Joe R. Lansdale's The Drive-In

by Joe R. Lansdale, Andres Guinaldo (Artist)

When a group of friends decided to spend a day at the world's largest Drive-In theater horror fest, they expected to see tons of bloody murders, rampaging madmen, and mayhem - but only on the screen. As a mysterious force traps all the patrons inside the Drive-In, the worst in humanity comes out. Filled with Lansdale's razor whit and black humor, The Drive-In is a darkly humorous masterpiece! Collected here is the complete four issue series with bonus material including a new interview with Lansdale himself about the writing of The Drive-In.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Comics, Science Fiction, Humor

112 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1988

About the author

Champion Mojo Storyteller Joe R. Lansdale is the author of over forty novels and numerous short stories. His work has appeared in national anthologies, magazines, and collections, as well as numerous foreign publications. He has written for comics, television, film, newspapers, and Internet sites. His work has been collected in more than two dozen short-story collections, and he has edited or co-edited over a dozen anthologies. He has received the Edgar Award, eight Bram Stoker Awards, the Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the British Fantasy Award, the Grinzani Cavour Prize for Literature, the Herodotus Historical Fiction Award, the Inkpot Award for Contributions to Science Fiction and Fantasy, and many others. His novella Bubba Ho-Tep was adapted to film by Don Coscarelli, starring Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis. His story "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" was adapted to film for Showtime's "Masters of Horror," and he adapted his short story "Christmas with the Dead" to film hisownself. The film adaptation of his novel Cold in July was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and the Sundance Channel has adapted his Hap & Leonard novels for television.

He is currently co-producing several films, among them The Bottoms, based on his Edgar Award-winning novel, with Bill Paxton and Brad Wyman, and The Drive-In, with Greg Nicotero. He is Writer In Residence at Stephen F. Austin State University, and is the founder of the martial arts system Shen Chuan: Martial Science and its affiliate, Shen Chuan Family System. He is a member of both the United States and International Martial Arts Halls of Fame. He lives in Nacogdoches, Texas with his wife, dog, and two cats.

Reviews

[Gregor Xane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I especially like Lansdale's wackier stuff like Zeppelins West and Flaming London. The Drive-In is almost as wacky as those books. However, it's not an absurd pastiche. Instead, it's an homage to B-movie horror flicks (obviously). I found this to be a highly entertaining read, once I got past the dreadful John Hughes-style breakfast scene with the protagonist's wise-cracking and flirty parents, that is.

The Drive-In's way over-the-top in its depiction of humanity crumbling in a nightmare world of rapidly diminishing resources. Oh, and it's all played for laughs. So, if you're one to not find a thing funny about wide-spread degradation, cannibalism, and murder, then you might want to read one of Lansdale's Hap and Leonard books. They're good, too, and the violence is handled in a more serious manner.

I nearly forgot to mention The Popcorn King. This great villain alone is worth the price of admission.

[Lynn (Smile24k) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really 2.5 stars, but rounding up because the first part of the book was actually good.

I chose this book based on recommendations for a creepy, but won't keep you up at night, October read. When I first started reading this book I was having a lot of fun with it. The book is not at all scary, but is really told like a cheesy Saturday afternoon horror movie from back in the day. For me it was great and I really enjoyed the beginning and there were several funny moments. But then it went downhill...

Basic Plot: A group of friends have a tradition of going to this huge drive-in theater in Texas to watch horror movies on the big screen. Young adults hanging out with friends, drinking beer, having sex, eating popcorn, and watching classic horror movies - Night of the Living Dead, Texas Chainsaw Massacre (I'm a fan of both of these btw), what could be better. Things get crazy and all of sudden it's like they are trapped in their own horror movie.

I didn't realize when I downloaded this for my Kindle that it was downloading 3 short books instead of one. The first part of the story is really and truly good cheesy fun (if you like that sort of thing) and I guess this was the original book 1. It ends in an unresolved fashion and I suppose books 2 & 3 were then added(?). Once the proverbial mess hits the fan and everyone is trapped in the drive-in, the animalistic side of man begins to come out and it is not pretty. But, initially it does make you wonder how quickly our humanity goes out the window when a lot of people are stuck together in a very bad and worsening situation. It's quite comical and the writing is very descriptive. Once you get to books 2 & 3, what was once funny and quirky becomes outright ridiculous!

I don't even know what to make of 2&3, it was just so odd. I read all three books/parts because I really wanted to know how this was going to end, but I kind of wish that I had stopped at book 1 and just lived with the cliff hanger.

WARNING: The "N" word is used multiple times in this book. In book 1 it was maybe used once or twice and the use made sense in terms of the culture and situation. But in books 2 & 3 the use of it was not needed, gratuitous, and did nothing to further the story.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 stars. This book was a lot of fun. It is the literary equivalent of a cheesy, midnight horror flick but with much better dialogue and humor. The narrator's "voice" had just the right tone and automatic acceptance of whatever bizarro event were occurring around him to carry this book through.

Nominee: Locus Award for Best Horror/Dark Fantasy Novel
Nominee: Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel
Nominee: World Fantasy Award for Best Novel

[Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three words best describe this book by the inimitable Joe Lansdale, FUN, FUN FUN! This is classic B grade movie horror schlock but with the added bonus of typical JR writing thrown in for good measure.

The story takes place at a massive drive in movie complex. All of a sudden a (long) black veil descends on the area and everyone there is trapped. Naturally things decline pretty quickly, enter starvation, roving biker gangs, religious cannibals and oh yes...the Popcorn King.

Great read for any horror fan and especially for fans of horror movies as several are mentioned in the book.

Postscript: I was curious to find out which came first, the Drive In by Lansdale or Under the Dome by King because at first glance there are some strong similarities. Interesting, the Drive in was published in 2006 and Under the Dome in 2009, Lansdale wins!

[Angel Gelique · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely an interesting read, to say the least! It was well-written and full of wonderfully descriptive similes. The author has quite an imagination, and I truly enjoyed the fact that as I read the story, it came alive in my mind as if I were watching a movie. I will definitely read more of Lansdale's works, starting with the sequel, "Drive-In 2."

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very hard to categorize. There's a fair amount of fantasy and horror, though. This is truly a fun book. Weird as the day is long, but compelling.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a trip. A B-Movie romp with B-Movies Gods! Good solid fun and good times…trapped in the drive-in with the Popcorn King! 3.5*

[Cliff's Dark Gems · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bizarre, crazy and over the top horror but so much fun!

[Frank Errington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review copy

Those were the days. Heading to the drive in on a Friday night. If you were lucky, it was with the girl with whom you were hoping to get past second base. But then, it could be just as much fun with your friends. Maybe with one or two of you in the trunk to save the admission fee.

The Orbit Drive-In off I-45 is the largest Drive-In in Texas with space for four-thousand cars. With two or more occupants per car, that makes The Orbit bigger than many small Texas towns.

The Orbit shows "B-string and basement-budget pictures. A lot of them made with little more than a Kodak, some spit and a prayer. And if you've watched enough of this stuff, you develop a taste for it, sort of like learning to like sauerkraut."

Lansdale is a skilled writer who creates real people and then places them in real bad situations. Even when those situations are themselves like a B-string movie. And therein lies the charm of The Drive-In.

The Drive-In uses a familiar plot device where you take a diverse group of people and place them in a locked environment where there's no way out. Think Stephen King's Under the Dome. Although Landale's work pre-dates King's novel by some 20 years they both deal with the lengths people will go just to survive.

Populated with some truly bizarre characters like The Popcorn King and a group of religious cannibals, The Drive-In is all the fun of those tacky B-movies from the golden age of the drive-in. Roger Corman would be proud.

First published in 1988, The Drive-In is now available as an ebook, in a variety of formats, from the folks at Crossroad Press. Also available are two sequels in the series.

If you've never read The Drive-In, I can recommend this one for a fast, fun read.

[Benoit Lelièvre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Joe Lansdale is something that goes far beyond a simple money-for-entertainment transaction. It's an experience, something deeply satisfying in the form as well as in the content. THE DRIVE-IN is like a demented celebration of everything Joe Lansdale stands for. It's so out there, it could've well been fan fiction, but we're lucky enough to have it written by the master. Think Ghostbuster meets Goonies meets Stephen King and the B-movie Gods. Ferociously fun.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

ok this is one of those trainwrecks where you can't look away but everything inside of you wishes you could. i actually read this story at the beginning of a lansdale reader (electric gumbo) which included several short stories by the author as well. let's just say his stuff is fucked up no matter how you slice it.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had already read the novel, so thought I'd try the graphic novel. It is a very accurate adaptation and just as weird as the original. This is so far out I really wouldn't think I would enjoy it, but it's so compelling it's still a good read. The line art was a little light and confusing, but still detailed.

Overall a good adaptation of the novel. Whether you prefer graphic novels or just would like to see the novel in a more visual form, it's probably worth a look.

[Dana Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and crazy just like they say it is

[Gresi e i suoi Sogni d'inchiostro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nelle tenebre e nel dolore c’è piacere. La luce non può essere apprezzata senza il buio. Il segreto è il trattenimento.

Senza lasciarmi il tempo di riflettere, questo volumone giunse nel mio cerchio personale quasi due anni fa, nel periodo halloweniano, attratta dall’idea di poter abbracciare una storia spaventosa e horrorifica, che facesse al caso mio, e soprattutto fosse attinente al periodo. Quello che accadde, però, fu completamente diverso da ciò che avevo immaginato, e fra una lettura e un’altra, l’occasione di leggerlo giunse solo i primi giorni di questo ottavo mese dell’anno. In certi casi, tutto ciò che posso fare è pensare fra me e me quali fossero i veri motivi che mi indussero a rimandarne la lettura, per questo lasso di tempo, come nel disperato tentativo di distinguere realtà e finzione. Ma a parte il non poter fare niente, sentirmi inerme, man mano che mi introducevo nel bellissimo mondo che dipinge l’autore, cominciai a comprendere che la vita aveva appena cominciato a ricevere colpi così bruschi in cui la verità – quella tangibile e chiara – avrebbe fatto da capostipite ad ogni cosa. Una forte critica al capitalismo e al consumismo e la perenne sensazione di vivere una realtà fatalista, scabrosa che non si presta insopportabile quanto desiderosa di mutamenti, una sequela di azioni in cui le cose si sarebbero mescolate le une alle altre. L’uomo si sarebbe contrapposto a queste << forme >> di vita, e pur avendo la tendenza a comprendere il pericolo si erge candidamente sullo sfondo di un cielo color nero seppia, in cui l’assurdo si mescola al possibile, assume nuove forme d’identità che fagocitano al suo interno, incastra nelle maglie di un luogo in cui lo spazio e il tempo sono così difficili da misurare.
Troppo affascinata, divertita, ammaliata – anziché disgustata -, per reagire con stizza e quella rapidità necessaria che mi inducesse a promuovere il romanzo, così, su due piedi, e prima che il mio giudizio fosse confermata mi ero già inoltrata nel secondo capitolo in cui bastava girare l’angolo affinché accadesse qualcosa. In breve, situazioni assurde, caotiche, snocciolate con toni sarcastici, ironici, cameristici e confidenziali in cui mi sono perennemente imbattuta nell’ombra della malasorte, ombra resa più fitta dall’amara esperienza. Ritrovare il controllo di me stessa è stato davvero difficile, che potei distogliermi e distaccarmi da questo mondo soltanto quando giunsi all’epilogo dei tre volumi, rendendomi conto di aver divorato cinquecento pagine nel giro di due giorni. La colpa però non è interamente mia, dico fra me e me; mi piacerebbe scrivere sia stato così, ma non posso addossarmela al 100%. Per quanto ne sapevo, poteva essere stato il suo autore, o Jack o i suoi amici scalpellati… chi poteva dirlo?! Ogni speranza di rivalsa era relegata in un angolo, in un paradiso mancato che disgraziatamente Jack e i suoi amici non raggiungeranno mai, ma sapendo che le cose avrebbero perseguito questa strada ho accolto il tutto con un forte senso d’incombenza in cui la natura minacciosa dell’uomo gravava sulla mia coscienza. Nulla era lasciato al caso ma privo di alcun fondamento, alcun assetto logico, in un carosello di avventure che sostanzialmente non conducono da nessuna parte ma tentano di vagliare l’impossibile. Alla fine, si accetta il tutto trovandosi a vivere certe esperienze, sulla nostra pelle, come fossero vere, ma col grigiore di casi irrisolti e destabilizzanti che non lasciano spazio alla felicità, alla comprensione. Forse un buon modo affinchè lettore e scrittore fossero sempre più vicini.
Mentre restavo nella mia postazione preferita a divorare le pagine, pensavo che se avevo deciso di leggere questa saga era perché il suo stare nel mondo è qualcosa di avvincente, potente, inspiegabile, che la discosta da altri romanzi che ci sono per adesso in circolazione. Mentre ripongo queste poche righe, sento che nessuno avrebbe potuto narrare scene intrise di violenza, volgarità, che a me non hanno disturbato, come John Lansdale. Piuttosto invogliato nella lettura, specialmente nel momento in cui l'autore inserì un personaggio davvero oscuro, che era rimasto nascosto per un volume intero. Riesco ancora a vedere me stessa nell'atto di precipitarmi subito dinanzi al fatiscente palazzo del Drive in, davanti a un blocco intatto di carta e con in mano la penna stilografica. Riesco ancora a immaginare, a sentire, l'odore nauseante di corpi insanguinati e recisi, tanfo e zolfo, sentimenti come la paura, il dolore smorzarsi come un suono attutito. Potevo ricordare altro, ma è stato praticamente il temperamento dei protagonisti ad 'eccitarmi'. Da questo punto di vista, io e Jack abbiamo molto in comune. Non temiamo niente. Ne il passato, ne il futuro, e combattiamo affinché l'ultima goccia di sangue resterà intatta nel nostro corpo. Non propriamente un personaggio buono e angelico, ma nemmeno così malvagio come credevo. Ora che non occorre più parlare di normalità. Moralità. È stato sufficiente mostrare una certa diversità, un certo temperamento, per distanziarsi dalla massa. Spiccare fra gruppi di sangue e ossa con l'idea della presenza di un’entità superiore che vuole sopraffare ogni cosa. Bisogna essere davvero bravi per entrare così bene nella mia testa e dimostrare come ogni cosa, anche la più piccola, avesse enorme valore. Ecco l'unica spiegazione del tanto successo di queste pagine.
Tre libri più avanti la mia tesi che quella di Drive in è una saga validissima, originale e avvincente ha trovato la propria strada attraversando l'intera storia partendo da ricordi, nozioni del passato che affondano le proprie radici nel suo spazio temporale, per passare all'azione drammatica del crudele omicidio di amici, conoscenti, per poi approdare in un realismo non del tutto psicologico ma scoperto grazie ai continui interventi dell'autore, nei diversi momenti della narrazione. L’essere coraggiosi e forti, nettamente in contrasto con valori adolescenziali sempliciotti e banali, e come ogni genitore tormentato da un figlio discolo e testardo esordí nel mio personalissimo mondo con la struttura di una dimensione che contiene tanti di quegli elementi da cui è davvero impossibile non farsi trascinare.
La lettura di questi romanzi ha ridimensionato ogni cosa. Il mio approccio con la letteratura splutter e soprattutto con un autore come Lansdale la cui conoscenza è infinita, illimitata e indefinita, senza avere alcuna via d'uscita.
Il manto dell'oscurità, la vendetta, la malvagità, il sapore agre della storia, la solitudine immensa nei cuori dei protagonisti hanno alimentato il mio spirito riservandogli un particolare interesse a queste cinquecento pagine. Quello che ho vissuto, la concezione dell'autore di rendere adolescenti splendidamente folli, mi ha permesso di immergermi con più forza nel mondo costruito dall’autore con solennità e una certa maturità che mi hanno letteralmente folgorato. Non credo dunque sia stato tanto difficile immaginare quanto sia stato immane il piacere di leggere questi romanzi o scrutare l'anima di ogni personaggio costringendomi ad imboccare una strada da cui non ho potuto vedere nell'immediato la luce.
Una tipologia di romanzo a cui è stato davvero impossibile non decantarne le bellezze dall'inizio alla fine, allottandomi dell'abisso del nulla ma conducendomi in una specie di tunnel che solo l'epilogo ci darà qualche spiegazione – anche se non completamente. La ricerca della verità, della libertà, l'atto di sradicare le proprie radici affinché si possa scoprire il mondo contorto in cui si è costretti a vivere, inietta nel sangue il veleno di un’ossessione feroce, potente, in un caleidoscopio di epoche e spazi temporali che mi hanno affascinata sin dall'inizio. Tela moderna, divertente, intrigante e coinvolgente il cui fervore non ha smesso di esistere nemmeno per un secondo. Accompagnata da un’avventura splendida che ha oramai non solo un battito ma una sua importanza.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the uninitiated, Joe R Lansdale is an original in modern fiction. Most known for his early works in the horror genre, but he's also equally revered for his short stories, westerns, mainstream and mystery thrillers, such as his Hap and Leonard series, graphic novels, and even YA. He even created his own form of martial arts. Prolific would be an understatement.

THE DRIVE IN, which also spawned two sequels, is about a group of teenagers who decide to spend Friday night at The Orbit, to take in the all night horror marathon. But then a mysterious comet comes rocketing down at them from the night sky...and things take a decidedly bizarre turn. More bizarro than real horror, but Lansdale cleverly weaves in equal amounts of blood and gore along with subtle social commentary in his trademark wry wit and humor.

Highly recommended!

[Berengaria · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a big fan of the Hap & Leonard series, I was excited to read something else by Lansdale. While this novel (and the 2 following) has the same highly engaging writing style, violence, depravity and underlying moral/ethical message we know from the author, it just went off the rails. The normally so well-handled violence simply got "teenage boy" gross towards the end, which diluted the message of 'humans a horror show' for me. I finished the novel, but was greatly disappointed.

My edition includes a forward by Lansdale saying he was not happy with The Drive-In when he wrote it. It was based on a dream he had and his publisher encouraged him to write it down in novel form. It was only after a number of people (writers) told him how influential The Drive-In was in their own writing that he began to accept the piece, and now thinks it's pretty good.

[Craig DiLouie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In THE DRIVE-IN by Joe Lansdale, a group of teenagers excitedly pulls into the Orbit, a giant multi-screen drive-in with multiple horror features on six giant screens. Soon after the movies start, however, a comet descends, shrouding the drive-in in a lethal darkness and trapping thousands of people. While the movies keep rolling night and day to provide light, and the concession stand starts to run out of soda and candy and popcorn, the inhabitants begin to starve, slowly devolving into savagery and cannibalism. Lansdale spins his classic tale in a tongue and cheek style, giving the bizarre violence a sense of fun. It’s a fast, fun read.

[Shawn Deal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly sick and twisted. What if the world came to an end and aliens took over and you were stuck at drive in theatre! Only from the mind of Joe Lansdale does this short apocalypse book come about. This is not for the faint of heart. Have the stomach as well as gag reflex ready for this one. This is one really weird, wild and violent ride.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

This comic book gave me a strange feeling, in part because the artwork is horrible to look at, and in part because all the text gets muddled about in those busy drawings. Interesting for two reasons, Popcorn King & what becomes of the Christians. Silly.

[Corky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best horror story I've ever read. Even if horror is not your thing (its not mine) it is still worth reading.

[Chriskolak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite possibly the most bizarre Lansdale book out there, and that's saying ALOT.

[Crossett Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really sick and disturbing graphic novel, about a drive-in that experiences an apocalyptic event. Very disturbing!

[Cat Rambo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing, gonzo, crazy book.

[Ruth Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the beginning. Great writing, great characters and quite a few laugh out loud moments.

But, lost me at the King of Popcorn!

[Craig Childs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four teenagers are trapped in Texas' largest drive-in movie theater and terrorized by a monster known as the Popcorn King. As the food begins to run out, this makeshift society gradually descends into anarchy and cannibalism.

This is a review of the 4-issue limited comic series from Avatar Press in 2003. The series adapts Joe R. Lansdale's cult classic novel of the same name. On this project, Lansdale is assigned a "Story" credit and Christopher Golden is credited with "Sequential Adaptation". I think this means Golden wrote the script, probably with consulting notes from Lansdale. (Writing credits on comic adaptations always seem needlessly vague to me.)

The black and white interior art is provided Andres Guinaldo. It was also republished as a trade paperback.

The Drive-In is one of my favorite Lansdale stories. It's chock full of B-movie fun--monsters, aliens, cannibals, blood and gore, gratuitous sex and violence, even large-scale crucifixions.

This graphic novel adaptation is very faithful to the novel with some passages taken verbatim from the page.

I was disappointed in the artwork. Andres Guinaldo, who has also adapted Lansdale short stories "The Pit" and "The Night They Missed the Horror Show", seems to have an extreme aversion to white space in his panels. He clutters every expansive surface (walls, skin, sky, etc.) with squiggles and lines. The art looks dirty and cluttered.

This effect also makes action panels confusing. For example, the most memorable scene where the smiling comet flies over the drive-in is ruined because you can barely distinguish the mouth of the comet from the surrounding stars.

The drawing of the Popcorn King also does not match the prose description at the beginning of the third issue. The bottom head is not supposed to have eyes, and the top head should only have one eye in the center of the forehead.

Overall, it was fun to revisit this story after many years, but it deserved a better artistic rendering.

[Gian Spadone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic bizarro horror novel that has a truly unique apocalyptic setting. As a result of an apocalyptic event a group of friends become trapped at their local Drive In movie theater. No one can escape and over time through the lens of the main character you observe the complete breakdown of society. It starts with minor violence which expands to debauchery followed by extreme violence and then degenerates into cannibalism with the complete and total breakdown of their society.

Lansdale’s 1980s novel examines the thin veneer that separates civilization from complete chaos. Its a rollicking fast paced read which conjures up some truly stomach churning images yet is thought provoking in the philosophical questions it raises about our concepts of society.

All hail the Popcorn King

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joe Landsdale's short stories are great. I decided to read this story as well. It has 4 parts. The first part was wonderful. Reading it was like watching a fantastic B Movie horror flick. There were parts that made me laugh out loud because of the absurdness of the situation. Unfortunately, each subsequent part grew more and more ridiculous until I didn't know what I was reading. It's a bummer because Landsdale really has a great knack for writing. He can definitely put the humor in horror, but the add-ons to the original story were so ludicrous that I just didn't enjoy them anymore.

[Dennis Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic book from Joe Lansdale. Read a short story from Joe from a collection of stories, liked the writing and decided to see what else he was serving up. The cover and subject matter intrigued me enough to give a go. And it was in short, a wild ride, with laugh out loud moments, lots of weirdness, and unexpected twists. I would recommend this book if you want to have entertaining read. Drive-in's will never be the same. Fun read.

[Phil · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 25, Started out as an interesting coming of age, with a slice 50’s-60’s American social history. The story devolves into a quasi comic tale with doses of violence, dystopia and horror. I was expecting a more campy fun story and it felt serious. I didn’t stick around for the ending. The whole story just seemed like a huge joke.

[Erik Prime · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mysterious aliens take over a Texas drive-in movie theater with horrific results. The gory, gruesome tale reads like a blood-drenched pulp fiction novel. Cannibalism, mutilations, and scatological descriptions come fast and furious, leading to an ambiguous, open-ended conclusion. This dark and dirty novel is not for everyone.