Pre-Release Review: BURIED LONG, LONG AGO #1 = historical horror/dark fantasy

BURIED LONG, LONG AGO #1 by Anthony Cleveland and Alex Cormack (Mad Cave Studios, expected release date April 16, 2025) The story is inspired by a true case of a female serial killer in the last decade of the 19th Century (1884-1908). However, it’s not necessary to be familiar with the history of Belle Gunness to read this story, based on those murders.

   The opening of Issue #1, which relates a fairy tale as told by the oldest daughter to her two younger sisters during a train trip to their new home in Indiana, is a brilliant set-up for the horror to follow. It foreshadows the establishment of a mindset of dread among the three former town girls (Chicago) who are disturbed by the differences of country life on a rural farm in La Pointe, Indiana. Pigs, chickens, a bloody slaughterhouse where the animals are butchered and sold, and a strange lurking pair of eyes seen in the dark and through the windows. What is happening outside the farmhouse is as traumatizing as what is happening inside.

That fairy tale told on the train detailed an ogre witch who disguised herself and lured victims into a hollow. It ends with a knight being devoured, only bones remaining, and the witch never captured despite a manhunt. It haunts the younger sisters and makes them nervous in their new setting on the property owned by their new stepfather. The opening issue ends with a brutal murder (deemed an accident) and a cover-up by a domineering mother (coincidentally named Belle Gunness) and backed-up by a fearful older daughter.

   The art is simply great, so good at creating nervous images, revealing scenes, and fearful body language that I would gladly read this without text boxes or dialogue - - just for the art.. However, the script is taut and succinctly effective. You can tell that writer Anthony Delaware is into the story, and it shows.  I’ve followed the work of artist Alex Cormack for some time, and this ranks with his best efforts. 

   The story is a re-telling of the dark history of Belle Gunness, told from the perspective of her three daughters. If that wasn’t dreadful enough, there’s a fearful presence lurking on the farm premises that is apparently being revived and empowered as the issue ends.

"If my career was limited to telling only one story, it would absolutely be this one. I have been wanting to write a story involving the Belle Gunness case since I first saw a museum exhibit about her in middle school. Alex has stuck by and matched my passion for this story for the past five years. There were many setbacks to reach the finish, but with each delay there was always a shared rally to return and do even better than before. Truly, this book is a high point for both of us. You're going to see surprises you would not expect from us or this type of story." – Writer, Anthony Cleveland

“Buried Long, Long Ago is not a story for the weak. It is probably the heaviest book that I have worked on and to ring my own bell, I’ve drawn some horrific things. This story–and for that matter–Anthony’s writing, is fantastic, horrific, beautiful and smart. The way he writes these characters reminds you of people you may have known and people you hope to never meet. This is a passion project for Anthony, and I am incredibly proud to be a part of it and cannot wait for people to see it. Come and stay forever.”

– Artist, Alex Cormack

This is a promising FIVE-STAR debut. We’ll see if BURIED LONG, LONG AGO can maintain that quality in the following issues and through the conclusion. I received an advance digital review copy from Mad Cave Studios without obligation. I wrote this review because I wanted to share my excitement. If you’re intrigued by this title, place a pre-order with your local comic shop before March 24, 2025.

MY WEEK IN COMICS - - February 23, 2025

 Reviews for the week ending on Sunday, February 23 . . . . . .

#148 =  LUCKY DEVILS #2 by Charles Soule and Ryan Browne (Image Comics/Silent Productions, February 2025 Hands down, this is my favorite comic of 2025 so far. LUCKY DEVILS is sharp-witted and bright, with a premise I love. From the credits page: “Cameron Stane and Starr Winslow are two ordinary, good-hearted souls living a humdrum existence - - at least until their shoulder devils, Collar and Rake, appear to them and announce they’ve decided to fix their terrible lives. Why? The devils believe they’re saviors, destined to start a class revolution in hell that will burn its unfair systems to the ground. The first step in their plan? Making their good-hearted humans the most influential people on earth.”

As Issue #2 opens, it’s the annual retreat aboard a luxury cruise ship off the coast of Hell for the Midwest U.S. division of devils. In one of the best scenes in this series so far, the keynote speaker makes a motivational speech, and Soule takes a funny satirical jab at network marketing and pyramid schemes. 

   Collar’s shaming and prompting finally persuades Stane to step up his game, and he gets a promotion as adjunct professor at the college. Rake persuades a six-zed Devil (zeds are slang for the Seven Deadly Sins - a six-zed Devil can utilize six of the seven) to let her borrow Lust so she can compromise a co-worker standing in the way of Winslow’s promotion at the hospital where she works. 

These actions get both Collar and Rake promoted to two-zed devils, and the game is afoot. Funny as well as eye-appealing. The clever art of Browne is strangely whimsical in a truly wicked way. Hard to top the FIVE STARS of that perfect debut issue. FOUR AND ONE-HALF STARS.

#149 =  CREEPSHOW IN LOVE 2025 SPECIAL (Image Comics, February 2025)  The middle story in this trio of tales is my favorite, another amazing effort from writer/artist Patrick Horvath (of BENEATH THE TREES . . . fame). A nerdy shy and awkward young man pays top dollar to procure a high-tech version of Love Potion Number Nine. Despite being warned of the limitations and dangers of improper use, his mishandling results in unanticipated and unwelcome advances in “Cursed Casanova”.

    The opening story is “Heart To Heart” by another writer/artist, Mirko Andolfo. It details the unfortunate attempts of a serial killer who preys on couples in love to secure his coveted “pure heart”. It’s try and try again until finally he finds it in an unlikely place.

  The issue closes with “Penguin Avenger” by Yul-Pyeong Oh and Pure. A young man with medical/scientific abilities has numerous first encounters through dating services, yet never loses touch with all his dates . . . until the day when he slips up. Wacky, weird and disturbing.

    A great one-shot issue that I assume will become a yearly event. Great stories, great art. A FOUR STAR effort.

#150-#151 = HELLO DARKNESS #7 (Boom! Studios, January 2025) There’s a bit of a change-up here, as there are no serialized stories as in previous issues. If you’re looking for the next installment in the Tynion and Ennis stories, you’ll have to wait until next month (I guess). I kind of like it, with this issue containing five complete stories plus the usually fun cartoon page from Robert Hack and some gory poster pages.

  All the original stories this issue were top quality, so it was harder for me to pick a favorite. But, the one that stuck with me longer was “Evermore” by David Hazan and Stefano Nesi. A recently widowed man tries to find a new companion via social media and text messaging, and then can’t unfollow or stop the messages when the relationship doesn’t work out. 

“L-O-V-E “ by Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan shows that even serial killers and slashers can be romantic, and create unusual Valentines’ Day messages when attempting to renew a failed relationship. 

“Words In The Smoke” by Maria Llovet was my least favorite story this issue, a poetic romantic encounter between a woman and a creature of the night that was predictable in its’ ending. “The Booth” by Anirudh J was interesting but anticlimactic in the ending as a mysterious sleuth sets surveilance of a telephone booth, expecting a certain call at a certain time.

Also noteworthy is “Excision” by Chris Gooch and Eli Powell, about a dreary bargain-basement surgery with a twist ending. Overall, an above average issue for this anthology. THREE AND THREE-QUARTER STARS.

#152-#153 = EPITAPHS FROM THE ABYSS #8 (Oni Press/EC Comics, February 2025)  - - Wherein three more “tales of torment and tension” are presented for our consideration, provided you have the nerve to turn the page after viewing that eye-popping, cringe-inducing cover of a neck tattoo that bites. If that doesn’t choke you up, the introductory page with The Grave-Digger and the Tormentor’s latest subject will get the job done. There are also plenty of slime-y tentacular horrors and creepy clowns inside.

Surprisingly the most disturbing (to me) story this issue contain none of the above, and no blood and guts. “The Main Character” by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Andrea Sorrentino relates the story of a head-on car collision survivor who was judged not guilty but feels bad nonetheless. Out of the corners of his eyes and everywhere he looks he sees a shadowy figure in a red hoodie watching him - - and no one else can see that. He finally confronts the hoodie and gets a surprising answer. I think I’m not the only reader going to be disturbed by this story. It’s followed by a disclaimer page with a public service announcement. 

  The female protagonist in Stephanie Phillip and Valeria Burzo’s “Yellow Smoke” also sees threats in the wallpaper of the home she inherited but no one else does - and therefore suggest she see a doctor. But, she’s determined to show everyone what has been bothering her. 

    Who would hang a portrait of a clown in a prominent place in the home? When in third grade I recall being gifted several paint-by-number kits (dogs and horses). When I was offered a paint-by-numbers portrait of an Emmett Kelly-like clown I politely declined. The painting in “The Honking” by Brendan Hay and artists PJ Holden and John McCrea has a life of its’ own . . and it wants company. Another FOUR STAR effort.

Book Review: EVERYBODY KNOWS by Jordan Harper

EVERYBODY KNOWS by Jordan Harper (Mulholland Books, January 30, 2024) Trade Paperback, 352 pages. ISBN #9780316458023 

Synopsis on the Goodreads website . . . . .

Welcome to Mae Pruett’s Los Angeles, where  “Nobody talks. But everybody whispers.”  As a “black-bag” publicist tasked not with letting the good news out but keeping the bad news in, Mae works for one of LA’s most powerful and sought-after crisis PR firms, at the center of a sprawling web of lawyers, PR flaks, and private security firms she calls “The Beast.” They protect the rich and powerful and depraved by any means necessary. 

 

After her boss is gunned down in front of the Beverly Hills Hotel in a random attack, Mae takes it upon herself to investigate and runs headfirst into The Beast’s lawless machinations and the twisted systems it exists to perpetuate. It takes her on a roving neon joyride through a Los Angeles full of influencers pumped full of pills and fillers; sprawling mansions footsteps away from sprawling homeless encampments; crooked cops and mysterious wrecking crews in the middle of the night.

 

Edgar Award-winner Jordan Harper’s EVERYBODY KNOWS is addicting and alarming, a “juggernaut of a novel” and “an absolute tour de force.” It is what the crime novel can achieve in the modern portrayal of the human lives at the center of vast American landscapes, and make us thrill at their attempts to face impossible odds.

 

 MY FIVE-STAR REVIEW ON THE GOODREADS WEBSITE . . . . 

“Life is a glorious cycle of song. A medley of extemporanea."

     I'll let some of my notes reveal my thoughts on EVERYBODY KNOWS - a highly recommended read, especially if you like realistic crime fiction that tackles hard subjects. This also makes an underlying statement about the corruption and entitlement of those with riches and power. 

February 22: Just finished reading Part One = a fascinating portrait of celebrity-ridden Los Angeles/Hollywood that is primarily a set-up for what is to come. I'm anticipating even more reveals of the seamier side of this locale and those who work behind the curtain to keep bad publicity at bay. 

February 23: This does remind me of Raymond Chandler in that the observations are wry, cynical and sometimes subtle - and often poetic in their descriptions. But since there are two main characters (Mae and Chris) and neither one is a private detective - I'm not getting any Phillip Marlowe vibes. 

I love the descriptions on Page 42-43: "She fights through traffic, hangs a left towards the great pink pleasure dome of the Beverly Hills Hotel. The valet opens the door - - he says something but she can't hear it over the roar of blood in her ears. A couple stands waiting for their own car - - the woman has billows of blond hair framing her acid-peel face, her teeth like pearls between Joker-plump lips. Her husband stands like a sack of something wet, puffs of gray hair lifting his shirt, tangling out from the button gaps like prisoners grasping between bars. He looks the age the woman is not allowed to be."

It is passages like this that remind me of Chandler, although Harper is not creating a pastiche/homage here and has his own style of writing - - which is similar in that respect. Harper does not have the same propensity of Chandler to describe scenes and situations via creative similes - and I'm glad he didn't try to force it. 

There are some very memorable scenes, especially after Chris interviews the family of a wannabe gang-banger who was shot dead by police: "He shows himself out. On his way out the door, Chris throws one more look toward Gustavo. The man's face is still frozen. His hands in his lap grasp and clench the air like he's trying to find the world's throat and choke it until it's dead."

Mae, who works for the largest 'crisis PR' firm in L.A. and doesn't always feel good about what the job requires her to do, has a moment of reflection that is indicated through some body language: 

    She sticks a plastic fork into her leg. The tines make cones of pain. She wonders which will break first, the fork or her skin.

   "Okay. Forget it. Look, I did my job.”

   "That's all I ever ask of you."

    The fork breaks first. 

February 24: I'm a huge fan of Ramond Chandler, and while I was familiar with Harper's writing (via SHE RIDES SHOTGUN) it was a television interview that compared EVERYBODY KNOWS to Chandler that made this a must-read for me. However, if you're looking for a character or characters like Phillip Marlowe you won't find it here. 

In fact, the motives of the two main characters were suspicious (to me) until the very (and very satisfying) ending to the story. Harper compares to Chandler in themes, settings and his underlying message about riches and power. Chandler wrote about corruption, entitlement, and spoiled rich elites in 1930's and 1940's Los Angeles. Harper updates that for us by focusing on current Los Angeles, especially Hollywood, and takes us to the dirty underside, exposing a separate behind-the-scenes industry that keeps bad publicity away from their rich clientele - an industry that is just as corrupt and jaded as the Hollywood elite.

February 25: Yes, there are parts of this novel that are disgusting and brutally blunt. There's a lot of rightfully expressed cynicism in these characters but there still remains traces of decency and integrity. 

I definitely want to read more from Jordan Harper.

Book Review: WHEN THE MOON HITS YOUR EYE by John Scalzi

WHEN THE MOON HITS YOUR EYE by John Scalzi (Tor Books, release date March 25, 2025) Hardcover, 336 pages. ISBN # 9780765389091. ISBN 10 # 0765389096 

Synopsis on the Goodreads website . . . . .

From the creator of Starter Villain comes an entirely serious take on a distinctly unserious subject: what would really happen if suddenly the moon were replaced by a giant wheel of cheese.

It's a whole new moooooon.

One day soon, suddenly and without explanation, the moon as we know it is replaced with an orb of cheese with the exact same mass. Through the length of an entire lunar cycle, from new moon to a spectacular and possibly final solar eclipse, we follow multiple characters -- school kids and scientists, billionaires and workers, preachers and politicians -- as they confront the strange new world they live in, and the absurd, impossible moon that now hangs above all their lives.

MY FOUR-STAR REVIEW ON THE GOODREADS WEBSITE:

     I love the way this book starts, from the opening of short facts about the moon presented in a children's book approach to the awe-inducing discoveries regarding changes in the planet. It reminded me of how accessible to readers the science-fiction of Asimov, Heinlein and Sturgeon was - especially the works of Ray Bradbury. That's good company.

     The story is told in episodic chapters, focusing on the point of view of a large ensemble of characters, related in chronological order corresponding to the days in a lunar cycle. There's a turn of events near the end that came as a complete surprise, and some may consider unsatisfactory, but I won't spoil it by hinting at anything. I was perfectly fine with this, and felt it was an appropriate way to end things. 

   It seems that Scalzi considered all the implications for us mere mortals on Earth should the moon turn to cheese and upset the status quo, etc. Some of the chapters are more serious than others, but there is a tonge-in-cheek vibe to everything here. Every possible scenario seems to have been accounted for, from the reaction of the scientific community, to big government, to Hollywood, to the common man. 

   Three of my favorite chapters are the three retired senior citizens who meet for breakfast at a diner and speculate on the future, the Elon Musk-like character who spearheads his own mission to the moon (and gets what he deserves - wishing something similar would happen to the real person), and the various screen-writers making their elevator pitches to Hollywood producers for a moon-themed script. 

   Some memorable Scalzi wit/satire, through the thoughts of Jody Bannon (think Elon Musk):

   "Follow: Jody Bannon wanted to go to the moon. Jody Bannon knew he had neither the time nor patience to go through real astronaut training. So if he was going to go to the moon, he was going to have to buy an aerospace company (which he did), make a credible bid to build a next-generation lunar lander (which he did), and then have it built with so many automated and redundant systems that even an untrained dipshit (which he was) could make it to the moon and back, just by pressing the occasional button."

Also, this little gem - - a conversation between President Boone and his wife regarding how to break the news about the moon to the public: 

Boone snorted. "You've seen my latest poll numbers," he said. "My powers of persuasion are not what you think they are."

   "This isn't about you trying to shepherd legislation," Angie said. "This is you being the actual most powerful human in the world. Right or wrong, that's who you are right now. People know it, even if they hate it and hate you. So if they get even a hint that you think we're doomed, it's all over. If they think you think we have a chance, they'll take that into their heads. Even if they think you're delusional."

   "I might be delusional," Boone admitted.

   "And you might not be. Maybe we will get through this."

   "Maybe we will. And if we do, then maybe I'll get reelected."

   "Don't get your hopes up," Angie said. "I've seen your poll numbers."

Can't Get Enough GODZILLA Comics?: Good News For You!

IDW EXTENDS TOHO INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP, UNLEASHES GIANT PLANS FOR NEW GODZILLA SHARED UNIVERSE COMICS "IDW continues to be the comic king of the monsters with new Godzilla books." - Caitlin Chappell, Screen Rant from the official IDW Publishing Press Release . . . . . LOS ANGELES, CA (February 19, 2025) – IDW Publishing has proudly worked with Toho International, Inc. for more than a decade to publish a vast array of acclaimed comic books featuring GODZILLA and the kaiju’s stunning cast of characters. Now, the two companies have extended their partnership through 2029, and this year will see the King of the Monsters rising to even greater heights in the comic book industry.  Welcome to the Kai-Sei era, an all-new GODZILLA​ connected universe launching with three jaw-dropping titles, each one expertly designed to unleash completely different genres and tones for all kinds of fans.

GODZILLA #1 cover by Nikola Čižmešija

Kicking off the new connected universe in July is the first GODZILLA ongoing series in a decade from New York Times bestselling writer Tim Seeley (GODZILLA VS. AMERICA: CHICAGO, Grayson) and amazing artist Nikola Čižmešija (TMNT: BLACK, WHITE & GREEN, Batman and Robin). In 1954, an experiment with a mysterious energy source called Kai-Sei awakened Godzilla and other terrifying kaiju. For decades, humanity has endured an onslaught of monster attacks. While Japan views these unstoppable rampages like natural disasters, the United States’ G-Force is attempting to fight these seemingly immortal titans. Now, they’ve found a boy who wields the power of Godzilla. Will he save the world… or bring about its doom?

GODZILLA #1 interior art by Nikola Čižmešija

New GODZILLA design by Nikola Čižmešija

Featuring a wild new take on GODZILLA’s universe, this upcoming ongoing series will surprise readers with a fearsome new Godzilla design, new characters with powers, and plenty of kaiju twists and turns along the way.   Stomping into comic shops in August will be GODZILLA: ESCAPE THE DEADZONE from Eisner-nominated writers Ethan Parker & Griffin Sheridan (Kill Your Darlings) and incredible artist Pablo Tunica (TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES). Introducing the first-ever half-human, half-kaiju hybrid in Toho history, GODZILLA: ESCAPE THE DEADZONE will explore the biggest mystery of the new connected universe… What is the truth behind the post-apocalyptic Deadzone? The search for answers will forever change how fans view this new universe as they experience this thrilling and shocking ride.

GODZILLA: ESCAPE THE DEADZONE #1 cover by Pablo Tunica

Launching in October is the cosmic adventure STARSHIP GODZILLA from award-winning writer Chris Gooch (IN UTERO) and inventive artist Oliver Ono (GODZILLA: MONSTER ISLAND SUMMER CAMP). For the first time in Toho canon, this trip through the stars will bridge the gap between the various alien races. They’ve come to Earth in past tales, but now it’s time to visit their worlds as a crew of misfits embark on high-risk high-reward kaiju-based missions with a secret that could impact the whole universe.

STARSHIP GODZILLA #1 cover by Oliver Ono

“We couldn’t be more excited to present to you the new home of Godzilla – The Kai-Sei Era,” commented GODZILLA line editor Jake Williams. “The Kai-Sei Era is the only ongoing Godzilla story of its kind – crafted for comics readers who have never bought a Godzilla book, and Godzilla fans who have never read a comic. We aim to bring you the absolute best stories possible – whether those stories contain super powered G-Force members trying to kill Godzilla, mutants in a wasteland trying to survive in its wake, or mercenaries flying around space in Mechagodzilla. Every month readers will be able to take a peek inside a brand new universe composed of unimaginable horrors, kaiju old and new, and heroes to keep it all at bay. We’re telling the best Godzilla stories in the world, inside the best comics on the shelves.”

GODZILLA: ESCAPE THE DEADZONE #1 interior art by Pablo Tunica

STARSHIP GODZILLA #1 interior art by Oliver Ono

In addition to the upcoming connected universe, IDW Publishing will continue to release limited series that are outside of the connected universe, like the recently announced GODZILLA: HERE THERE BE ALIENS in May. Plus, GODZILLA: HEIST makes its debut in comic shops today, with the anthology limited series GODZILLA VS AMERICA kicking off next week and the first issue of the limited series MOTHRA: QUEEN OF THE MONSTERS arriving the following week.