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Sink #1
Sink: Welcome to Glasgow
A forgotten East End district of a warped funhouse mirror vision of Glasgow, Scotland, Sinkhill is a hive of crooks, deviants and killers, and ordinary folk unfortunate enough to live among them.
163 pages, Paperback
Published July 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 11, 2022
John Lees and Alex Cormack may be my favorite new creative team working in comics nowadays, as they deliver another top-notch horror comic that is probably even better than the already incredible series that made me fall in love with this team in the first place, Crimson Cage. I even liked this more than Lees other wonderful horror anthology, Hotell.
This is a 5 issue anthology with 5 separate stories that detail what happens to the people who venture into a forgotten East End district in Glasgow called Sinkhill, where killer clowns prowl the streets in a blue van, a gang of condom-wearing weirdos terrorize the residents, and a shovel-wielding vigilante in a fox mask serves brutal justice after dark.
Now everything I just listed there is goofy and schlocky as fuck and should not work in a grimey horror setting like Sinkhill, but Lees and Cormack somehow makes them not only work in this world they’ve crafted, but feel genuinely believable & horrifying. The world building in these first 5 issues is effective, and all of Lees characters are believable, realistic, and even sympathetic to some degree.
Cormack’s art also helps to bring so much humanity out of every single character we follow in here, and you just can’t help but hope for these people to get out of these horrible situations they are put in. I can see some being bothered by how much blood spatter he uses at points, but I fucking love it. I also mentioned it in my Crimson Cage review, but the way he draws eyes adds so much believability to these characters as well. Cormack draws eyes like no one else in the business.
I also usually don’t do this, but the trade came with a link to download a soundtrack for each issue while you read, as well as over 7 hours in commentary by the creators, and I highly recommend all of it. I would link it, but you can just find it, along with PDFS for both volumes, on Comixtribe’s website if you really want to. I get why some don’t want to read books like this, but it definitely enhanced my experience and I’m thrilled the team has done one for Vol 2. too.
The Vol 1. trade comes with the first 5 issues of the main series, as well as 5 bonus stories, each about a page in length. Well, except for one short that is just a 5 page prose by Lees that’s also accompanied by a pinup by Alex Cormack. Even though the main 5 issues are all incredible, I found the best to be “Head Full of Wasps” and “White Dog”. “Da’s Home” and “Till” were my favorites of the shorts, with the former being a role reversal between the main creative team, while the latter is the aforementioned short prose by Lees.
Individual reviews and a TLDR can be found below:
“Blue Van Country” ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
”The Door At The End” ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
“A Head Full of Wasps” ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
“Young Team” ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
“White Dog” ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
“Baths” by John Lees and Jules Rivera ☆ ☆ ☆
“Da’s Home” written by Alex Cormack and drawn by John Lees ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
“Breadcrumbs” by John Lees and Andrew Jerz ☆ ☆ ☆
“Till” - A Sink Christmas Tale ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
“Bin” by John Lees and Kelly Williams ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
TLDR; John Lees and Alex Cormack are the most slept on creative team working in comics and anyone who enjoys horror should check out the PDFs found online or buy a copy of this book ASAP. It’s fucking incredible and the best horror anthology on the market.
This is a 5 issue anthology with 5 separate stories that detail what happens to the people who venture into a forgotten East End district in Glasgow called Sinkhill, where killer clowns prowl the streets in a blue van, a gang of condom-wearing weirdos terrorize the residents, and a shovel-wielding vigilante in a fox mask serves brutal justice after dark.
Now everything I just listed there is goofy and schlocky as fuck and should not work in a grimey horror setting like Sinkhill, but Lees and Cormack somehow makes them not only work in this world they’ve crafted, but feel genuinely believable & horrifying. The world building in these first 5 issues is effective, and all of Lees characters are believable, realistic, and even sympathetic to some degree.
Cormack’s art also helps to bring so much humanity out of every single character we follow in here, and you just can’t help but hope for these people to get out of these horrible situations they are put in. I can see some being bothered by how much blood spatter he uses at points, but I fucking love it. I also mentioned it in my Crimson Cage review, but the way he draws eyes adds so much believability to these characters as well. Cormack draws eyes like no one else in the business.
I also usually don’t do this, but the trade came with a link to download a soundtrack for each issue while you read, as well as over 7 hours in commentary by the creators, and I highly recommend all of it. I would link it, but you can just find it, along with PDFS for both volumes, on Comixtribe’s website if you really want to. I get why some don’t want to read books like this, but it definitely enhanced my experience and I’m thrilled the team has done one for Vol 2. too.
The Vol 1. trade comes with the first 5 issues of the main series, as well as 5 bonus stories, each about a page in length. Well, except for one short that is just a 5 page prose by Lees that’s also accompanied by a pinup by Alex Cormack. Even though the main 5 issues are all incredible, I found the best to be “Head Full of Wasps” and “White Dog”. “Da’s Home” and “Till” were my favorites of the shorts, with the former being a role reversal between the main creative team, while the latter is the aforementioned short prose by Lees.
Individual reviews and a TLDR can be found below:
“Blue Van Country” ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
”The Door At The End” ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
“A Head Full of Wasps” ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
“Young Team” ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
“White Dog” ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
“Baths” by John Lees and Jules Rivera ☆ ☆ ☆
“Da’s Home” written by Alex Cormack and drawn by John Lees ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
“Breadcrumbs” by John Lees and Andrew Jerz ☆ ☆ ☆
“Till” - A Sink Christmas Tale ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
“Bin” by John Lees and Kelly Williams ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
TLDR; John Lees and Alex Cormack are the most slept on creative team working in comics and anyone who enjoys horror should check out the PDFs found online or buy a copy of this book ASAP. It’s fucking incredible and the best horror anthology on the market.
June 14, 2025
Gory, violent, and disturbing! 🤡
December 3, 2018
Whoa! Talk about knocking it out of the park. I was pretty excited to check this one out after my friend kept telling me about it but I was so blown away when I finished this one. You guys want a great horror comic? Look no further!
So what is Sink? Well, it's 5 different issues that all have their own tale to tell. It's actually pretty great because they somewhat connect in different ways, all leading back to Glasgow, but very different stories as they go. The first story introduces you to the mean streets but also Mr. Dig, the mascot of the series. You might notice him since he has a big Fox head, which is just magical by the way. Then the next story is about a cleaner who takes care of dead bodies with a super interesting twist by the end. Issue 3 focuses on a Trans character heading back into her old life but will it work out in her favor? Issue 4 deals with 4 kids wanting to get revenge for their missing friends and beating the shit out of the "Clowns" who basically psychos running around hurting and killing people. Last issue is about a girl losing her dog but then decides to go the Kingpin and...well some interesting things happen.
Good: Holy smokes issue 4. I can't say enough good things about it. I loved this issue so much it might go down as my favorite single issue of the year. It's epic, it's chilling, it gets you scared, yet it makes you cheer at times. It also begins to connect the dots to other characters. Issue 2 is also amazing in a depressing way. The ending is tragic but in a surprise way. I really enjoyed the remaining 3 issues as they all go for brutal horror to more tension filled horror. It balances it really well. To top this all off the art is wonderful and it gives the series dark/gritty feel it needs.
Bad: Honestly nothing.
This is easily one of my favorite comics of the year. John Lee has a knack for creating believable characters that you get attached to very quickly yet still give you chills and dark moments throughout. Sink is one you should be checking out! A 5 out of 5.
So what is Sink? Well, it's 5 different issues that all have their own tale to tell. It's actually pretty great because they somewhat connect in different ways, all leading back to Glasgow, but very different stories as they go. The first story introduces you to the mean streets but also Mr. Dig, the mascot of the series. You might notice him since he has a big Fox head, which is just magical by the way. Then the next story is about a cleaner who takes care of dead bodies with a super interesting twist by the end. Issue 3 focuses on a Trans character heading back into her old life but will it work out in her favor? Issue 4 deals with 4 kids wanting to get revenge for their missing friends and beating the shit out of the "Clowns" who basically psychos running around hurting and killing people. Last issue is about a girl losing her dog but then decides to go the Kingpin and...well some interesting things happen.
Good: Holy smokes issue 4. I can't say enough good things about it. I loved this issue so much it might go down as my favorite single issue of the year. It's epic, it's chilling, it gets you scared, yet it makes you cheer at times. It also begins to connect the dots to other characters. Issue 2 is also amazing in a depressing way. The ending is tragic but in a surprise way. I really enjoyed the remaining 3 issues as they all go for brutal horror to more tension filled horror. It balances it really well. To top this all off the art is wonderful and it gives the series dark/gritty feel it needs.
Bad: Honestly nothing.
This is easily one of my favorite comics of the year. John Lee has a knack for creating believable characters that you get attached to very quickly yet still give you chills and dark moments throughout. Sink is one you should be checking out! A 5 out of 5.
October 13, 2022
What a crazy, deranged, bloody and brutal book. The stories in here are all centered around a rundown part of Glasgow, Scotland called Sinkhill. There’s foul stuff going on in this neighborhood. You have crew members of a knife toting gang roaming around at night terrorizing people. You have a blue van with these clowns geeked up on some kind of drugs laughing and snatching people up. You have a kingpin crime lord that everybody fears. You have a Broad street brawler that’s been known for years around town as someone you don’t mess with. You have a vigilante in a Fox mask beating the hell out people and even some of the school kids are are on one as we see a group of them get the bright idea to try and find this blue van to kill these clowns. Each issue follows one of these scenarios feeling like a stand alone story while still having the town as the connective tissue. Kind of similar how Astro City by Kurt Busiek was done. Pretty crazy read fitting for October.
January 2, 2020
I wish I would have gotten on this series earlier. These stories are fantastically brutal, the characters are fleshed out, and the way things tie together in some stories isn't overdone. I hope they get to the next set soon!
May 12, 2019
Nothing really stood out to me of this graphic novel. It's definitely a horror and it shows it in every possible detail, but the world building lacked, in my opinion. Everything happens really fast so you don't have enough time to understand how this gruesome part of Glasgow works. I still don't get which role the clowns have in all of it. Plus, what all the stories are trying to convey is still unknown to me.
The art style wasn't bad but sometimes it was hard to follow, especially when it was dark or blood was involved. I feel like the blood was a bit too much and was there mainly for a splatter effect, but it looked fake precisely because everything was covered in it.
The art style wasn't bad but sometimes it was hard to follow, especially when it was dark or blood was involved. I feel like the blood was a bit too much and was there mainly for a splatter effect, but it looked fake precisely because everything was covered in it.
April 11, 2019
This was very interesting, it was kind of like Stray Bullets mixed in with Nailbiter set in Scotland. I liked the first and third stories the best. The rest were all pretty cool though i do have some spoilery issues
June 4, 2021
Absolute horror masterpiece!
Both grotesque and intelligent, each chapter of this is a delight to read and retch over.
Both grotesque and intelligent, each chapter of this is a delight to read and retch over.
December 31, 2020
4.5 stars
I don't know if I can say I enjoyed the book but it does contain some of the better crime horror stories that I've read in a while. Each story manages to build up the world of Sink without ever really weighing it down with unnecessary exposition. It goes all in on it's premise from the get go, spooky shit and criminals run rampant in a forgotten part of Scotland. Whether its a roaming gang, Batman with a fox head, or nightmare clowns are all common place.
The story telling is spot on. It manages to balance a fair bit of characterization while simultaneously building a world and telling a story. Which is impressive given that aside from a few strands that travel through each story; the issues are self contained. You see characters again but not with the same weight as before. It all meshes impressively together and sucks you in despite the grime.
I commend Cormack for how well the action flows and how expressive the characters are. I appreciated the details such as one characters scarred up hands that make characters unique even when they aren't outlandish. He also manages to create violence that while bloody isn't graphic. There's one instance that I'll detail below that I could have lived without but that's impressive given the subject matter.
My only complaints are that the story is a bit clunky in places and the humor doesn't always quite land.
Here are a few thoughts on each issue:
Issue 1 "Blue Van Country": A well done first issue. You're introduced to Sink and what it's all about. A dude wanders into this nightmare world and gets a hard lesson. There are killer vampire clowns in blue vans and death busses around every corner. I appreciated how it's basically what if all the urban legends you grew up with are true? Plus a gang of dudes called the Dickheads who wear condoms on their heads.
Issue 2 "The Door at the End": I think this was easily the strongest of the first volume. It's about Sharon, a "cleaner", disposing of a body that isn't quite dead. Everything about this issue is superb. There's emotional weight as we follow Sharon on this task and we explore what makes her up. It introduces some themes that are present throughout the rest of the stories, such as everything sinks in Sink. There is also an absolute stunning panel that uses lighting and darkness so well I was astounded. It also speaks volumes for how well the first issue sets up the world that swerve at the end is possible.
Issue 3 "A Headful of Wasps": A not so typical take on the Westerns trope of old man goes off on last hurrah. Parts of this worked really well, like how main character moved on from their anger. Spoilers here but the main character is Florence, who used to be the toughest man in Sink but is now retired from that life. I applaud them for having a trans main character but I'm not sure how well it's handled.
Issue 4 "Young Team": A group of children go hunting for the clowns in the blue van when one of their classmates go missing. As with most of the stories here it goes in a direction I did not expect. The theme of parents failing their children goes well with the previously mentioned everything sinks theme. My only issue is that it gets laid on pretty heavy handed at one point and sort of brings down how effective it is. The ending is also grim as fuck.
Issue 5 "White Dog": A trigger warning is required for violence against animals. A dog goes missing and it's owner goes looking for them. It turned out to be worse than I expected. The story tries to show shades of gray in the world of Sink but it's undermined by a particular graphic scene of an outcome from a dog fighting ring.
I don't know if I can say I enjoyed the book but it does contain some of the better crime horror stories that I've read in a while. Each story manages to build up the world of Sink without ever really weighing it down with unnecessary exposition. It goes all in on it's premise from the get go, spooky shit and criminals run rampant in a forgotten part of Scotland. Whether its a roaming gang, Batman with a fox head, or nightmare clowns are all common place.
The story telling is spot on. It manages to balance a fair bit of characterization while simultaneously building a world and telling a story. Which is impressive given that aside from a few strands that travel through each story; the issues are self contained. You see characters again but not with the same weight as before. It all meshes impressively together and sucks you in despite the grime.
I commend Cormack for how well the action flows and how expressive the characters are. I appreciated the details such as one characters scarred up hands that make characters unique even when they aren't outlandish. He also manages to create violence that while bloody isn't graphic. There's one instance that I'll detail below that I could have lived without but that's impressive given the subject matter.
My only complaints are that the story is a bit clunky in places and the humor doesn't always quite land.
Here are a few thoughts on each issue:
Issue 1 "Blue Van Country": A well done first issue. You're introduced to Sink and what it's all about. A dude wanders into this nightmare world and gets a hard lesson. There are killer vampire clowns in blue vans and death busses around every corner. I appreciated how it's basically what if all the urban legends you grew up with are true? Plus a gang of dudes called the Dickheads who wear condoms on their heads.
Issue 2 "The Door at the End": I think this was easily the strongest of the first volume. It's about Sharon, a "cleaner", disposing of a body that isn't quite dead. Everything about this issue is superb. There's emotional weight as we follow Sharon on this task and we explore what makes her up. It introduces some themes that are present throughout the rest of the stories, such as everything sinks in Sink. There is also an absolute stunning panel that uses lighting and darkness so well I was astounded. It also speaks volumes for how well the first issue sets up the world that swerve at the end is possible.
Issue 3 "A Headful of Wasps": A not so typical take on the Westerns trope of old man goes off on last hurrah. Parts of this worked really well, like how main character moved on from their anger. Spoilers here but the main character is Florence, who used to be the toughest man in Sink but is now retired from that life. I applaud them for having a trans main character but I'm not sure how well it's handled.
Issue 4 "Young Team": A group of children go hunting for the clowns in the blue van when one of their classmates go missing. As with most of the stories here it goes in a direction I did not expect. The theme of parents failing their children goes well with the previously mentioned everything sinks theme. My only issue is that it gets laid on pretty heavy handed at one point and sort of brings down how effective it is. The ending is also grim as fuck.
Issue 5 "White Dog": A trigger warning is required for violence against animals. A dog goes missing and it's owner goes looking for them. It turned out to be worse than I expected. The story tries to show shades of gray in the world of Sink but it's undermined by a particular graphic scene of an outcome from a dog fighting ring.
June 17, 2021
Damn, horror stories sure don't have a lot to them, do they? It's all about the shock factor. Usually the named characters don't make it by the end. Very little effort is put into creating character relationships, good dialogue, a plot. It's all down to the gallons of blood, the melee weapons (no guns are allowed) and the terror in the character's eyes. Normal, everyday people are put in monstrously unsurvivable scenarios, proving once again that modern man often has no survival skills. Not all of these stories are horror, though. The town of Sinkhill is their only common element, though there are also some recurring characters. There doesn't seem to be an overarching story, so the reader is left with finding some entertainment from each mostly standalone chapter.
August 2, 2020
I’d been intrigued by SINK since the comics were flying out at my job. Finally managed to snag volume 1 and I kick myself for waiting for so long! The anthology style of the story was unexpected but very welcomed. It’s an excellent mix of horror gore, horror atmosphere and oddly hope. The setting is King here and used so perfectly throughout.
Issue 1 sees a yuppy claiming a sense of worth and self through lies and how the folk of Sinkhill do not appreciate pretenders and the events that will unfold on them.
Issue 2 is a tale that sort of defies the genre you expect it to sit in and is a tale that’s both horrific but quite sad.
Issue 3 tackles issues of identity and the ways in which we will go to escape our pasts, but it’s never that simple.
Issue 4 sets up the future for the youth of Sinkhill and the paths they’ll take.
Issue 5 shows the grit and determination of the people in Sinkhill and how fortune might favour the brave but it ultimately punishes them too.
Then there’s the clowns. The blue van. The clowns in the blue van.
Roll on book 2!
Issue 1 sees a yuppy claiming a sense of worth and self through lies and how the folk of Sinkhill do not appreciate pretenders and the events that will unfold on them.
Issue 2 is a tale that sort of defies the genre you expect it to sit in and is a tale that’s both horrific but quite sad.
Issue 3 tackles issues of identity and the ways in which we will go to escape our pasts, but it’s never that simple.
Issue 4 sets up the future for the youth of Sinkhill and the paths they’ll take.
Issue 5 shows the grit and determination of the people in Sinkhill and how fortune might favour the brave but it ultimately punishes them too.
Then there’s the clowns. The blue van. The clowns in the blue van.
Roll on book 2!
March 2, 2024
This is not a happy comic. The world of Sinkhill, a fictional neighborhood in Glasgow, is a dark place where the dangerous and the mad stalk the streets and live out their often brief, unhappy lives. These include terrifying clowns in a blue van who kidnap people off the streets (apparently based on a Scottish urban legend). Not everyone is a bad guy though. I loved the fox masked vigilante Mr. Dig and Florence, a badass transgender woman who returns to Sinkhill to settle some scores. Meanwhile, in the last issue in this volume, we find out the neighborhood's big bad is a little more morally ambiguous than we might believe. Warning to animal lovers though, this segment features dog death. I had a hard time reading it, but if you can stomach it, it's still worth reading.
This was easily a five star read for me. I can't wait to dig in to the next volume.
This was easily a five star read for me. I can't wait to dig in to the next volume.
May 9, 2020
I checked this out when a friend of a friend recommended to me after they discovered my appreciation for graphic novels and comics. I was talking to them about Criminal and Gideon Falls, and as soon as I mentioned those they said I needed to check out Sink. I had no clue what I was in for, so I went with an open mind and just took the ride. NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING AT ALL! It blends horror and crime incredibly well, but do agree with some comments that I wish we spent a little more time in the world or with our main character exploring the world before we get into it. I don’t need an extra 30 pages but 5 kind of prepping me that I am in for a wild ride. However, even without them I still went on the ride and it was absolutely insane. I’ll be checking out the rest.
February 5, 2020
Comic book collection, five stand alone but interlinked tales of life in an east end Glasgow sink estate. Ultra-violence meets gangland heavies, with some fine characters created along the way. I've already ordered volume 2.
November 23, 2020
Damn.....
You ever read something that just made you want to go outside and hug a puppy and binge some cartoons to cleanse your soul? This is dark. Like REALLY dark. bad things happen. and yet i couldn’t stop reading.
You ever read something that just made you want to go outside and hug a puppy and binge some cartoons to cleanse your soul? This is dark. Like REALLY dark. bad things happen. and yet i couldn’t stop reading.
January 1, 2022
2. Sayı harikaydı.
August 10, 2018
Magical realism meets horror. This book manages to be surreal, terrifying, slightly "off" like a Hitchcock film, funny at times, and surprisingly heartfelt. Give this a shot, you won't regret it! Not recommended for those with Coulrophobia...
April 18, 2020
This is an effectively eerie and violent book showcasing the dark and disturbing side of the town of Sinkhill. It showcases how different types of people are drawn into and handle the violence they live in.
The art style fits the story perfectly. It's unsettling and unpleasant.
The art style fits the story perfectly. It's unsettling and unpleasant.
August 11, 2021
See volume two for the review
March 25, 2024
Amo estas historias de lugares con realidades trastornadas.
June 12, 2024
Sink is a surreal crime horror that holds nothing back. The amount of sheer hyper violence in this might make Tarantino blush. But it's not just a gory shock fest. The fictional neighborhood of Sinkhill feels grimy and lived in. Inhabited by a diverse cast of great characters, and nightmares around every corner. This story is filled with pitch black comedy, surprisingly heart warming redemption, and psychotic fucking clowns.
If you're ever wandering Glasgow at night, and you spot a blue van, run...
If you're ever wandering Glasgow at night, and you spot a blue van, run...
May 9, 2023
THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST HORROR COMICS!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!
It's so gritty and disturbing. The whole comic is full of the Glaswegian dialect which is such a cool aspect. I ADORE FLORENCE!!!! What a totally badass trans queen we have here! Can't wait for volume 2!
It's so gritty and disturbing. The whole comic is full of the Glaswegian dialect which is such a cool aspect. I ADORE FLORENCE!!!! What a totally badass trans queen we have here! Can't wait for volume 2!
December 31, 2018
Brutal. Fantastic art style.
September 10, 2022
Pretty sweet short story horror comic. I enjoyed every issue.
October 23, 2023
This was my first time reading something like this. That ending will haunt my nightmares! I thought it was great though. Need to read the next one. Also, is it weird to be attracted to Mr. Dig?
September 27, 2025
I absolutely adored this! This collection of interconnected short stories is an absolute must if you enjoy crime or horror comics!
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews