Cutting Through The Pages #1

A Look Into The Realm Of Horror Comics

In all the time I’ve spent writing for this site, it occurred to me that I never took the opportunity to discuss one of my favorite forms of entertainment: comic books. I’ve been reading comics for as long as I can remember, & there’s a plethora of horror-based graphic novels out there that deserve recognition. So, I’ve decided to talk a little about three comics that I’ve read that I think are worth your time.

Nightmare World

Written by Dirk Manning

Illustrated by Various

Published by Shadowline/Image Comics

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Starting off as a web comic, Dirk Manning’s Nightmare World was eventually collected in three volumes for those who prefer to have their comics in graphic novel form. But that’s beside the point. The point here is that this series is one of the most original, entertaining, thought provoking, & fun horror comics I’ve read in the past five years. It consists of short stories that at first glance are completely separate from one another, but as you read deeper in, slowly start to connect themselves. In the process, it reveals a larger picture that keeps growing with every chapter until it all comes to an unusual yet satisfying conclusion. You will miss things at first, so multiple reading is recommended. The art, done by multiple artists, is really appeasing to the eye. I can’t name one story in here that had bad art, which is obviously a really good thing. Each of the stories is wonderfully written, & the dialogue in each flows really well. I could get into the basic story of the series, but that would ruin so much. If you love horror comics & are looking for a great read, this will surely not disappoint.

 

Curse of the Wendigo

Written by Mathieu Missoffe

Illustrated by Charlie Adlard

Published by Dynamite Entertainment

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I can get a little deeper into this one! For those of you that don’t know, the “Wendigo” is a spirit in Native American folklore that is known for its insatiable appetite for flesh. Basically, any man who resorts to cannibalism is a suitable vessel for the spirit to possess & turn into a frostbitten, impossibly thin, razor-toothed abomination that exists only to devour any unlucky being that happens to cross paths with it. It could be seen as a warning against greed, but I digress.

Mathieu Missoffe’s Curse of the Wendigo follows a group of French soldiers (& one Native American for reasons explained in the book) during World War 1 as the search for an assailant that’s picking them off one by one. Turns out, that assailant just might be a Wendigo, & that the hardened troops might have bit off a little more than they can chew. The art in the book is well done, & the writing is pretty solid. Being only about 50 pages, it’s not a long read, but it sure is an entertaining one.

 

The Vessel of Terror

Written by Magnus Aspli

Illustrated by Dave Acosta

Published by Magnus Aspli & Markosia Enterprises

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This is probably the creepiest story out of this whole bunch. Consisting of five comics, Magnus Aspli’s The Vessel of Terror follows a group of marine biologists that captures a live Magnapinna squid, the first ever caught by mankind. Soon after they haul it aboard their ship, however, strange things begin to happen. Things involving mutilation & possession, mind you. Spliced between all this are flashbacks follow a plague doctor during the days of the Black Plague. While attempting to keep his faith, he struggles with the belief that a darker force is at work behind the scenes. How are these two stories connected? Well, that’s up for you to read & find out.

What I initially thought was just going to be a story of a killer squid on a boat is actually a Lovecraftian tale that emphasizes that there are things beyond our comprehension. To be honest, I’ve read this comic multiple times, & I still don’t quite understand all of it. That being said, I discover new things every time I give it a read. The storytelling is superb, & the art is just beautiful. The look of the squid is as majestic as it is terrifying, truly something alien to the human eye. If you had to read any of the recommendations from this list, this is definitely it.

Each one of these series is a great read. If you have the time, check them out. I assure you that you won’t be disappointed!

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  • Film Phreak
    28 March 2015 at 9:11 am - Reply

    have you checked out the horror from archie comics? afterlife with archie and the chilling adventures of Sabrina? serious horror titles. also, dark horse is about to release predator vs archie. AND, DH is currently releasing the Grindhouse comic series.

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