Horror Of Collier County

by Rich Tommaso

Everyone knows that the state of Florida can be a pretty scary place -- swamps, alligators, bugs the size of small cars, zombies ... zombies?! Escaping the stresses of city life, a young single mom visits her own mother in the hurricane state, only to find more tension -- and of a seriously freakish nature. Writer/artist Rich Tommaso has an inviting, clear-line style and a knack for blending the creepiness of everyday existence with the surreal feel of a `50s creature feature. With a weed-whacker for a weapon and the world against her, this punk-rock mommy will take down every zombie in the state of Florida, if need be. Is Florida really haunted by the undead? Or is it just the recent presidential election that makes it seem so?!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Horror, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

144 pages, Paperback

First published September 18, 2001

About the author

Rich Tommaso is an American comic book artist.

He studied comics at the Joe Kubert Art School, but dropped out after the end of his first year.

He then spent many years making pizza while working on his art projects.

His first comic book was published in 1997 by Fantagraphics, and he subsequently produced numerous works published by Dark Horse.

Reviews

[Sam Quixote · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve tried to read Rich Tommaso’s comics many times – the art is appealing, the concepts intriguing – and yet I’ve failed each time. This time though I made myself read the whole book to find out whether he just started badly and got better or whether he was simply another bad writer who could draw. You’ve seen my rating – it’s the latter!

A single mom visits her mother in Florida and finds that the neighbours are a queer bunch. Is she losing her mind or are they really out to get her?

The premise is compelling – weird neighbours, night stalker, new oddball friend – but Tommaso barely takes it anywhere. I was hooked and curious to see how it would play out – especially as I’m a sucker for horror – but what a let-down. The protagonist freaks out and… that’s it?

The bonus stories make the main story more understandable she’s a vampire and her missing husband is Dracula but there’s literally nothing in the main story to suggest anything like that reveal. The schlocky bonus stories also undermine the creepier existential dread of the main story, rendering it cheesy and dumb – Goosebumps-level storytelling.

I really like Tommaso’s Herge-esque art and it by turns reminded me of some of my favourite indie creators like Dan Clowes, Richard Sala, Charles Burns, Gilbert Hernandez, Peter Bagge and David Hine – it’s just a shame he’s nowhere near as good a writer as any of them!

Despite fine art, the writing and storytelling is inescapably bad - The Horror of Collier County is a horribly boring comic.

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

A neurotic, hipster, single mom visits her mom in Florida where she feels like the neighbors are out to get her. Overall nothing of real consequence happens. It has that Daniel Clowes or Gilbert Hernandez vibe to it, only not as interesting. I was much more interested in the two backup stories that were included where the same woman's ex-husband is Dracula and she's some kind of demon. Those were the off the rails kind of madness I enjoy. Too bad they weren't the main focus of the story. The art had that Hernandez brothers, indie comic vibe to it. Although Tommaso needs to learn to draw his characters in side profile. Their faces are still looking forward even as their heads are partially turned. It's really off putting.

Received a review copy from Dark Horse and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sympathische Indie-Horror-Story, die ich irgendwo zwischen Sala und Burns verorten würde. Junge alleinerziehende Mutter kehrt nach dem Tod ihres Mannes von New York nach Florida zurück, wo ihre Mutter lebt. Dort benehmen sich die Nachbarn äußerst merkwürdig, und Paranoia heißt bekanntlich nicht, dass man nicht verfolgt wird...
Ich hätte mir plotmässig etwas mehr Substanz gewünscht, aber dann wäre es eine andere Art des Erzählens und der spezifische Charm wäre vermutlich auf der Strecke geblieben.
Aufgerundet 4 Sterne.

[Paulina · Rating 1 out of 5]

What the heck did I just read? That was a trip.

[Zack! Empire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this as much as some of Rich's other works. It does have that same dream like logic to it, that She-Wolf did, but it's even more muddled here. You can tell this was early in Rich's artistic development. The artwork almost seems like a strange mix of Clowes and Andi Watson. The part I actually enjoyed the most was the Dracula Divorce comic at the end! That seems like a great idea for a series, especially if Rich was doing it!

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would have resonated with me more if it felt like a complete story. As it is, much of the plot feels like a setup for a bigger story. Fran never completely understands what is happening. Did her neighbors follow her around town? Did they storm her [mother’s] house and try to kill her? Maybe she is just suffering from paranoia and is hallucinating from a codeine overdose.

Many things are implied, but never paid out. But this is offset by great characters and fantastic art. The main story is obviously channeling Herge. But later stores are styled and colored a little differently. They feel a bit more like David B.

I guess I need to read more from Tommaso in hopes that I might glimpse some of these characters again.

[Cale · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not for me.
The art style is distinctive and interesting, but that's the only thing that kept me reading. I'm not a fan of stories where everything can be explained away by mental illness, and there are numerous holes and plot pieces that go nowhere in the main story that it was a chore to finish. The two shorts also included I managed to like even less. There's something about the matter-of-factness of the use of Dracula, werewolves and the undead that just rubbed me the wrong way.
I'm sure this will really speak to some people. But it definitely isn't my cup of tea.

[Chase Coe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lmao I don’t know. It really felt like there wasn’t a plot to the main story? I mean, there obviously was, but it was so inconsequential.

I was getting more and more stoned as I was reading, though, so by the end I was having a great time.

The two back up stories were actually hilarious and complete madness: the MC of the main story’s ex-husband is actually Dracula and the MC is also some kind of demon. And naturally, they duke it out. Amazing.

[Malcolm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well drawn and mildly interesting as a story about a spiky-haired young mom who considers a refrigerator filled with all manner of food "nothing to eat" and goes out for donuts and a fudgicle for breakfast. But with our plucky mom revealed as the bride of Dracula, it became stupid and banal.

[Harry Jahnke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly unusual and very enjoyable. Reminds me of My Favorite Thing is Monsters in the best way. Would highly recommend to all the freaks and outcasts I know.

[Tracey Clevenger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this from the library due to the title. I used to live in Collier County and thought it might be interesting. It was good. Entertaining.

[David Kiersh]

A lot of fun. Nice to see this in color and with the additional stories that tie several of Tommaso's pieces together. Excellent!

[Jye · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the main story but the two back up short stories added in to this collection were far too out there.

[Simon Sweetman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this. Great artwork. Very weird, funny, cult, rather Clowes-esque I thought. A good easy read also. Dig.

[Jake Nap · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Lots of fun. I like this Rich Tommaso more than the one in Dry County.

[Joshua Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last segment really went off the rails but the main story was great

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

good art, mediocre story

[kubelot · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5*

[HeavyReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel reminded me A LOT of the Palomar stories from Love & Rockets by Gilbert Hernandez.

Like the Palomar Stories, this graphic novel has an unreal, dreamlike, even nightmarish quality. Things happen that couldn't quite be real. But do those things really happen, or are they just in the main character's head? Hard to tell, but in either case, creepy.

The art is much like Gilbert Hernandez's too. Everyone but the main character and her young daughter look just a little...off.

Creepy Creepy Creepy

but good.

I like this one a lot.

[Craig · Rating 2 out of 5]

Better than 8 1/2 Ghosts, because this longer story allows for development of the characters. But still disappointing that it all boils down to "neurotic hipster bitch can't handle small-town, suburban life." I guess the suburbs are still scary to some people, but get into those horrors as opposed to making the lead character seem like someone who is still concerned about the coolness of her music collection or the cache of living in New York.

[Sonic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine the normal as weird of Daniel Clowes meets the weird as normal of Charles Burns. Fun stuff.

[Mardi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting.... and very odd. It's a fun, quirky, non-sequitur of a book. Worth checking out if you're into pulpy, just, super head scratching stories. Lol