#754 - #755 HEADLESS HORSEMAN HALLOWEEN ANNUAL 2024 by various creators (Dark Horse Comics, October 2024) I was completely unaware of this annual anthology (since 2023) until comics friend Matt Lowder brought it to my attention. My next visit to a comic shop resulted in that Francavilla cover pulling at me like a magnet. Destiny. This was a great collection. Five stories, and not a stinker in the bunch. If Dark Horse puts out a 2025 edition, I’ll buy that sight unseen. It’s hard to pick out a favorite, but I feel I must. “Feeder” written and colored by Ben Stenbeck with art by Matt Smith showcases what happens to a human after they succumb to the zombie’s unwelcome advances and end up as one of the walking dead. This alpha male found a new community within the zombie world, as the story is told from his point-of-view. When the availability of humans to feed on begins to diminish and zombies suffer from malnutrition, he comes up with a family-centric solution.
“Leech Lake” is a tale of Halloween trick-or-treaters by David Dastmalchian and Leah Kilpatrick with art by Sara Stella Scalia. It’s a neat spin on black lagoon legend, complete with creature.
“Stingy Jack and the Cursed Lantern” by Lukas Kenner and Eryk Donovan is a variation on the make-a-deal-with-the-devil theme where the devil is out-tricked (but not forever). The dark tones and sepia color lend it a historic feel.
“The Spice of Life (and Death” reveals how our pumpkin-spiced obsession at this time of year can go a little too far. Please limit yourself. By James Asmus and Chris Panda.
“Little Rabbit” with story, art, colors by Jay Martin is a short but effective tale of an escaped hostage with a grim twist at the end. FOUR AND ONE-HALF STARS for the collection.
#756 GODFATHER OF HELL #1 (Vault Comics, October 2024) Synopsis:Dario Santini has lived a charmed life as an enforcer and debt collector for mob boss Niccol Mechini. He's had it all: respect, power, even the love of a good woman. But everything changes when he crosses a line and is shot dead on the sidewalk.
Waking up in Hell, Dario faces a future of pain and suffering... unless he can turn eternal damnation into a business opportunity. Neo-noir hellfire from New York Times Bestseller Cavan Scott (Star Wars: The High Republic, Shadow Service, Dead Seas) and Bram Stoker Award-winning artist Pius Bak (Eat the Rich, The Magicians, Stranger Things).
I love horror comics and crime comics. So, when the two are combined in a new story with an interesting theme (gangster in hell makes deal with devil) that was a title I was definitely looking forward to.
While I don’t have any criticisms of this book, it just failed to grab me enough to want to add it to my pull list. Neither story or art made enough of a favorable impression on me. Maybe I’ve just read too much, too similar.
If you’re a horror and crime fan, I suggest you check this out and draw your own conclusions. THREE STARS.
#757 THE GIRL CALLED CTHULHU #1 by Cynthia Von Buhler (Titan Comics, November 2024) Inventive artist Cynthia Von Buhler is also a skilled writer and playwright. This is the third mini-series featuring her private investigator Mindy Woodcock. If you have not exposed yourself (mature audiences only) to these titles, I strongly urge you to pick this up and check it out. Mindy Woodcock works her investigation during the 1920’s and 1930’s and Von Buhler always has her interacting with real historical figures. This time the story begins in Providence, Rhode Island - home of cosmic horror/weird tales scribe H. P. Lovecraft. He meets her when she’s doing a part-time job as apprentice to magician/escape artist Houdini (before his untimely death). He’s a bit put off by her amorous nature, and later writes an interesting letter to her. (Lovecraft was well known for his time spent corresponding with fans and acquaintances).
Her services as private investigator are sought by none other than black magic practitioner Aleister Crowley. He wants her to get a confession of lying from a woman who escaped his influence and has revealing information/dirt about Crowley. Instead, Woodcock has too much in common with the suspect and bonds with her. Soon, they meet performer Betty May (the Tiger-Woman from 1923 history) and get into a three-way before things turn sinister as the issue ends. FOUR STARS.
#758 - #759 SHUDDER #20 by various creators (Warrant Publishing Company, February 2025) First it was THE CREEPS, then SHUDDER and VAMPIRESS CAMILLA as Warrant Publishing paid homage to legendary Warren Publishing and their 1960’s/1970’s black-and-white horror comics magazines CREEPY, EERIE and VAMPIRELLA. For most of the time, they hit the mark with some cool new entires respectful of and equal to their forebears. Sometimes, they fall a bit shy of the target - - case in point SHUDDER #20, which is a bit disappointing to me but still worthwhile. The art, as usual, is stellar. The stories this issue, on average, are kind of one-note and predictable.
Speaking of art, my favorite this issue is the intricate detailed work of Santos Zaballos illustrating “The Axman Cometh” written by Bambos Georgiou. Two of the six stories presented here were personal favorites.
The campy but fun “Gangland Ghouls” by J.W. Ford and Carlos Lamani pits two organized crime gangs against each other in a stalemate. They both seek outside help to make themselves more powerful. Lucky O’Donnell’s Irish gang seeks out a Dr. Victor Frankenstein lookalike to transform them into muscular stitched-together brutes. Bruno Rossi’s Italian gang enlists their European friend, a Count Dracula lookalike, to give them the strength of vampires. Which side wins the next battle, or does anybody? What makes this fun is the art which makes the gang leaders look like classic crime movie actors Jimmy Cagney and Edgar G. Robinson. Ditto for Colin Clive (Dr. Frankenstein) and Bela Lugosi (Dracula).
“A Living Mummy” stands out for not going in the expected direction: that of a mummy’s tomb being unearthed and the mummy attacking everyone.
In this story by Bambos Georgiou and Reno Maniquis the mummy is too weak to strike out and instead needs the assistance of his discoverers who get him to a hospital and on fluids. He’s not trying to hurt anyone, he’s giving a warning in a language that no one understands. Will it be too late when the translator shows up?
Overall, THREE STARS, with those three stories mentioned here meriting more attention.
#760 THE PEDESTRIAN #4 of 4 BY Joey Esposito and Sean Von Gorman (Magma Comix, November 2024) THE PEDESTRIAN mini-series comes to an end in a satisfying way, yet still inconclusive in many areas. Having laid the groundwork in the first three issues, creators Esposito and Von Gorman add in more layers and depth in the finale, and challenge our perceptions and understanding of what has gone before. Things get metaphysical, and symbolism lies under the surface for readers to detect. What does it all mean? Is the town a metaphor for a condition, or a situation, or what? Are the benevolent Pedestrian and the sinister Klutch just two aspects of the same personality? I’m not going to pretend I have all the answers; and I also don’t want to spoil it for anyone. Prepare to be challenged. There’s a lot more to the silent, hand-signals only Pedestrian than just a good samaritan in a one-piece spandex/pajama-like costume. He also has supernatural powers, all related to traffic lights, signs, crosswalks, etc. Does he traverse the thin line between the simple small-town reality and a bigger universe/realm? That’s for you to find out, if you decide to check out this title (and you should). I love the creativity with the traffic signs being involved in the imaginative fight scenes.
Over the course of the four issues, I’ve grown fond of the cast of characters: Kira the babysitter, detective Sherwood, school crossing guard Sophie, the bewildered Pizza Sun employees, the twin boys Syd and Jeremy (Lazer Titans/Power Rangers fans) and their secretive father who has connections to both Helping Hands and Pizza Sun CEO Uncle Joe.
There’s a lot more story to be told. Here’s hoping Volume One does well enough in sales to merit a return to this wacky world. FOUR STARS.
#761 EPITAPHS FROM THE ABYSS #4 (Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group/EC Comics, October 2024) Three more strong stories in this monthly horror anthology.Jay Stephen and David Lapham team up to tell “Dead From Exposure”, my favorite this issue. Ever get tired of the constant barrage of reality television shows exploring the paranormal, haunted sites, monster occurrences, the unknown, etc? Instead of concluding with scant evidence, ever wish the various explorers would make a real find, maybe even get attacked by the monster? Your wish may be granted, as the team behind “Exposure” investigates the bog-ape. While we’re on the subject on things that annoy us, are you also tired of the constant news and ads about weight-loss drugs/injections, as well as the pop-up online ads for keto-gummies and other miracle pound-shedders? Do you have a mean streak that wishes some of the hucksters might suffer some of the adverse effects that they are legally required to include in their ads, often at high-speed recitation? “Under The Influence” by J. Holtham and Leomacs may alleviate some of that tension for you.
“The Perfect Pearl” by Amy Roy and Claire Roe is a love-at-first sight romance that turns sour. A loving husband repairs a family heirloom pearl necklace for his wife that then exhibits an unusual ability to become larger or smaller, depending on how “obedient” to his wishes for “perfect” she is.
Add the usual incredible cover from Lee Bermejo and a cool horror host feature page of the Grave-Digger drawn by Dustin Weaver - - and it’s another fine issue. THREE AND THREE-QUARTER STARS.
#762 EPITAPHS FROM THE ABYSS #5 (Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group/EC Comics, November 2024) The Grave Digger gets competition from new overbearing co-host The Grim Inquisitor on the always entertaining introduction page. “Forever Home” by Matt Kindt and Leomacs is a tale of home buyer’s remorse as a developer of 3-D printed homes loses his wife, and leaves the business behind only to find you can’t run away.
Matthew Rosenberg and Kano put a spin on the afterlife/afterworld in “Some Things You Lose, Some Things You Give Away” - a story that would have made a weird, twisty Twilight Zone episode back in the day.
Stand-out story this issue is “All-New You”. Joanne Starer and Alexandre Tefengi show us a future world where ugly people can transform themselves into beautiful people provided they have enough money. This story really left a nasty impression on my imagination, all done without benefit of bloody scenes or gore. The problem is some of these new cosmetic surgeries also provide life extension. It’s a small world.
A THREE AND ONE-HALF STAR effort overall.
#763 DC HORROR PRESENTS CREATURE COMMANDOS #1 of 6 by David Dastmalchian and Jesus Hervas (DC Comics, December 2024) This is a one-and-done for me, sad to say because I’m a fan of the COUNT CROWLEY series by Dastmalchian. He seems to be going through the motions here, despite being given an intriguing template to cook up a mix of horror, action, and superhero fare. This isn’t humorous (except for one panel) and the characters didn’t grab me. The fact that this is going to cross over into the DC Universe (a classic Superman villain reveals his manipulations in the final pages) gives me another reason to pass it up. I’m not a big fan of superheroes/supervillains mixing it up with vampires and other classic monsters. There have been some exceptions, but those are too infrequent.
The team comprises a vampire (Vincent Velcro, what a name!) a Werewolf, a Gorgon, and an Undead Soldier (named Lucky, pieced together in Frankenstein fashion by the scientist assembling the team).
Add a Rick Slaughter-like special ops solider with a cybernetic arm to lead them into battle.
The issue begins with a cold open at a supermarket battle that goes wrong. It’s short and attempts to bring the drama/heartbreak but it’s too soon and is ineffective and misplaced. Then the rest of the issue details how the team was assembled. Instead of Now and Then scene markers, this is subtitled Two Weeks From Now and Now. Why try to confuse the reader?
The funny scene occurs when mad scientist Dr. West (she talks to herself, speaking to an imaginary Jason) is recruiting the Velcro vampire by setting up an ambush. She says “I don’t know what happened to you, Vincent . . . And we can give you the one thing you want that no one else can make happen.” To which the vampire replies: “You got Bauhaus back together?” (Ha!, assuming comics readers get the music reference - - otherwise, not funny.)
Like this book. Not engaging. I respect Dastmalchian enough that I read this three times to give it a fair chance. No change in my opinion. TWO STARS.
#764 CRUEL UNIVERSE #4 (Oni-Lion Forge Publishing/EC Comics, November 2024) Four stories this time out, with one just taking up two pages (short, and to the point). My favorites were the middle pieces: “Doomsday Particle” by Matt Kindt and Alison Sampson revolves around a unique discovery of three particles around which the universe grew - - “God Particles” or “The Trinity”. The two male scientists get all the glory and Nobel Prize recognition while the female scientist is forgotten - - until the other two can’t get things to work and she has to step in. But, they don’t take her advice, and . . . well, you’ll see.
“Peer Review” by Cecil Castellucci and Andrea Mutti is an alien contact story, which occurs during a human space exploration. The aliens only want to converse with spacefaring species and exchange information. When finished they intend to return the humans to their planet. This has a twist ending and a clever connection to an Earth event.
The bookend stories reminded me of the current election. Both have an underlying message, which comes too late. This just created more anxiety for me, as I read horror comics for escapism purposes and not reminders.
In “By The Book” by Matt Bors and Daniel Irizarri an alien baby is stranded on Earth, raised by gentle farm folk and ends up first being accepted and then responsible for an alien rights bill to pass - which paves the way for him to run for President. As soon as he’s in office, immigration of aliens from his home planet occurs and war breaks out.
The short final story, “The Hero Of Venus” by Ben H. Winters and Kano extols the virtues of candidate Mike Milch, an astronaut who fought for Earth on Venus, who wins the election only to learn that he had another purpose for becoming President. Sigh.
Overall, another THREE AND ONE-HALF STAR issue.
