Stewart was thinking...

North 40: Finally, a REAL Horror Comic

If you're a fan of horror, and a fan of comics, and you're NOT reading North 40 from DC's Wildstorm imprint, then you need to rectify the situation immediately. Very often, horror comics simply don't work because it's tough to generate the right atmosphere. Movies can nail it visually, and books can nail it in the written word, but for some reason it becomes a tougher task when you mesh the two elements. But North 40 nails it, and then some.

I've gotten through the first three issues of the six-part miniseries that have come out so far--actually, more like tore through them ravenously. Aaron Williams' writing, particularly from a dialogue-perspective, is utterly engrossing, and the meticulous artwork from Fiona Staples is appropriately moody and expressive. Staples is a particularly fine choice, as she has also done the Trick r' Treat comics adaptation, tentatively set for release next month.

The level of quality here is impressive, with a meshing of top-notch writing and art not seen in horror in recent years outside of the best work of Steve Niles. As good as Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead can be at times, North 40 is a far superior work. Not only is Williams' writing more disciplined and tighter, but the artwork is in an entirely different league altogether. Marvel's recent Dead of Night miniseries featuring Man-Thing came close, but didn't pack this much punch. The recent Evil Dead series was a snooze-fest. And don't get me started on the George Romero abortion, Toe-Tags...

North 40 tells the story of a Lovecraftian terror (seems to be quite popular these days, doesn't it?) unleashed in a small redneck town. But there are a few drastic departures from your typical Cthulhu-inspired shenanigans here. For one thing, Williams takes the action out of snooty New England and deposits it in Midwestern Conover County, a place of trailer parks, greasy spoons and good ol' boys.

In Williams' tale, two bored teens unwittingly release the terror by reading from an ancient tome found in the library (ain't it always the way?). Everyone in the county falls unconscious, and when they come to the following day, the whole town seems to have been turned into bizarre monsters, with just a handful of townspeople instead bestowed with different super powers to help them combat the monsters. In this way, the book becomes an interesting hybrid of horror and superhero comic genres.

This is also where another of the book's strong points comes into play: The characters, all vividly created and completely engaging. Robert and Dyan, the slackers who start the whole mess; "good girl" Jenny, reborn as queen of the zombies; the attitudinal Amanda, recruited by a mysterious benevolent crone to be the town's resident good witch; Luanne, who gains powerful telepathic abilities from the incident; Wyatt, who basically becomes Superman thanks to it; and the badass, cantankerous Sheriff, my personal favorite. And then there's that terrific narrator--I could almost hear the voice of Sam Elliott in my head...

If I could nitpick anything at all with this book, it would be that occasionally a bit of confusion arises as Williams shifts from one scene to another--with so many characters doing so many different things in so many different places, it can sometimes get a bit unwieldy. But this is a minor quibble, as Williams' writing is also the book's prime selling point.

I'll be looking forward eagerly to future issues of North 40, and I encourage you to get on board as well. It may not be getting all the hype of some of the other less deserving titles, but this is one quality horror comic well worth looking for.

Hump-Day Harangue: So, About This Walking Dead TV Series...

A couple days ago, the news tore through the online horror universe like crap through a goose. Robert Kirkman's acclaimed The Walking Dead comic book series has officially been optioned by AMC as a TV series to be directed by Frank Darabont. And let me just say, I'm very excited about it. But my excitement comes with certain caveats. Allow me to explain.

I started reading The Walking Dead from the very first issue, back in 2003. That's right, I read the original monthly issues--none of that trade paperback or hardcover stuff for me. I was overjoyed to find an ongoing comic book series about a zombie apocalypse, and one that seemed to be smartly written, and amazingly drawn.

Speaking of drawn, I'll say that it was the stunning artwork by Tony Moore that helped take the book to a whole other level. Unfortunately, after only six issues, Moore abruptly departed. That was the first blow. He was replaced by Charlie Adlard, an artist I never warmed up to. I found his work to be sloppy, uninspired, and even confusing.

With Moore gone, my interest in the book began to wane. The shoddy artwork began to draw attention to the flaws in Kirkman's writing. The multitude of similar characters who became hopelessly impossible to distinguish from on another under Adlard's pen and brush. Then there was the snail's-pace plot development, which devolved into soap opera, in which whole issues would go by without a single zombie, let alone any action whatsoever.

The book had great promise. On paper, it's an excellent concept: Charting the ongoing efforts of a group of survivors in a world overrun by the undead. Kind of like a great zombie movie that doesnt end after just two hours, but shows you what happens week after week, and month after month. But my problem was with the execution. The problem was, nothing much happened.

I remember an issue which ended with our heroes mistakenly wandering into a gated community swarming with ghouls. You'd think this would be fodder for a whole bunch of issues overflowing with zombie action, but Kirkman wraps it up in just one issue, then takes the characters to the shelter of an abandoned prison, where they remain seemingly forever, interacting solely with each other while the zombies remain harmlessly outside the gates.

Still, being the zombie lover that I am, I gave the book every chance. I stuck with it for three years, despite the fact that I started losing interest after only six months. But I finally had to give up.

Through all that time, what kept me engaged was the great concept, which I knew, as other readers did, would make for a great television series. There had never been a zombie TV series, and certainly in this age of quality cable shows, the time was ripe. Naturally, most hoped for an eventual HBO run, since that seemed the most approptiate outlet.

And so now, years after I walked away from the book, ironically, comes the news that finally, The Walking Dead will indeed become a TV series. And despite my abandonment of the comic, I will admit that my interest has been greatly piqued, for a number of reasons.

Firstly, those early issues of the series are very strong, and will make for some killer episodes. Then, there's the Darabont factor. The man is a gifted director, with a head for genre material, and I have no doubt he can deliver a product that is actually superior to the material on which it's based.

However, the show must avoid the pitfalls that doomed the book, in my eyes. To go an entire episode in which we completely forget that the world has been taken over by zombies would be disastrous, quite frankly. Kirkman made the rather pretentious claim at one point that the title referred not to the zombies, but to the human characters--and his readers rightly called him out on it within the book's copious fan letter pages. The writer eventually backed down and even admitted himself that it was a bit of a heavy-handed conceit, or at least one that George Romero had already exhaustively mined.

To be a success, this show needs to deliver the goods, and not become the boring soap that the book became. It also needs to work around the constraints of commercial TV. AMC has freer reign than broadcast networks, but its not as free as HBO or Showtime. But then again, this book isn't so much about the gore factor, anyway, so maybe that won't be much of a problem.

There are a lot of people excited about this project, and with good reason. But I wonder how many of them actually read the comic book, especially as long as I did. Sure, it is a great idea, and had moments of greatness, including the torture of Michonne at the hands of the Governor, or the stuff at Herschel's farmhouse... but for the most part, in my opinion, it fell far short of its potential. And I'm hoping this show won't do the same.

So don't get me wrong here--I am excited about a Walking Dead TV series, and have been hoping for one for the past five years. However, I can't blindly heap praise on a comic book I found to be often disappointingly sub-par. And so I charge Mr. Darabont: Amaze me, sir. Fix Kirkman's mistakes. Work your magic and turn a great concept into a great television series. And I promise to tune in every single week.

When Creepy Toys Attack...

Tonight's random YouTube video comes to the VoH courtesy of Wesley Cavins, an original Vault Dweller and long-time friend in horror...



Must admit, this kid has some excellent taste in reading material ;-)

The Tuesday Top 10: Scariest Superheroes

With horror and comics running a close neck-and-neck throughout my geektastic childhood, it's only natural that I would find a way to combine the two, no? So let's open up those mylar bags, check for spine roll, and page through those four-color pages (careful!) to find the most fear-inducing heroes of all time...

10. Cloak (Marvel)
Driven by a ceaseless hunger to consume life, this guy was always one of those superheroes on the border of bad-guyness. His bizarre symbiotic relationship with Dagger, which saw him absorb the light generated by her body as a way of keeping his hunger in check, only made him that much creepier.

9. Deadman (DC)
A murdered trapeze artist given the power to possess the bodies of others, Boston Brand was a pretty eerie guy, until he opened his mouth and sounded like any one of the guys I grew up with in Brooklyn. Still, any superhero who's actually a ghost has to make this list.

8. The Spectre (DC)
Speaking of ghostly superheroes, The Spectre has always been a favorite of mine. A murdered cop given supernatural powers by God to return to Earth and fight evil in all its forms, this mysterious character dates back all the way to the 1940s, through several incarnations. Let's just ignore the whole Hal Jordan era though, shall we? Thanks.

7. Moon Knight (Marvel)
Laugh if you must, but Moon Knight was one of several horror-themed characters Marvel created during the 1970s that always resonated with me. Returned from the brink of death and granted supernatural powers via ancient Egyptian magic, he's always been one of those heroes who never was quite popular enough to support an ongoing series, despite a strong cult following.

6. Shadowhawk (Image)
How could you not be afraid of a superhero whose modus operandi is to break the spines of criminals, choosing to consign them to a life of paralysis in punishment for their wrongdoings? One of the flagship Image characters, Shadowhawk may go down in history as the most sadistic superhero of all time.

5. Deathlok (Marvel)
Another of those great '70s Marvel characters, Deathlok was a mortally wounded soldier given new life in a post-apocalyptic future thanks to cyborg technology. Too bad the corporation that made him is evil to the core. Deathlok rebels, vowing to stop the very company that gave him new life. Robocop, anyone?

4. Swamp Thing (DC)
While I was always partial to Man-Thing (keep the jokes to yourself, people!), I have to recognize that DC's counterpart is far more well-known, and has had a much greater impact. Not to mention the fact that the great Alan Moore played a large part in turning him into one of the most well-written characters in the DC Universe.

3. Spawn (Image)
Some accused Todd McFarlane of crossing Spider-Man with Dr. Strange to come up with the central character of his Image Comics line, but nevertheless, Spawn is the embodiment of what it means to be a terrifying superhero, like a character straight out of a horror movie. Too bad his own movie bit the big one.

2. Batman (DC)
All hail the one and only Dark Knight. Bruce Wayne created his persona as a way to frighten the "superstitious, cowardly lot" that populated Gotham City's underworld, and he certainly knocked that one out of the park. I always had a tough time reconciling Adam West's goofball TV antics and the smiling buffoon of the Superfriends with the much scarier character I found in the comics, didn't you?

1. Ghost Rider (Marvel)
With all due respect to those who worship at the altar of the Bat (of which I am fervently one), when it comes to terrifying superheroes, the Spirit of Vengeance takes the cake. A biker icon to this day, with his flaming skull, chains and demonic hog, Ghost Rider literally burns the souls of his enemies with terror. It doesn't get much more horrifying than that. Drawing on the powers of hellfire and brimstone, his awesome "penance stare" is perhaps the most feared of all super-abilities. That said, any responses mentioning Nicolas Cage will be met with a swift reprisal...