EDITOR’S NOTE: MANIAC OF NEW YORK Volume One and Volume Two struck a pleasurable nerve with fans of horror comics when published in 2021 and 2022.
Now, the classic slasher saga returns with MANIAC OF NEW YORK, VOLUME THREE: DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK. The first issue of the new mini-series from AfterShock Comics debuts on Wednesday, January 18.
Locally, COMIC UNIVERSE at 446 McDade Blvd in Folsom PA 19033 (610-461-7960) will celebrate the new release with an all-day event at the store, offering AfterShock books on sale as well as a special raffle.
Here’s a quick re-cap (courtesy of AfterShock Comics press releases) of what has happened to date with MANIAC OF NEW YORK and a preview of things to come . . . . . .
MANIAC OF NEW YORK I: THE DEATH TRAIN . . . .
Four years ago, a masked slasher began stalking the streets of New York City.
Maniac Harry is inhuman, unkillable and unstoppable. Which is why the authorities' solution has been to ignore him, and let New Yorkers adapt to a world where death can strike at any moment. When Maniac Harry starts killing his way through the subway system, trauma-haunted political aide Gina Greene and disgraced NYPD detective Zelda Pettibone become determined to go rogue and destroy him. But how can they fight a monster when they can't fight City Hall?
From Emmy Award-winning writer Elliott Kalan (The Daily Show, MST3K, Spider-Man & The X-Men) and artist Andrea Mutti (Port of Earth, Hellblazer, BUNNY MASK) comes the horrifying story of what happens when terror becomes the new normal. A frightening, thought-provoking, sometimes funny, always timely tale of murder, obsession and urban living, this volume contains the first arc, issues #1-5.
Maniac of New York presents a refreshing new spin on the slasher genre, serving as a great allegory for issues facing the world today. It blends horror with a bit of political thriller and top notch action. . . . . . James Ferguson, HORRORDNA.COM
Harry not only seems like a supernatural figure – a monster that can’t be stopped – he certainly is; it’s hard not to be shaken when seeing the piles of bloody corpses left by him. But Harry “just is” because his function is being an obstacle to people’s lives, he’s simply an element of our lives and there’s nothing we can do about it. The comic states a lot of times that we need to keep moving on, the world won’t stop because we are scared, but at the same time, our biggest mistake is to pretend everything is normal. We have no choice whatsoever. We fear and pray he doesn’t come for us. So we finally realize that, for now, Harry is mostly just a force of nature; in fact, we should drive our attention to the other characters and their realities. That’s what makes Maniac of New York so interesting. I couldn’t stop reading it when I realized it wasn’t a story about random merciless killings, but one about how a disaster can suddenly become part of your life and ruin all your plans. . . . . . Gabriel Rodrigues, comicbookherald.com
He’s back for another slice!
After the tragedy of The Death Train, Detective Zelda Pettibone and mayoral aide Gina Greene have lost the trail of the Maniac - and the support of the city. Copycats are springing up, tensions are high and traffic is a nightmare. So, what happens when your favorite unstoppable, mindless killer resurfaces in a Bronx high school? Can Zelda and Gina get there before Maniac Harry adds to his body count? Will the students tear their attention away from their phones long enough to notice there’s a monster in the halls?
From Emmy Award-winning writer Elliott Kalan (The Daily Show, MST3K, Spider-Man & the X-Men) and artist Andrea Mutti (Port of Earth, Hellblazer, BUNNY MASK) comes the sequel to the horror story that happens when terror becomes the new normal. This volume collects the entire second story arc, issues #1-4.
Mutti’s frayed, and vicious art carries the horror tone, with a grimy, dirty aesthetic. The art and coloring feels deliberately messy, with lines and colors bleeding into each other. The style is vaguely reminiscent of Tyler Crook’s work on “Harrow County”, if it was sprayed across the inside of a NYC subway underpass. The vibes are desperate and bleak, but the strong compositions and contrasts are there to let you know it’s intentional. Maniac Harry himself is a clear Jason Voorhees homage, and it’s clear the aesthetic is deliberately very Friday The 13th inspired.
Final Verdict: A sly comic with satire as strong as it’s slicing and dicing. . . . . . Staff Reviews, multiversitycomics.com
While volume one of the series took inspiration from Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan and The Taking of Pelham 123, Kalan says the new arc has fewer overt movie influences. “With ‘Maniac’ Vol. 2,” he said, “a lot of my thinking was in trying to broaden the landscape of the series. Vol. 1 spent so much time in the subway, but New York is a whole world, with lots of spaces we don’t get to see in movies too often: schools, bodegas, stadiums. The places New Yorkers go, and where the Maniac is bound to follow.”. . . . . Reid Carter, multiversitycomics.com
And, finally . . . . MANIAC OF NEW YORK III: DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK debuts Wednesday, January 18! . . . . .
Maniac Harry, the seemingly unstoppable killer, has finally been stopped. The city celebrates, the Mayor takes the credit, and Maniac Task Force Director Gina Greene - last seen slicing the Maniac's head open - has disappeared to parts unknown. Now NYPD Detective Zelda Pettibone must pick up the pieces of a life that's suddenly so empty she almost wishes the Maniac was back. And unfortunately, sometimes wishes are granted.
THAT'S RIGHT, THERE'S A NEW MANIAC, BUT NOT THE ONE YOU'RE EXPECTING! Stay out of Central Park and stay away from cable news, 'cause something terrifying is on the loose!
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