Horror Aficionados discussion

For horror with a good dose of camp you might like Hack Slash Volume 1: First Cut. Also Preacher, Volume 1: Gone To Texas for weird and wild. Since you mentioned Tales from the Crypt; I'm a big fan of the CREEPY and EERIE reissues from the '60s, '70's, but they're pricy.

Hack Slash was fun, Locke & Key series (I've only read the first two so far) is absolutely terrific

I know they have done collections of the Hellraiser comics.

Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Collected Best, Vol. 1 and so on.

I've been reading horror comics all of my life - starting with THE HOUSE OF MYSTERY (and SECRETS, etc.) and Charlton titles like CREEPY THINGS (or Gold Key titles like BORIS KARLOFF'S TALES OF MYSTERY) in the 70's (and Warren's CREEPY and EERIE magazines, when you could find them). All the 80's/90's titles Scott mentioned were fairly solid (TWISTED TALES, in particular, has a *very* notorious story as an homage to the old EC stuff). I've got the Russ Cochran b&w hardcover reprints of the classic EC stuff which are a lot of fun, sometimes for the art more than the stories, although there's some fine Bradbury adaptations they did.

Also worth tracking down (may get pricey), for those with a more experimental horror interest, are TABOO (where FROM HELL began) and an obscure horror comic called FLY IN MY EYE (one issue of which had a heart-breaking illustrated "story" by Ramsey Campbell - I say "story" because it's basically an autobiographical piece about growing up without a father and having to tend to his schizophrenic mother).

I hope to start reviewing the CREEPY & EERIE collections soon, but I recently did a pretty thorough review of Zombie Factory: 27 Tales of Bizarre Comix Madness from Beyond the Tomb, which might give you an idea what grotty horror comic magazines were like in the 70's.

On newsstands now, the only thing I pick up is the newly relaunched CREEPY from Dark Horse, mostly from nostalgia.

Besides The Walking Dead, I follow a lot of horror comic series. The Night of the Living Dead series is one of my favorites, when they are available. I also enjoy Creepy, Vampirella, and American Vampire. Also, if you are a fan, the Kolchak graphic novels are a pretty good hark back to the old TV series.

big fan of horror comics,mostly all the old school horror movies have comics,such as- tcm, halloween, NOES, chucky(child's play.) I have doubles of most if anyone is interested, and I willhave to piggy back on Hack/Slash, such a richly illustrated and decently written comics for slasher fans!

then of course there's johnny the homicidal maniac!

I just read Echoes by Joshua Hale Fialkov about a week ago, and loved it. It's only 5 issues long too.

Also Wormwood Gentleman Corpse, Criminal Macabre, The Last Christmas, and XXXombies.

I haven't read horror comics for many years. I would love to start reading them again, but I'm not sure where to start. Does comic book stores have such a thing anymore? Anyone have any suggestions?

Oh man, I love horror comics. I'm currently reading Hellraiser, the new BOOM series and it's amazing. Big fan of Hack Slash and the old Wildstom Elm Sreet and Friday comics.

Suggestions? Hack/Slash and Hellraiser (the current series) will be available at any comic store. Although Hellraiser is shit hot and sells out quite quickly. It's due to the fact Clive Barker is a co-writer on the comic.

Then there is always Amazon online, you'd be able to pick up some trade paperbacks, collecting several issues.

I'd reccomend the Wildstom run of Elm Street and Friday the 13th and the Devils Due run of Halloween: Night Dance. 30 Days of Night is another great title and although I havent read it I hear American Vampire is very good.

Bozz wrote: "Oh man, I love horror comics. I'm currently reading Hellraiser, the new BOOM series and it's amazing. Big fan of Hack Slash and the old Wildstom Elm Sreet and Friday comics.

Suggestions? Hack/Slas..."

Thanks for the info! Gonna start searchin' for some!

Scott wrote: "I know they have done collections of the Hellraiser comics.

Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Collected Best, Vol. 1 and so on."

I have the collection of Barker's Hellraiser, and it's definitely worth checking out, specially of you liked the first two movies. (Or if, like me, you loved "The Hellbound Heart") Each story is drawn and written by a different artist, and it gets pretty scary at times.

Not necessarily horror, but somewhat quirky dark humour:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46...
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46...

I'm usually crying with laughter after one quarter of the way through. Love Roman Dirge.

Stephen King's N is good. its a quick read with an interesting story. Also, check out the Silent Hill series. very dismal with a chilling atmosphere.

I got my start as a writer penning 8-page horror comics for Creepy and Eerie. I went on to do underground comix, some of which were horror, and wrote two or three Hellraiser stories.

My long-time collaborator Richard Corben and I have a gothic/Poe/Lovecraft-like 4-issue series coming out next year from Dark Horse, but I'm not supposed to talk about it.

Jan wrote: "I got my start as a writer penning 8-page horror comics for Creepy and Eerie. I went on to do underground comix, some of which were horror, and wrote two or three Hellraiser stories.

My long-time ..."

Not nice! Not nice at all!
I've been a Corben fan since the Heavy Metal days when he was penning Den and others.

I'll have to watch for this secret project of yours.

Creepy, Eerie, House of Mystery, House of Secrets, All the EC titles, Crypt of Horror, Tomb of Terror, 30 Days of Night, Fall of Cthulhu, Flinch, Boneyard...
Just a few titles I have read, am reading or hope to read.

I grew up with the EC books and have never lost my love for horror in any form.

Anyone read Crossed by Garth Ennis or Wire Hangers by Alan Roberts? They are out there, extremely gory and violent, but I enjoyed them very much.

Good to see folk talking about horror in comics. I credit comics of horror as my greatest inspiration for picking up the pen and creating my own dark tales. In the 70s, Charlton Comics had some wonderful titles: Ghostly Tales, Haunted, The Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves; books I still read and collect today. I'm also a huge fan of Eerie Publication (Tales of Voodoo, Weird, Tales From the Tomb, Witches Tales, etc.) and Skywald Publications (Nightmare, Psycho, etc.). I'd be remiss if I didn't make mention of DCs House of Mystery, chiefly the I, Vampire series from the 80s. Awesome stuff. And although most wouldn't categorize it as such, Alan Moore's Swamp Thing run was jam-packed with horror.

Some of the modern comics I really dig are Hack/Slash, Walking Dead, and most of the work of Steve Niles, especially his Criminal Macabre/Cal Mcdonald series.

It's good to see Clive Barker/Hellraiser fans. The Nightbreed series that came out in the early 90s was very good too.

Anyway, I could go on forever. Nice meeting everyone here.

-Angel Zapata

Eb Brubaker will be releasing in January a new comic via Image Comics ans it's a supernatural crime story. It should be good, as per Bru's standard.

http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/10...

I thought I'd add a link for the new Steve Niles and Bernie Wrightson "Monstrous collection" releasing at the end of the month. The hardback collects their three collaborative efforts: Dead She Said, The Ghoul, and Doc Macabre. I don't think these tales are either creator's best work, but it's definitely worth checking out.

http://www.amazon.com/Monstrous-Colle...

I like Doc Macabre.

Steven wrote: "I like Doc Macabre."

I enjoyed it, but I think his work on 30 Days of Night and Criminal Macabre have more engaging characters and dialogue.

Criminal Macabre is ridiculously good. I have an issue with Cal battling a meat monster in an abattoir. Love.

I have not been keeping up with the serie for a few years though.

I've read all the Criminal Macabre stories. They are always hugely entertaining. Dark Horse has recently released the Criminal Macabre omnibus edition. It's a great way to catch up on missed collections.

Second (or 3rd for 4th) the Lock and Key series - LOVE THIS SERIES! Love the writing and the art!

Also agree that The Preacher was a great series as well - dark & funny.

I just finished the first two izombie (iZombie, Vol. 1: Dead to the World) books, and while the premise was interesting I didn't love them.

The Angel and Buffy series both really waned for me...

Jury is still out on Morning Glories, Volume 1...

Also collecting The Stand: Captain Trips, but have only read the first few so far.

Okay... I think that list is long enough!!

Mathieu wrote: "Eb Brubaker will be releasing in January a new comic via Image Comics ans it's a supernatural crime story. It should be good, as per Bru's standard.

http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/10......"

I'm looking forward to that. I've really enjoyed Brubaker/Phillops's work.

I've been out of the comic book reading for years eever since I lost my store to a bad guy. I loved the Verotika Comic books. Grub Girl was always cool.

Hellucination

Stephen wrote: "I've been out of the comic book reading for years eever since I lost my store to a bad guy. I loved the Verotika Comic books. Grub Girl was always cool.

Hellucination"

I got into Verotik right when they started up. They were publishing work by Tim Vigil who I had followed for a long time. His art is very detailed and extremely erotic and violent.
They also published Sunglasses After Dark which is based on the books by Nancy A Collins and those ARE FANTASTIC! The artwork is by Stan Shaw who I met in Seattle when he released his own comic 'Billy Nguyen'. It is hard to find but worth the search.

I loved Vigils work. Shame, he never finished EO, That was a great book. You ought to see one of the limitd edition prints I still have from a splash page from Faust. I'm actually friendsw with Hart Fisher who used to do Boneyard press back in the day. Lady Death, I made a killing with back in the day.

Johnny the Homicidal Maniac is worth the pick up. Shame the industry imploded as far as collectible.

I think our tastes are very close. I picked up Faust as soon as each issue came out and then went after all his other work.
I met Hart Fisher in Seattle or was it Portland? San Francisco? Hmmm.

Still have the first Lady Death series.

I read Johnny too. fun book.

As far as collectible, at first I admit I got into it. Helped pay for food and drink during college!
But later, I couldn't care less. I was getting into the more esoteric and underground comics. I read for the story AND the art. I can't deal without both. A good story can be ruined by bad art and vice versa.

I had a few friends from college who went into comics. Dev Madan who later started his own gaming company (and sold out) and a very good friend is Justin Norman (aka Moritat) who has been doing the art on Elephantmen and some other stuff for DC, DH, Marvel, etc.

Another artist/writer worth looking at is Matt Howarth, best known for "Those Annoying Post Bros." His artwork (B&W) is phenomenal with all the various techniques.

Man, I really could go on and on. Haven't talked comics with anyone for ages.

Last thing. The comics/graphic novels I tend towards anymore are the small press, dark, twisted stuff. Especially B&W. If you can draw in B&W, you can do anything. Way to often color is used to cover up a lack of skill.
Oh yeah, I used to colorize comics back in the day too and edit and ink...

Brett wrote: "Another artist/writer worth looking at is Matt Howarth, best known for "Those Annoying Post Bros." His artwork (B&W) is phenomenal with all the various techniques."

I love Howarth's work - I have a number of his little self-published comics from before SAVAGE HENRY and POST BROTHERS started, little hand-made albums sleeves, etc.

I often wonder how he's doing and whether he can still afford to keep up hi music obsession. I'm not as big a fan of buying his newer stuff released in digital form - not because of content, but because of form....

I first found him through his Post Brothers but like you, went more for his other stuff. I still have a story he did for Heavy Metal a long time ago where the technique he used was amazingly well done and fit the story perfectly. (now I just have to remember the name of it)
As for music, I bet he has kept up on it. An obsession of music is unshakeable.

His website,
http://www.matthowarth.com/

Love B&W books... I was a sucker for bondage faireis. If you finished me book... you know what happened to my collection. :-(

Had a Amazibng spider man # 1 but sold it. Preacher, transmetroploitan... Good friend with Ethan Van Sciver... I have tons of original artwork from cyberfrog, lots of splashes and covers. LOL

Wow, I met Ethan, but not often enough to be considered friends. Have most of his Cyberfrog, some signed, but no original artwork. You bum!
I met, at least once, pretty much every comic person around Seattle and Portland at one time or another. Of course, I've been away from Seattle for about 10 years now. No fun on the east side of the state!

Brett wrote: "Wow, I met Ethan, but not often enough to be considered friends. Have most of his Cyberfrog, some signed, but no original artwork. You bum!

I actually have the ultimate splashpage for cyberfrog. It's his origin page where he's a frog and turns into cyberfrog. LOL It's supposed to be coming out again some time... Also have a cover fro Creed from back in the day.

I'm envious. Have both comics still in my collection. Now I will have to go dig them out to read again.

LOL... I lost EVERYTHING except for my original artwork and I mean everything! Did you finish my book yet? Looking forward to your take on it.

Stephen wrote: "LOL... I lost EVERYTHING except for my original artwork and I mean everything! Did you finish my book yet? Looking forward to your take on it."

Too bad. I feel for your loss.

Haven't finished your book yet. Sorry. Had to finish Maberry's latest (Dead of Night: A Zombie Novel) first and it's a good one...as usual.

I'm getting into yours now.

Sweet... didn't know cause I got 5 stars from you already. LOL

I lost my 1st appearance of the freaking Justice League!!!!! Still pissed off about that!

Don't be sorry. I deal with movies and their a lot easier for revies since their 90 minutes long. I'm actually doing a comic book show in December in Florida. Haven't done one of those in a LONG TIME!!! I have tons of horror dvd's plus the book and between you and me. LOL I wrote a joke book for fun, getting ready for Hellucination via self pub route.

Can't tell you it... I get death threats for it. LOL Really!

I must have messed up by rating your book already. LOL. I usually try to read them first. Oh well, from what I've seen so far, the rating will stand.

I haven't been to a con since the Portland con in 1990. Christ! I can't believe it's been so long! Time really does get away from you.

Death threats?! You must be doing something right!

I'd recommend any of the Mike Mignola written/drawn books (Hellboy, B.P.R.D., Witchfinder, Baltimore, etc.)

The Vertigo/DC title AMERICAN VAMPIRE is excellent, with a nice take on vampires. Stephen King wrote a back-up story in the first half-dozen issues, which have been published in TPB. Scott Snyder is a great writer and I'd recommend his current SWAMP THING book as well.

I read recently and really liked the art.

I've been reading Witchfinder:Lost and Gone Forever. It's been such a long time since I bought a real comic book that I didn't realize there were two series in this title. I've read one and two and have to get the other 3. Man those books are a lot more expensive than from I remember... but then I can remember buying them for 25 cents. I've started reading Wimberly's Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes. I've yet to read Planet of the Apes 1 only to find out that the rest are sold out at TFAW. I also have issue 1 of H.P.L.'s The Dunwich Horror. Well it's turkey day and I'm off so I better get pounding on these comix.

Yeah, cost, the main reason I stopped collecting comics. When I can get a book for the same price and it will fill up several hours of time while a comic is 30 minutes max....
I buy graphic novels now when I can. I like those better anyway.

I didn't know the Witchfinder had two series either. I guess I haven't been keeping up on comics as much as I used to. So thanks a lot Phil, now I have to track it down too!

Some Lovecraft comics have been mentioned, but I don't think anyone's said H.P. Lovecraft's The Haunter of the Dark and Other Grotesque Visions, which had some really excellent artwork. Otherwise, I think everything I thought of has been said.

I don't know, I read some Lovecraft comics where the art was terrible IMO.
The book you mention is so different it doesn't even count. The art is fantastic and the stories aren't half bad either.

I haven't read any other Lovecraft comics, but that doesn't really surprise me. There's a talent to visually representing the look and feel of Lovecraft, and not too many people have it.

Kind of like film. there is the TV film 'The Dunwich Horror' with Dean Stockwell that came out in 2009. They tried and got some of the basics right, but overall, it was horrible, IMO.

There was an earlier version from 1970 that I have never seen. Can't find a copy. It will be quite dated, but I'd sure like to see it. Believe it or not, Dean Stockwell was in it too! Think maybe Stockwell is a fan of HPL?

Oh wow! Just watched the original 1970 trailer on You Tube. It's worth it just to see Stockwell young in the '70's! Wow!

Brett wrote: "Yeah, cost, the main reason I stopped collecting comics. When I can get a book for the same price and it will fill up several hours of time while a comic is 30 minutes max....
I buy graphic novels ..."

Brett what other comics do you read?