Rob reviews This Comic Is Haunted...
This Comic Is Haunted is the ghoulish new anthology from the folks over at The77 Publications. Welding the executioner's axe for this horror-filled anthology of the dead is Dave Heeley, who along with art director Andrew Richmond have become slaves to the mysterious 'Grey Phantom'.
With the Phantom offering their freedom in exchange for gathering a fiendish menagerie of writers and artists, Heeley and Richmond got to work.
Now with the finished article in our hands, it's time we gazed into the Grey Phantom's lair...
The Lodger (Jo Heeley, Ian Stoppforth)
Kicking things off is a superb suspenseful horror bought to us by writer Jo Heeley and artist Ian Stoppforth. The Lodger tells the tale of a simple council welfare check that soon turns strange.
Across this opening episode, we follow Council Housing Officer, Jan as she's called to the Helleston Estate - a seemingly normal block of flats. With a distraught tenant claiming that someone is in her flat, what does Jan find behind the door of flat 77?
Dear, Grey Phantom! As opening strips go, The Lodger shows a clear sign of intent!
Jo Heeley continues to shine as a writer, as she shows us a darker side of her imagination. Through this opening, we get a great introduction to the cast, a smudge of social commentary, and plenty of suspense as the horror slowly gains momentum in the background.
Meanwhile, Ian Stoppforth accentuates the foreboding by paying special attention to the cast's facial expressions, to then bathe everything within a cool-blue tone.
And as someone who lives in the shadow of a tower block...I'll be looking at the darkness in a different light!
The Drummer From Hell (Alan Hebden, Lee Milmore)
Alan Hebden brings us the music duo Steve and Maria as they struggle to make it big in Britain's "Swinging Sixties". Starting at the tumultuous ending of their latest gig - that brought the house down - Hebden then takes us back to a few months earlier. Pressured by their agent into finding a drummer, the duo happen across Norwegian, Vibeke Strøm - 'The Drummer From Hell'.
Different to any other drummer of the era, Strøm captivates the audience with her Siren-like ability - much to the impress of Maria and Steve. In attempting to convince Strøm to join them, Maria and Steve invite her back to their flat. However, someone is watching them from the shadows.
For me, The Drummer From Hell is exactly what 2000 AD's Cabalistic INC and The Diaboliks could have been if it was set in the sixties. Hebden captures the nostalgia of the era, then add a little heavy metal to the mix. The subtle magical hints such as Strøm's nickname and the disappearing crowd member, create a little bit of mystery. But, it's true that the ending that turns this one upside down.
Again, if you're a fan of Gordon Rennie's Diaboliks then Alan Hebden and Lee Milmore have you covered!
Hill Of The Dead (Bambos Georgiou, Gary Burley)
We next head off to the windswept hills of southern Scotland as two tribes go to war - but something more sinister is at play.
The Damnii and Epidii clans have both suffered massive losses in a war that seems to be never-ending. Surveying the aftermath of the most recent battle, Damnii warrior Ludan laments the war and the never-ending cycle of death to his group of warriors.
These thoughts are soon lost as suddenly another group of Epidii warriors attacks them. As sword clashes against sword, Ludan notices the cloaked figure of a single druid in amongst the crowd. Could this druid be the cause of the constant hymn of death that fills the air?
Bambos Georgiou takes us back to simpler times as Evil Dead meets Braveheart. Hill Of The Dead is a tale that's packed full of action, with a great twist at the end. Georgiou gives just enough exposition to keep the tempo flowing but doesn't bog down the tale with the who and why.
Meanwhile, Gary Burley balances the weighted combat with the supernatural element with some strong linework, and eerie use of colours.
Tina's Party (Catherine Wild, Andrew Richmond)
What can I say about Tina's Party? Well, it's certainly a party I wouldn't want to be invited to. Straight from the beginning of Catherine Wild's quaint village horror, you know it's going to be very strange. And it most certainly is...
Taking inspiration from being "the new girl" at school, Wild focuses on young teenager Claire who finds herself in that very position. Tasked with showing Claire around her new school is Sarah, the so-called school weirdo.
As Claire starts to feel the strain on former friendships and living in a different area, Sarah invites the youngster to her older sister's birthday party at the family's farm.
I won't spoil the conclusion as it's both unsettling as it is bloody fantastic. I have so many questions as to what I had just read. I had to read it again. If you're a fan of films such as Midsomer or even 2000 AD's Thistlebone then Tina's Party will be right up your street.
Andrew Richmond's style works brilliantly here and somehow makes Wild's script even more unsettling. And hats off for making sure simple that a scene of a man eating a sandwich was so creepy!
The Bones Of Winter (Dave Heeley, M. Marren)
A gloomy black & white tale of a drifter hitching a ride in the rain, soon turns into Alice In Wonderland as Dave Heeley and M. Marren tell the story of Jack - a loner with a gift, who's on the trail of his missing daughter.
The trail has led Jack back to his childhood home, a small village located near Glastonbury. After getting reacquainted with the village's quirky inhabitants (three men in a motorised bathtub, a sweet old lady with links to Jacks' past, and a Water Nymph), Jack is soon directed to a cave that goes deep under the village. It's also this cave where his sister went missing all those years back.
The Bones Of Winter is a bit of an odd tale that subverts the reader's expectations. Beginning totally in black & white, Marren starts to add splashes of colour as the more magical side to Heeley's script starts to take precedence. Come to the end of this first episode and it's a flush of bright colours, that's a stark contrast from its dreary beginnings.
Meanwhile, Heeley starts to introduce us to Jack and his life. We get to see insights into his family life, and that he's suffered plenty of tragedies that's seen him turn to alcohol to drown them out. While that would be good on its own, Heeley goes further by hinting that Jack has a few supernatural powers of his own. Just how this fits in with the village having its own "quirkiness" is still to be explained. However, I'm looking forward to seeing more.
Short Sharp Shocks: AAGH! Zombie (Lew Stringer)
Rounding this opening issue off is the talented Lew Stringer who's back with a simple one-page piece.
After finding a zombie lurking in the woods, a couple of hikers realise that the humble undead may not be as their reputation says. Soon the well-mannered zombie is off-signing autographs, but not everyone's convinced.
As always with Stringer's work, you know what your getting, and here it's no different. Stringer creates a simple light-hearted strip that's full of his signature narrative flair and some wonderful artwork. My only complaint is that I would have liked to see it sooner within the comics pages. But regardless, I'm glad it's here.
As opening issues go, This Comic Is Haunted sets itself off to a hauntingly good start. Dave Heeley and crew aren't strangers to creating comics, and this new anthology benefits from this experience. With highlights such as The Lodger, The Drummer From Hell, and (the very unsettling) Tina's Party fans of horror are in very good hands!
Rating: 9.5/10
This Comic Is Haunted is available now and can be purchased from The77 Publications online store by clicking here.
For more Haunted tales, why not check out my interview with Dave Heeley?
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Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev
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