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Red Room #1–4
Red Room: The Antisocial Network
Aided by the anonymous dark web and nearly untraceable cryptocurrency, a criminal subculture has emerged. It livestreams murders as entertainment. Who are the killers? Who are the victims? Who is paying to watch? How to stop it? Red Room is constructed as a series of interconnected stories, shining a light on the characters who exist in the ugliest of corners in cyberspace. Piskor cuts the graphic horror with his sharp sense of humor, gorgeous cartooning, and dynamic storytelling. Red Room peels back the curtain on the side of humanity few of us knew existed, let alone understood.
Fans and followers of Piskor’s YouTube channel sensation, Cartoonist Kayfabe, have already made Red Room: The Antisocial Network one of the most eagerly anticipated and talked-about releases of 2021. It is the first in a series of graphic novels, with the second scheduled for release in Summer 2022.
Fans and followers of Piskor’s YouTube channel sensation, Cartoonist Kayfabe, have already made Red Room: The Antisocial Network one of the most eagerly anticipated and talked-about releases of 2021. It is the first in a series of graphic novels, with the second scheduled for release in Summer 2022.
160 pages, Paperback
Published November 23, 2021
31 people are currently reading
606 people want to read
About the author
Ed Piskor
84 books201 followersEd Piskor had been cartooning professionally in print form since 2005, starting off drawing American Splendor comics written by Harvey Pekar. The duo continued working together on 2 graphic novels, Macedonia, and The Beats. Ed began self publishing Wizzywig after developing a huge interest in the history of Hacking and Phone Phreaking. 3 volumes, making up 3/4 of the full story, have been published to date.
Recently Ed had designed the characters for the new Adult Swim series, Mongo Wrestling Alliance.
Recently Ed had designed the characters for the new Adult Swim series, Mongo Wrestling Alliance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
March 22, 2025
When writing about depravity, there is a high risk of succumbing to the subject matter. This seems to happen a lot in graphic novels, which often makes it hard to review them. Is the author making a commentary on depravity, or is he/she simply using the story as vehicle for their own depraved vision? It's a very fine line.
Ed Piskor's "Red Room: The Anti-Social Network" is not a pleasant read. It is not fun or entertaining. It is, simply put, disgusting and awful. I didn't like it.
That said, I understand and appreciate that Piskor may have been trying to make a commentary on the depravity of a society that has allowed too much freedom in regards to free and easy access to baseness and vice. Social media, the Internet: it has created a market for some of the most vile desires of the human heart. It has also helped in creating a kind of numbness or desensitization to depravity.
"Red Room" is reminiscent of another graphic novel series, by Garth Ennis, called "Crossed", which also tested my limits of what shocked and disgusted me. "Red Room" reached that limit, as did "Crossed", and I vow never to read another issue in the series.
I know that there are fans of extreme horror that will probably love this shit. I guess I'm finding that I'm not a fan of extreme horror.
Ed Piskor's "Red Room: The Anti-Social Network" is not a pleasant read. It is not fun or entertaining. It is, simply put, disgusting and awful. I didn't like it.
That said, I understand and appreciate that Piskor may have been trying to make a commentary on the depravity of a society that has allowed too much freedom in regards to free and easy access to baseness and vice. Social media, the Internet: it has created a market for some of the most vile desires of the human heart. It has also helped in creating a kind of numbness or desensitization to depravity.
"Red Room" is reminiscent of another graphic novel series, by Garth Ennis, called "Crossed", which also tested my limits of what shocked and disgusted me. "Red Room" reached that limit, as did "Crossed", and I vow never to read another issue in the series.
I know that there are fans of extreme horror that will probably love this shit. I guess I'm finding that I'm not a fan of extreme horror.
January 4, 2022
I never really got the appeal of torture porn horror movie franchises like Saw and Hostel, but here's one for comics. Much gore and very graphic human mutilations occur over and over again in this world of dark web snuff films. Creator Ed Piskor states repeatedly that he is much influenced by the storytelling of David Lapham's Stray Bullets, so the stories are told out of order with recurring characters stalking to the front or shuffling into the background.
The basic set-up is that there are four clandestine movie studios competing for anonymous viewers' bitcoins, trying to one-up each other with the best and most theatrical killers disfiguring and murdering the most appealing victims. There are a couple of clever little twists and tributes to EC Comics and other influences, but it's mostly all about the gore. Gore, and more gore, until it's a bore.
Not sure I would bother with future installments.
The basic set-up is that there are four clandestine movie studios competing for anonymous viewers' bitcoins, trying to one-up each other with the best and most theatrical killers disfiguring and murdering the most appealing victims. There are a couple of clever little twists and tributes to EC Comics and other influences, but it's mostly all about the gore. Gore, and more gore, until it's a bore.
Not sure I would bother with future installments.
October 8, 2022
Some great graphics in this one! It is based on snuff films found on the dark web, so you can imagine the content! Trigger warnings apply! Full of splattery gore and violence, great read for hardcore fans 😁
November 24, 2021
“I’m just looking to make you a little uneasy, to freak you out a little bit, and if I have to resort to some gross—outs to get the results I want, you’ll clearly see that I’m not above that in the very least.”
I happened to be in Forbidden Planet looking at the new releases and this one stood out to me. I mean the graphics are pretty disgusting yet you cant look away. That is exactly how I would describe very page in this graphic novel.
This volume collects four stories which overall connect in the most gross possible way. The idea is that in the dark web there exists a series of videos known as the Red Room videos. These are highly sought after as they consist of the most brutal and depraved acts carried out on people. The viewers of these videos have their favourite serial killers and tune in on specific days to see them give their best performance.
It does sound unbelievably sick and that is the best way to describe this volume. The stories do connect and create an overall image of a dark world one can only imagine exists. I love horror so this was a pretty messed up read.
The graphics are very explicit and practically every trigger warning possible applies here. With that in mind this may not be for everyone but I impose you to give it a go 😈
I happened to be in Forbidden Planet looking at the new releases and this one stood out to me. I mean the graphics are pretty disgusting yet you cant look away. That is exactly how I would describe very page in this graphic novel.
This volume collects four stories which overall connect in the most gross possible way. The idea is that in the dark web there exists a series of videos known as the Red Room videos. These are highly sought after as they consist of the most brutal and depraved acts carried out on people. The viewers of these videos have their favourite serial killers and tune in on specific days to see them give their best performance.
It does sound unbelievably sick and that is the best way to describe this volume. The stories do connect and create an overall image of a dark world one can only imagine exists. I love horror so this was a pretty messed up read.
The graphics are very explicit and practically every trigger warning possible applies here. With that in mind this may not be for everyone but I impose you to give it a go 😈
December 15, 2021
Didn't fulfil expectations, at all !
Although very apologetic in his introduction, Ed Piskor doesn't take any risks anywhere.
Not daringly bold nor fearlessly mind-crushing as advertised :(. Rather safe and hip...
Or am I becoming numb to gory violence ?
The plot is boring, Ed's drawing style is very nice as usual.
Sorry being so blunt about it but I just wasn't impressed.
Although very apologetic in his introduction, Ed Piskor doesn't take any risks anywhere.
Not daringly bold nor fearlessly mind-crushing as advertised :(. Rather safe and hip...
Or am I becoming numb to gory violence ?
The plot is boring, Ed's drawing style is very nice as usual.
Sorry being so blunt about it but I just wasn't impressed.
January 12, 2022
EC type of comic for modern times. Piskor seems to really enjoy creeping us out. This is more than just a torture porn fetish. The author seems more interested in the logistics of his concept and the world building. This is not for a large number of people, but I enjoyed it quite a lot.
June 14, 2023
Red Room: The Antisocial Network is a rather self-explanatory comic, really it's all right there in the name. Several stories of different criminal factions whom each have one thing in common. They run dark net red rooms. I thought the short story format was a fun choice and calls back to classic horror comics. This whole comic is a cheesy B movie shlock-fest, with grotesque violence thrown in just for fun. If that sounds like the type of thing you would enjoy I would say this one is worth a look. otherwise, it's probably not for you.
I had fun with this comic however I disagreed with its stance on decentralization. At one point in the story detectives free a programmer from prison who used to run a successful drug market, in return he must help police catch the operators of these online red rooms. He is recruited for this cause because he created the encryption that allows them anonymity online.
This is exactly the stereotypical stance the government takes to justify further invading the privacy of US citizens, decentralization is a good thing don’t be fooled by government fear-mongering. The answer to stopping online crime lies in the police actually doing their job and not in them just being handed all our personal information.
October 2, 2023
it's fine you know? the art's good, it's easy to read. i very much vibe with piskor's clear influences and do not necessarily mind that he can be self-indulgent. does not have anything particularly insightful to say but the worldview is pretty agreeable and it's certainly the only comic i'm reading that's presently putting out new issues so i can't complain too much.
November 22, 2021
So we're clear, if somehow you think kids, sensitive readers, or those disturbed by detailed body horror imagery should read this, you're wrong; this fascinating pulp take on snuff films and the dark web is NOT for you.
I cut my teeth on the cheap paperbacks of the 70s-80s horror boom and 70s grindhouse horror movies on iffy VHS tapes, fell in love with the overly packed and detailed comic art of the underground comix world as I got older, and I'm essentially the platonic ideal for a consumer of this smart, gory masterpiece. YMMV, but as an piece of visual craft at the very least, Piskor has created something deeply impressive.
Red Room is a series of stories that revolve around underground snuff films shown on the dark web to jaded 1%ers who pay handsomely for the livestreams depraved creators produce and distribute illicitly. The first story collected here shows the recruitment of a new killer, the second revolves around the people involved in one form of victim gathering, the third is a story about the creator of the anonymizing software the red rooms work on the back of, and the last story is an EC Comics homage about snuff films from the 80s era. For me, at least, this is a great example of what horror comics can be, the same way Taboo was for its time or the ECs were for theirs. Transgressive, responsive to the moment in which we live, and equal parts fascinating and revolting, this volume is, with any luck, only a tiny glimpse of what Piskor has in store for the series.
I cut my teeth on the cheap paperbacks of the 70s-80s horror boom and 70s grindhouse horror movies on iffy VHS tapes, fell in love with the overly packed and detailed comic art of the underground comix world as I got older, and I'm essentially the platonic ideal for a consumer of this smart, gory masterpiece. YMMV, but as an piece of visual craft at the very least, Piskor has created something deeply impressive.
Red Room is a series of stories that revolve around underground snuff films shown on the dark web to jaded 1%ers who pay handsomely for the livestreams depraved creators produce and distribute illicitly. The first story collected here shows the recruitment of a new killer, the second revolves around the people involved in one form of victim gathering, the third is a story about the creator of the anonymizing software the red rooms work on the back of, and the last story is an EC Comics homage about snuff films from the 80s era. For me, at least, this is a great example of what horror comics can be, the same way Taboo was for its time or the ECs were for theirs. Transgressive, responsive to the moment in which we live, and equal parts fascinating and revolting, this volume is, with any luck, only a tiny glimpse of what Piskor has in store for the series.
June 19, 2022
If you like dry heaving while reading, this is for you!
Ed Piskor knows no bounds.
The concept and story are morbid and fascinating. It’s easy to see something like this really happening.
The fact that Piskor was inspired by Sin City and even Stephen King was apparent and made the story and art even better.
This was a crazy one. Not for the faint of heart at all.
Ed Piskor knows no bounds.
The concept and story are morbid and fascinating. It’s easy to see something like this really happening.
The fact that Piskor was inspired by Sin City and even Stephen King was apparent and made the story and art even better.
This was a crazy one. Not for the faint of heart at all.
January 11, 2023
Hmm, I seem to be reading a lot of these books that are artist driven.
I've been following Piskor's Youtube channel Cartoonist Kayfabe all year, so I felt obligated to read this when it came out. I like the premise... dark web chat rooms dedicated to torture. It's extremely graphic.
I've been following Piskor's Youtube channel Cartoonist Kayfabe all year, so I felt obligated to read this when it came out. I like the premise... dark web chat rooms dedicated to torture. It's extremely graphic.
April 20, 2022
Holy hell. Not what I expected it to be. I had been shaking my ankles to buy this, like waiting for the waiting period to go away in the library system to end before I bought it. But I guess we all had our predilections before buying.
I’m not disappointed, but I am? Very cruel, extremely graphic, but just like. I don’t know. I’m writing this all from a first read, all in one night basis. I get cruelty for cruelty’s sake but…like let’s get some plot going people *air raid warning* I just hope my comic shop has Trigger Warnings.
I’m not disappointed, but I am? Very cruel, extremely graphic, but just like. I don’t know. I’m writing this all from a first read, all in one night basis. I get cruelty for cruelty’s sake but…like let’s get some plot going people *air raid warning* I just hope my comic shop has Trigger Warnings.
February 23, 2022
BLECCH! Glad I got it from the library.
March 3, 2022
Love the artwork, love the premise, love the gore. My favorite parts were the livestream chats. It felt a little TOO real.
October 13, 2022
WARNING: NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART, BUT ED PISKOR IS A BRUTALLY DISGUSTING GENIUS!!!
If you’re looking for some creative horror writing with some gruesome and awesome artwork, look no further than Ed Piskor’s ‘Red Room’. This first volume, and the start to the series, is called ‘The Antisocial Network’. Ed starts us off with 4 issues showing us the interweb world of the red rooms. Brutal killings and torture live on stream for the filthy rich (emphasive on *filthy*) to donate crypto currency to view. Each issue shows us the vast cast of disgusting individuals who are at the top of the black web. In the first issue we are introduced to the biggest baddie of them all, Mistress Pentagram. The sort of orchestrator of the stream snuff business. We see her break down what the red rooms are and in turn we get different perspectives from each issue on what happens in these secret chat rooms. Be careful when opening this one, because it does not hold back, much like if you were to actually open a link to one of these terrifying streams. If you can stomach it though, and make sure not to eat before or directly after, you’ll get a glance at a very creative horror comic.
Ed Piskor shows he is a true renaissance man, as he tackles every bit of work in this book. Writing, pencils, inking, coloring, hell even the lettering! Of course though let’s start with the writing. Man, did Piskor deliver a horror chef’s kiss. I love his overall plot and concept and I feel like he captures the idea perfectly. With the massive popularity and uptick on streaming platforms, this book couldn’t have come out at a better time. Piskor also shows his knowledge with social media, as he himself has a pretty big youtube following with his shared channel, “Cartoonist Kayfabe” (great channel, you should check it out). But I mean this guy set’s up a lot of moments where the dialogue you’re reading is straight from the chatroom. It all actually feels like a live chat too. It’s funny and it for sure is done in a way to make it feel relatable. Whether you’ve been the one to type the stuff in the chat or read it. I also just think the whole aspect of the snuff stream is super scary, seeing as this isn’t something Piskor just came out of nowhere and thought up. The fact that his inspiration is mainly over exaggerated (some cases not that exaggerated ) real life events that took place on the internet sends straight up chills down my spine and anxiety pumping to my heart. He also does a great job of making each issue feel its own, while also adding to the overarching plot. That was one of his main goals going into this mini-series and I think he does it perfectly. It kinda has an anthology feel, but it’s all still connected. Like there are characters that are in each issue who are just simply recurring, but don’t make you feel like it’s something you need a deep dive in. If you want to go back to issue one that’s totally fine, but starting with issue 4 still gives you a great idea about what the whole thing is about.
Now onto the main entree, his artwork. Piskor shows that he is a brilliant cartoonist! It’s almost scary to think someone can think of gory things like what Piskor drew. Some of the best are able to reach deep down and come up with anything and in Piskor’s case, anything *is* up to the drawing board. There is some super gnarly stuff in this read and most of the time that’s not my jam, but there’s more to Piskor’s artwork than just the nasty torture and killing. The overall technique of his cartonning is outstanding! The paneling was on another level, super creative for the regular shots, but him involving the streams *as a part of the paneling* was genius to me. Stuff like the live chat, the donations, the bans, EVERYTHING. It looked and felt like a real life stream and chat. It was a really creative way to make the book move forward and it made the read feel unique. Now of course the brutal stuff was also insane, but again there is a technique to it, a great technique. Because of it being more cartoonist artwork I feel like I was able to stomach more than if it was a more *realistic* style. That's why Piskor shines so well with this kind of story. It’s sort of like when cartoons back in the day would show some borderline intense stuff, and it made us laugh, but sometimes we had to stop and think “why is this allowed?” haha. It’s obviously over exaggerated, but that’s what makes it entertaining. The character designs are also brilliant and terrifying. Each psycho is very much their own character, and it plays to the bigger plot of the story. It’s great attention to detail from start to finish.
Overall; You gotta give this a read if you’re in the mood for something scary and gross. And in general if you just want to see a very talented cartoonist with outstanding art styles/technique, I promise you won’t find it anywhere else than here in the Red Rooms.
If you’re looking for some creative horror writing with some gruesome and awesome artwork, look no further than Ed Piskor’s ‘Red Room’. This first volume, and the start to the series, is called ‘The Antisocial Network’. Ed starts us off with 4 issues showing us the interweb world of the red rooms. Brutal killings and torture live on stream for the filthy rich (emphasive on *filthy*) to donate crypto currency to view. Each issue shows us the vast cast of disgusting individuals who are at the top of the black web. In the first issue we are introduced to the biggest baddie of them all, Mistress Pentagram. The sort of orchestrator of the stream snuff business. We see her break down what the red rooms are and in turn we get different perspectives from each issue on what happens in these secret chat rooms. Be careful when opening this one, because it does not hold back, much like if you were to actually open a link to one of these terrifying streams. If you can stomach it though, and make sure not to eat before or directly after, you’ll get a glance at a very creative horror comic.
Ed Piskor shows he is a true renaissance man, as he tackles every bit of work in this book. Writing, pencils, inking, coloring, hell even the lettering! Of course though let’s start with the writing. Man, did Piskor deliver a horror chef’s kiss. I love his overall plot and concept and I feel like he captures the idea perfectly. With the massive popularity and uptick on streaming platforms, this book couldn’t have come out at a better time. Piskor also shows his knowledge with social media, as he himself has a pretty big youtube following with his shared channel, “Cartoonist Kayfabe” (great channel, you should check it out). But I mean this guy set’s up a lot of moments where the dialogue you’re reading is straight from the chatroom. It all actually feels like a live chat too. It’s funny and it for sure is done in a way to make it feel relatable. Whether you’ve been the one to type the stuff in the chat or read it. I also just think the whole aspect of the snuff stream is super scary, seeing as this isn’t something Piskor just came out of nowhere and thought up. The fact that his inspiration is mainly over exaggerated (some cases not that exaggerated ) real life events that took place on the internet sends straight up chills down my spine and anxiety pumping to my heart. He also does a great job of making each issue feel its own, while also adding to the overarching plot. That was one of his main goals going into this mini-series and I think he does it perfectly. It kinda has an anthology feel, but it’s all still connected. Like there are characters that are in each issue who are just simply recurring, but don’t make you feel like it’s something you need a deep dive in. If you want to go back to issue one that’s totally fine, but starting with issue 4 still gives you a great idea about what the whole thing is about.
Now onto the main entree, his artwork. Piskor shows that he is a brilliant cartoonist! It’s almost scary to think someone can think of gory things like what Piskor drew. Some of the best are able to reach deep down and come up with anything and in Piskor’s case, anything *is* up to the drawing board. There is some super gnarly stuff in this read and most of the time that’s not my jam, but there’s more to Piskor’s artwork than just the nasty torture and killing. The overall technique of his cartonning is outstanding! The paneling was on another level, super creative for the regular shots, but him involving the streams *as a part of the paneling* was genius to me. Stuff like the live chat, the donations, the bans, EVERYTHING. It looked and felt like a real life stream and chat. It was a really creative way to make the book move forward and it made the read feel unique. Now of course the brutal stuff was also insane, but again there is a technique to it, a great technique. Because of it being more cartoonist artwork I feel like I was able to stomach more than if it was a more *realistic* style. That's why Piskor shines so well with this kind of story. It’s sort of like when cartoons back in the day would show some borderline intense stuff, and it made us laugh, but sometimes we had to stop and think “why is this allowed?” haha. It’s obviously over exaggerated, but that’s what makes it entertaining. The character designs are also brilliant and terrifying. Each psycho is very much their own character, and it plays to the bigger plot of the story. It’s great attention to detail from start to finish.
Overall; You gotta give this a read if you’re in the mood for something scary and gross. And in general if you just want to see a very talented cartoonist with outstanding art styles/technique, I promise you won’t find it anywhere else than here in the Red Rooms.
February 26, 2022
2.5
I’m really mixed about this book. The art is great and I generally like the writing. I’m a huge horror fan but this type of horror (torture porn) isn’t my favorite. I find it intriguing but then I feel kind of gross for finding it intriguing. My favorite horror series is A Nightmare On Elm Street and Freddy does some really messed up things to those kids but I really need the fantasy element that the dreams bring into play. Riffing on snuff films, the dark web, and our desensitization to all of it feels too real…
And Piskor tries to allow us readers to distance ourselves by implying that it’s all rich people getting off on these pay-per-view sites but that’s not really true, right? Because we are watching it too? Ugh, no more for me.
I’m really mixed about this book. The art is great and I generally like the writing. I’m a huge horror fan but this type of horror (torture porn) isn’t my favorite. I find it intriguing but then I feel kind of gross for finding it intriguing. My favorite horror series is A Nightmare On Elm Street and Freddy does some really messed up things to those kids but I really need the fantasy element that the dreams bring into play. Riffing on snuff films, the dark web, and our desensitization to all of it feels too real…
And Piskor tries to allow us readers to distance ourselves by implying that it’s all rich people getting off on these pay-per-view sites but that’s not really true, right? Because we are watching it too? Ugh, no more for me.
August 6, 2025
Ed Piskor was a gifted artist whose tragic way of exiting this dimension the rest of us still occupy will always strike me as unnecessary, almost outrageous.
It felt reassuring to know that a person like him was around, always enthusiastic about his craft, approachable, vibrant and so...so gifted.
Having said that, I confess that I tried to like the Red Room saga, but if feels and looks shallow. If a shock effect was the purpose here, then it is totally off since the bombardment of the reader with such an overwhelming volume of violence turns gore into banality.
At best, this could work as an artist's portfolio in human anatomy. It turns out to be an uninspired effort to make a story out of scattered ideas and a lot of scattered human flesh.
The worst is that we all know how much more Ed would have offered if he was still around. RIP
It felt reassuring to know that a person like him was around, always enthusiastic about his craft, approachable, vibrant and so...so gifted.
Having said that, I confess that I tried to like the Red Room saga, but if feels and looks shallow. If a shock effect was the purpose here, then it is totally off since the bombardment of the reader with such an overwhelming volume of violence turns gore into banality.
At best, this could work as an artist's portfolio in human anatomy. It turns out to be an uninspired effort to make a story out of scattered ideas and a lot of scattered human flesh.
The worst is that we all know how much more Ed would have offered if he was still around. RIP
July 3, 2022
I thought I was going to be really excited reading this, but I think the problem is its just straight in your face gruesome, there's no real shocking factor to it. It took me a while to get into it as well. It was ok
October 4, 2024
AWESOME
November 25, 2025
Obviously corny as I expected but the connected storylines kept me interested
February 15, 2025
⭐️ 1/5 ⭐️
I read a couple of these books a while time ago so I don’t remember much of what happened in it but I honestly don’t plan to reread them again because from what little I do remember, I did not like them. I think they were just full of shock value stuff towards the end and I either got bored but still finished or nothing was really memorable enough to stay with me but I wanted to see how things ended at least to see if that would make a difference. It did not so yeah nasty stuff happened, because it’s about the dark web so lots of death, gore, and violence but they were all meh for me or just all bad I guess.
Edit: Someone named Rod here made a more informed review about these books that I agree with, mentioning it was similar to torture p*rn like Hostel and how it was full of gore and then it got boring so yeah, go check out theirs if you want more info.
I think I’ll just check out the author’s X-Men comics instead.
Would I recommend this book to others? Nope ❌
I read a couple of these books a while time ago so I don’t remember much of what happened in it but I honestly don’t plan to reread them again because from what little I do remember, I did not like them. I think they were just full of shock value stuff towards the end and I either got bored but still finished or nothing was really memorable enough to stay with me but I wanted to see how things ended at least to see if that would make a difference. It did not so yeah nasty stuff happened, because it’s about the dark web so lots of death, gore, and violence but they were all meh for me or just all bad I guess.
Edit: Someone named Rod here made a more informed review about these books that I agree with, mentioning it was similar to torture p*rn like Hostel and how it was full of gore and then it got boring so yeah, go check out theirs if you want more info.
I think I’ll just check out the author’s X-Men comics instead.
Would I recommend this book to others? Nope ❌
August 2, 2021
A disturbing and gory trilogy of issues collected into one novel.
The first issue is about a man with a normal life and loving daughter. Who, in his free time likes to watch snuff films. He is recruited by a group of people that create live snuff films. This issue really dives deep into the horrendous world of snuff film making.
The second issue focuses more on the Red Room creators and the plot is so forgettable that, even though I just read it, I've already forgotten it.
The third issue is about the cops bringing in the creator of this specific side of the Dark Web to sale drugs. Now he's there to shut the Red Rooms. The end has a very cringe worthy twist.
Altogether, it is one of the most disturbing comics I've ever seen. The Red Room snuff films are shown in incredibly graphic detail, and it's very disturbing. It has a realism to it.
The first issue is about a man with a normal life and loving daughter. Who, in his free time likes to watch snuff films. He is recruited by a group of people that create live snuff films. This issue really dives deep into the horrendous world of snuff film making.
The second issue focuses more on the Red Room creators and the plot is so forgettable that, even though I just read it, I've already forgotten it.
The third issue is about the cops bringing in the creator of this specific side of the Dark Web to sale drugs. Now he's there to shut the Red Rooms. The end has a very cringe worthy twist.
Altogether, it is one of the most disturbing comics I've ever seen. The Red Room snuff films are shown in incredibly graphic detail, and it's very disturbing. It has a realism to it.
March 14, 2022
With books like these, I come for the gore and stay for the story. The gore was fun and gross but this piece was very shallow from a story perspective.
Might as well just look up comic frames from Google Images and you get the idea without having to trudge through this. Art was good though.
Might as well just look up comic frames from Google Images and you get the idea without having to trudge through this. Art was good though.
January 8, 2022
The content is incredibly violent, but there’s fantastic artwork, great characters and clever, interweaving plots that will make me come back for more.
November 15, 2023
Desde luego, Red Room va de frente y con todo desde su portada. Por muy grande que sea la tipografía del título, la grotesca estampa de evisceración deja las entrañas (sic.) de la obra al descubierto. Ed Piskor se ha propuesto crear el mundo más enfermizo posible a partir de reconocidas alusiones a lugares tan temidos que se trata de ficcionar todo lo posible. Los vídeos snuff y la internet oscura. La unión de todo ello a lo largo de los años y las ventajas de la interconexión global digital, ha dado a luz a la infraestructura de las Red Room. Las cuales sustentan un lucrativo negocio audiovisual que nutre las peores depravaciones humanas, recompensadas por bitcoins irrastreables.
En este tomo, se aúnan varias historias entrelezadas por estas Red Rooms a modo de enfermiza antología. Si bien con la primera historia asistimos al origen de un nuevo matarife en nómina para una de las mayores productoras de este sector. Cuyo personaje acabará apareciendo en todas las demás historias de un modo u otro manteniendo una agradecida cohesión. Aunque al terminar la lectura sí que es imposible no sentirla caótica de más. Y seguramente esto sea buscado por Ed Piskor. Yo creía que esto era lo único que se había publicado de Red Room, pero he comprobado que ya se ha compilado una colección bastante nutrida de historias asociadas a la sangrienta y perversa biblioteca digital que conocemos en estas páginas.
Realmente, Red Room tiene unos mimbres bastante afianzados en su indagación en la cultura de la violencia y el morbo (genial el capítulo del informático que creó el código fuente del que se aprovechó la infraestructura de las Red Rooms). Confía bastante en el perturbador mundo que presenta (el capítulo del doctor y el modo de encontrar víctimas para alguna de las Red Rooms). Al igual que en una muestra más extrema y lúdica de la investigación y perfiles criminalísticos de los asesinos en serie. Pero no es totalmente representativo de esta entrega. Con más confianza en su faceta estomagante con la infinidad de retorcidas ejecuciones online y enfermizas estampas derivadas de la producción de la "Familia Pentáculo". Todo lo cual podría haber sido filmado por el Rob Zombie de sus orígenes cinematográficos.
La herencia fanzinera a la que se adscribe Ed Piskor realmente está muy bien defendida. E incluso extiende sus influencias en cómics macabros clásicos como los de la factoría EC en el último arco argumental que se fracciona y presenta en capítulos introducidos por un matarife con una performance similar al Guardián de la Cripta. Toda obra conlleva unos desafíos creativos que son dignos de descubrimiento. Supongo que Red Room es más desafiante de cara el lectore potencial. Desde luego no es una lectura agradable y es peligroso llegar a considerarla lúdica. Pero intuyendo las líneas del mismo autor en los textos que acompañan la publicación, Red Room es un ejercicio de exorcización de mucho de lo malo y negativo que podamos ocultar en nuestro interior y que es mejor liberar de la forma más artística posible (y que no ponga en riesgo la seguridad de otros).
En este tomo, se aúnan varias historias entrelezadas por estas Red Rooms a modo de enfermiza antología. Si bien con la primera historia asistimos al origen de un nuevo matarife en nómina para una de las mayores productoras de este sector. Cuyo personaje acabará apareciendo en todas las demás historias de un modo u otro manteniendo una agradecida cohesión. Aunque al terminar la lectura sí que es imposible no sentirla caótica de más. Y seguramente esto sea buscado por Ed Piskor. Yo creía que esto era lo único que se había publicado de Red Room, pero he comprobado que ya se ha compilado una colección bastante nutrida de historias asociadas a la sangrienta y perversa biblioteca digital que conocemos en estas páginas.
Realmente, Red Room tiene unos mimbres bastante afianzados en su indagación en la cultura de la violencia y el morbo (genial el capítulo del informático que creó el código fuente del que se aprovechó la infraestructura de las Red Rooms). Confía bastante en el perturbador mundo que presenta (el capítulo del doctor y el modo de encontrar víctimas para alguna de las Red Rooms). Al igual que en una muestra más extrema y lúdica de la investigación y perfiles criminalísticos de los asesinos en serie. Pero no es totalmente representativo de esta entrega. Con más confianza en su faceta estomagante con la infinidad de retorcidas ejecuciones online y enfermizas estampas derivadas de la producción de la "Familia Pentáculo". Todo lo cual podría haber sido filmado por el Rob Zombie de sus orígenes cinematográficos.
La herencia fanzinera a la que se adscribe Ed Piskor realmente está muy bien defendida. E incluso extiende sus influencias en cómics macabros clásicos como los de la factoría EC en el último arco argumental que se fracciona y presenta en capítulos introducidos por un matarife con una performance similar al Guardián de la Cripta. Toda obra conlleva unos desafíos creativos que son dignos de descubrimiento. Supongo que Red Room es más desafiante de cara el lectore potencial. Desde luego no es una lectura agradable y es peligroso llegar a considerarla lúdica. Pero intuyendo las líneas del mismo autor en los textos que acompañan la publicación, Red Room es un ejercicio de exorcización de mucho de lo malo y negativo que podamos ocultar en nuestro interior y que es mejor liberar de la forma más artística posible (y que no ponga en riesgo la seguridad de otros).
July 19, 2022
Ed Piskor really wanted to earn his place in the Mount Rushmore of sick in the head "Eddies". We have Ed Gein, Ed Boon, and now Ed Piskor - The Adult Swim lineup of Ed, Edd n Eddy, if you will. But setting aside jokes comparing two immensely talented creators to a serial killer (two serial killers if you wanna throw Ed Kemper in there too), I really can't fathom the balls it took Piskor to actually release something like this. This book takes the cake for harboring the most vile, sadistic, and horrifically creative depictions of murder I have come across through all mediums of entertainment. It is by far the most violent graphic novel I have read, and I'm including Garth Ennis's Crossed series when I say that. Saying the deaths and kills in this book are graphic would be a laughable understatement. That being said, the artwork is nothing short of incredible and virtuosic. The illustrations serve as a masterclass in both sketch work as well as testing the limits of exactly how maniacal and stomach churning simple drawings can be. This is Chicken Soup for the Souless. Every single method of torture, dismemberment, and psychological torment beyond your worst nightmares stains the pages of this book. The story, while convoluted and chaotic, is still intriguing. In each chapter, Piskor takes you through the lives of the different types of killers, con men, pornographers, and sadists that inhabit these Red Rooms. How the lives of these monsters and their victims intersect, are unpredictable and well thought out. The dialogue that exists in these chatrooms are simultaneously abhorrent and hilarious. The attention to detail that went into both the banter within these live chats as well as the actual camaraderie between the main characters, makes the whole experience uncomfortably believable. There isn't a single light, glimmer of hope, or bat signal in this whole journey. Red Room is unapologetic in every way. The chapter Donna Butcher, plays out like the sickest Tales from the Crypt episode never aired, and contains the most horrid and ghastly content in the entire book. This is a must read for fans of outlandish horror and exceptionally dark comedy. You're gonna feel violated, maimed, disrespected, helpless, and most of all, entertained.
January 14, 2023
We open to a forward from the creator himself, penned June 2021. It's explained that a planned production year turned into material done "with that germy albatross around my neck", though thankfully no actual virus, just the ever looming threat. The tone is certainly established here: this is a pulp fiction of extreme gore, filth and fear. "Vulgarity is my default setting. Can't fight who I am."
This was originally a recommendation thrust into my hands during my in person visit to Robo last year. He knows me well. I had to buy it. The story begins with a police clerk, getting through the day surrounded by revolting men playing distasteful games. Suddenly interrupted by news of a family car accident, he rushes to the hospital to collect his now only surviving daughter: Brianna. Interlaced between these pages, we are introduced to the concept and players of The Red Room: a snuff dark web livestream with murdering influencers, encouraged and funded by crypto bros with disgusting fetishes.
It is clearly well researched and painstakingly designed. Any one of the murder-streamers' garb is instantly recognisable and cosplayable. Thematically, the concepts of urges outside of our control, dark impulses, family secrets, cycles of trauma and grief are all heavily explored here. I was personally surprised and even impressed by one or two twists without the narrative; particularly given the inclusion of the original storyboard in this first volume. ("I'm a process junkie, and I know some of you are too.")
While the story ebbs and flows, the art is truly incredible. I am a big fan of heavy lines, minute details and cross hatching, as well as the varied body types amongst characters that are on display here. The colour pallet is purely deep black, stark red or off white throughout; the labour of love is clearly the drawing, and it is highlighted in all its glory. Fans of splatterpunk and films like Saw or Hostel should check this one out.
This was originally a recommendation thrust into my hands during my in person visit to Robo last year. He knows me well. I had to buy it. The story begins with a police clerk, getting through the day surrounded by revolting men playing distasteful games. Suddenly interrupted by news of a family car accident, he rushes to the hospital to collect his now only surviving daughter: Brianna. Interlaced between these pages, we are introduced to the concept and players of The Red Room: a snuff dark web livestream with murdering influencers, encouraged and funded by crypto bros with disgusting fetishes.
It is clearly well researched and painstakingly designed. Any one of the murder-streamers' garb is instantly recognisable and cosplayable. Thematically, the concepts of urges outside of our control, dark impulses, family secrets, cycles of trauma and grief are all heavily explored here. I was personally surprised and even impressed by one or two twists without the narrative; particularly given the inclusion of the original storyboard in this first volume. ("I'm a process junkie, and I know some of you are too.")
While the story ebbs and flows, the art is truly incredible. I am a big fan of heavy lines, minute details and cross hatching, as well as the varied body types amongst characters that are on display here. The colour pallet is purely deep black, stark red or off white throughout; the labour of love is clearly the drawing, and it is highlighted in all its glory. Fans of splatterpunk and films like Saw or Hostel should check this one out.
May 6, 2023
TW: Violencia explícita, sadismo extremo, tortura, gore...
Cuando me acerqué a esta obra en 2021, lo hice porque venía de disfrutar de Piskor en su repaso histórico a la Patrulla-X en X-Men: Grand Design (o La gran novela de la Patrulla-X en España) y ya tenía (¿tengo?) un podcast sobre cómics de terror, así que me lancé a Red Room sin saber nada más... Hui horrorizado, lamentando no haberme informado más sobre el tema. Así, lo abandoné tras terminar el primer capítulo hasta que hace apenas un mes salió publicada su traducción en España y decidí darle una nueva oportunidad, ni que fuera para terminar de leerlo y ponerlo a la venta.
Pues no sé si porque en aquel entonces me pilló en mal momento, porque he visto por primera vez las 3 primeras Hellraiser en las últimas semanas, o porque es dolorosamente cierta la tesis de este cómic (la progresiva desensibilización de la sociedad frente a la violencia y su derivada búsqueda de estímulos que vayan más allá de lo tolerable), pero no me ha costado terminar de leerlo esta vez. La premisa es sencilla: en los rincones oscuros de internet existe una "red social" (o una versión retorcida de Twitch) donde se emiten asesinatos en directo, herederos del snuff y la ultraviolencia, con todo el sadismo y creatividad para provocar dolor y muerte por parte del streamer monstruoso en cuestión. Entretanto, les espectadores pueden suscribirse o ir mandando bitcoins (criptobros tenían que ser) para mostrar su apreciación o excitación frente a lo que tienen en pantalla.
Piskor explora, con un arte desagradablemente detallado, lo que se oculta tras las organizaciones que emiten y sostienen estos contenidos, cómo son los seres humanos capaces de perpetrar tales acciones, el origen de sus víctimas, o las respuestas, necesidades y peticiones terriblemente creíbles de les espectadores ante el contenido que consumen y les consume. No hay nada agradable ni remotamente catártico en la propuesta de Piskor, ni busca empatizar o totemizar a sus psicópatas, ya que alterna sus máscaras y disfraces, de gran potencial icónico (en los extras comenta que quería que fuesen fácilmente cosplayizables) con un patetismo rayano en la crueldad cuando nos deja ver a las personas que se esconden detrás.
Una obra incomodísima en todas las interpretaciones posibles de la palabra.
Cuando me acerqué a esta obra en 2021, lo hice porque venía de disfrutar de Piskor en su repaso histórico a la Patrulla-X en X-Men: Grand Design (o La gran novela de la Patrulla-X en España) y ya tenía (¿tengo?) un podcast sobre cómics de terror, así que me lancé a Red Room sin saber nada más... Hui horrorizado, lamentando no haberme informado más sobre el tema. Así, lo abandoné tras terminar el primer capítulo hasta que hace apenas un mes salió publicada su traducción en España y decidí darle una nueva oportunidad, ni que fuera para terminar de leerlo y ponerlo a la venta.
Pues no sé si porque en aquel entonces me pilló en mal momento, porque he visto por primera vez las 3 primeras Hellraiser en las últimas semanas, o porque es dolorosamente cierta la tesis de este cómic (la progresiva desensibilización de la sociedad frente a la violencia y su derivada búsqueda de estímulos que vayan más allá de lo tolerable), pero no me ha costado terminar de leerlo esta vez. La premisa es sencilla: en los rincones oscuros de internet existe una "red social" (o una versión retorcida de Twitch) donde se emiten asesinatos en directo, herederos del snuff y la ultraviolencia, con todo el sadismo y creatividad para provocar dolor y muerte por parte del streamer monstruoso en cuestión. Entretanto, les espectadores pueden suscribirse o ir mandando bitcoins (criptobros tenían que ser) para mostrar su apreciación o excitación frente a lo que tienen en pantalla.
Piskor explora, con un arte desagradablemente detallado, lo que se oculta tras las organizaciones que emiten y sostienen estos contenidos, cómo son los seres humanos capaces de perpetrar tales acciones, el origen de sus víctimas, o las respuestas, necesidades y peticiones terriblemente creíbles de les espectadores ante el contenido que consumen y les consume. No hay nada agradable ni remotamente catártico en la propuesta de Piskor, ni busca empatizar o totemizar a sus psicópatas, ya que alterna sus máscaras y disfraces, de gran potencial icónico (en los extras comenta que quería que fuesen fácilmente cosplayizables) con un patetismo rayano en la crueldad cuando nos deja ver a las personas que se esconden detrás.
Una obra incomodísima en todas las interpretaciones posibles de la palabra.
May 9, 2022
Ed Piskor wears his inspirations on his sleeve. His four comic collection, Red Room: The Anti-Social Network, imagines the dark web as a place where live snuff films flourish and have almost become as mainstream as pornography in the age of the internet. The stories are less about presenting problems that can be overcome or finding underdogs to root for than they are about enveloping yourself in a world of repulsive sleaze. It’s about seeing what you are capable of subjecting yourself to and noticing at what point you believe that Piskor has gone too far (for me, it was the Ghoul Gash Fleshlight), which is great because Red Room has clearly been influenced by the video nasties and splatterpunk of old.
The world here is robust, and, in most cases, the pieces of each story fall nicely into place. For instance, the protagonist from the first comic, Davis Fairfield, may seem like an odd choice for a main focus with his mild manners and awkward passivity, but he has secrets that are hinted at and slowly brought out. And his reactions to the filthy underground he’s pulled into are anything but predictable.
If there’s one section that doesn’t work, it’s the fourth and final installation. It’s a simple and straightforward tale of revenge. It does add a wrinkle in that the woman seeking revenge’s father was killed in an online video that thousands of people have seen and causes her interminable distress, but it otherwise plays out exactly like you might think it would.
One could read into this whole collection a critique of the profit motive and how people will go to great lengths to make a buck or how the semblance of civilized behavior runs only so deep, but considering the VHS copies of Cannibal Holocaust and hook-tearing homages to Clive Barker on display, it’s not hard to grasp that this is meant to be little more than splatterpunk in its most modern guise.
The world here is robust, and, in most cases, the pieces of each story fall nicely into place. For instance, the protagonist from the first comic, Davis Fairfield, may seem like an odd choice for a main focus with his mild manners and awkward passivity, but he has secrets that are hinted at and slowly brought out. And his reactions to the filthy underground he’s pulled into are anything but predictable.
If there’s one section that doesn’t work, it’s the fourth and final installation. It’s a simple and straightforward tale of revenge. It does add a wrinkle in that the woman seeking revenge’s father was killed in an online video that thousands of people have seen and causes her interminable distress, but it otherwise plays out exactly like you might think it would.
One could read into this whole collection a critique of the profit motive and how people will go to great lengths to make a buck or how the semblance of civilized behavior runs only so deep, but considering the VHS copies of Cannibal Holocaust and hook-tearing homages to Clive Barker on display, it’s not hard to grasp that this is meant to be little more than splatterpunk in its most modern guise.
September 3, 2022
Read this as my kids, one in particular, dig the "Cartoonist Kayfabe" series where Piskor is one of the hosts. That said, I enjoyed reading the annotated after-thoughts by Piskor as he unravels some of his invention and, ummmm, inspiration.
Yeah as the reviews make clear here, the focus is pretty depraved, and Piskor is proud of that (from the "Outlaw Comics Code" to the self-disqualification for an Eisner Award in the intro to the dedicated work on every panel). The Code made me wonder if in 20 years this will somehow be seen as less repulsive, so much has changed over my life so far that I guess it's possible but I sure hope not.
There are themes of vengeance, of devoted family man and Decimator duality, of Deep Cover corruption and certainly of capitalistic competition. Piskor pitches a dog eat dog world for digital eyeballs, well maybe man eat man with eyeballs that would make Bunuel proud. The series does come with some equal opportunity for the eerie...
As Piskor maybe be proud of his book being banned, others here seem more proud of finding the gore here mild to their blood-taste. Oh well....not me, even though the 2D images surely help desensitize the experience, I never felt myself enthralled. Anyways, it takes all kinds, but for sure at least find a few panels online before you invest time and money on this.
For sure Piskor's got plenty of thought going on, both here (the title I think is key, and some of his efforts in the chatroom work scenes allow him a multitude of quick voices) and certainly on Kayfabe. He and his co-host Jim Rugg are insightful, to my limited purview put together a class-worthy education.
Right now, I think I'll go watch this episode : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdiXn... with Scott McCloud from Oct 31 2021 - Halloween has to be the holiday for all comic creators. Tricks and treats....
Yeah as the reviews make clear here, the focus is pretty depraved, and Piskor is proud of that (from the "Outlaw Comics Code" to the self-disqualification for an Eisner Award in the intro to the dedicated work on every panel). The Code made me wonder if in 20 years this will somehow be seen as less repulsive, so much has changed over my life so far that I guess it's possible but I sure hope not.
There are themes of vengeance, of devoted family man and Decimator duality, of Deep Cover corruption and certainly of capitalistic competition. Piskor pitches a dog eat dog world for digital eyeballs, well maybe man eat man with eyeballs that would make Bunuel proud. The series does come with some equal opportunity for the eerie...
As Piskor maybe be proud of his book being banned, others here seem more proud of finding the gore here mild to their blood-taste. Oh well....not me, even though the 2D images surely help desensitize the experience, I never felt myself enthralled. Anyways, it takes all kinds, but for sure at least find a few panels online before you invest time and money on this.
For sure Piskor's got plenty of thought going on, both here (the title I think is key, and some of his efforts in the chatroom work scenes allow him a multitude of quick voices) and certainly on Kayfabe. He and his co-host Jim Rugg are insightful, to my limited purview put together a class-worthy education.
Right now, I think I'll go watch this episode : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdiXn... with Scott McCloud from Oct 31 2021 - Halloween has to be the holiday for all comic creators. Tricks and treats....
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