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Tags: Chiller TV, Netflix, Remains, Steve Niles, Zombie

 

Issue 17 of Clive Barker's Hellraiser sees the hit series from Boom Studios reaching a fever pitch as the story arc builds to an epic crescendo. Hell has come to earth as Pinhead/Elliot Spencer's plan comes to full fruition after his violent betrayl of The Harrowers. The world watches with horror as legions of the damned poor out of hell's portal to wreak their unholy perversions upon the innocent.

 

This most recent chapter is really an example of the new broad scope of the book. Not only are we treated to Kirsty and other familiar faces, but the book has reached beyond the original vision of the films as the Harrowers and even Harry D'Amour work to thwart Pinhead's ambitions of turning earth into a second home for the souls of the demented and lecherous that follow him. As Kirsty confronts her own demons and those of Spencer's past In hopes of finding the secret to defeat him, the world's governments prepare for the worst, enacting a last ditch effort that might be as disastrous as the ghastly consequences of Spencer's evil war on the flesh.

 

As always, the writing is solid here and although the metaphysics of Kirsty and Spencer's personal journeys might be a little too cerebral for new readers, fans of the book will nonetheless be turning the pages right up until the issue's cliffhanger ending. My only complaint lies in some uneven artwork as the book is a little inconsistent in quality from cover to cover. That doesn 't stop the brisk pace though and by the end I was clamoring for the next installment. Highly Recommended.

Tags: Clive Barker, Hellraiser, Pinhead

 

Horror Fix, the horror movie news and review site is expanding its focus to include the publishing of horror novels and horror themed comic books. To celebrate this bold new direction they have decided to give away their first full-length novel free to visitors. Nine Tenths is the first novel from Horror Fix author Ash Hamilton. 

In a world on the brink of destruction from demonic forces, a ragtag group of survivors travel across the remains of the United States in search of anything that can even the odds against their hellish pursuers.

Chapter 2 shifts focus to a larger group of refugees who are learning more about the difficulties of staying alive and holding on as the possessed come to add more numbers to their ranks. 

You can download the second chapter, Refuge, here.

 

Tags: Ash Hamilton, free horror novel, Nine Tenths, horror nove

Well to start with, my boss like to send me stuff to read, I in turn read them, kinda how the relationship works. This time though I was pleasantly surprised with White Devil.

This comic is written by Matt Evans and Andrew Helinski and drawn by Nate Burns.  What immediatly grabbed me was the art work. It seems to be done in ink...like ink pen. Having had a little drawing experience this is a BRAVE choice. The choice though works well to draw your eye to the page. This also creates a flow to the art and gives birth to some very beautiful and very graphic scenes. The writing is tight also. To me it feels very grounded in real life while exploring very foreign, creepy territory. They also dont worry about getting right to the blood, but do a nice job leading up to the shock...this can be rare these days. Overall i like this book very much..with just a few exceptions. Remember when i said the ink was a bold choice..well it is..but it also makes it very hard to distinguish figures and scenes at times. It also makes it very difficult to make things...well the same...what i mean is eyes seem to change size faces arent always the same...yada yada yada....I may very well just be a snob. Please do not get me wrong the art is way more right than wrong and i could see myself getting used to it very quickly and enjoying the style thoroughly. Soooo... after my rambling I say this is a good read and i really would like to see more and find out where this all is going. Pick it up, I think you will like it.

Tags:

Horror Fix, the horror movie news and review site is expanding its focus to include the publishing of horror novels and horror themed comic books. To celebrate this bold new direction they have decided to give away their first full-length novel free to visitors. Nine Tenths is the first novel from Horror Fix author Ash Hamilton. 

In a world on the brink of destruction from demonic forces, a ragtag group of survivors travel across the remains of the United States in search of anything that can even the odds against their hellish pursuers.

You can download the first chapter, Salvation, here

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Ty Schwamberger’s The Fields starts out with an introduction by Jonathan Mayberry, laying out the ground rules for zombie stories, those rules being that … there are no rules. Save maybe one, that zombie stories tell us more about ourselves than about the shambling undead on our heels. This was a wise choice, as, from the beginning, it’s clear that this isn’t the zombie story we’re expecting. It’s hard to say what exactly we’re expecting, but Schwamberger knows, and he exploits this knowledge, teasing the reader with one zombie cliché after another: the strange light from the sky, the backyard full of bodies, the zombie bite that may or may not have been a dream. The Fields makes explicit the subtext in any good zombie story: that the beasts reflect our own deepest fears of our time. Billy, the protagonist, fears losing the family farm. He fears not living up to his father’s expectations, at the same time fearing filling the old man’s shoes too well. Abraham, a mysterious visitor, shows up at just the right time to capitalize on Billy’s failing crops … for a price, of course. Abraham is easily the creepiest part of this book. His uncanny sneakiness, his sinister laugh, and a hint of mind-reading put me at unease from his first appearance. Abraham insists he is there to help – Schwamberger has expertly crafted a character just creepy enough to set your teeth on edge, but not creepy enough for the main character to be justified in turning down his promises of assistance. The setting is inherently spooky, too. Maybe it’s just me. I’m a sucker for rural settings. Add in a creaky old barn, some primitive farm implements, and a protagonist in worn overalls, and you’ve got my attention. Schwamberger sets the scene for us well. Unfortunately, while the story and the characters in The Fields were fine, the prose itself was a major distraction. A worse offense is that every few pages, Schwamberger seems to hit on a turn of phrase he likes, and repeats it to the extent that I wondered if I’d forgotten to turn the page. Sometimes repetition can form a pattern to drill in the importance of a scene. Here, it just gets boring. Couple this with the repetitive descriptions of Abraham and Billy’s father, add in a dash of over-long and unrealistic dialogue, and I think this promising concept would have been better suited to a short story. Overall I found this to be a great idea, with dynamic characters, that fails in the execution. Posted by HorrorFix contributor Sugar Shock.

Tags: Ty Schwamberger

"Oh Kirsty, what have you done?" Thats a very good question as you start to read this issue. To be honest I hadn't read any of this book yet and because of this issue I got the back issues and caught up in a matter of hours. These comics are actually a very compelling read. This issue shows you exactly how far Kirsty has been pushed and how far she is willing to go for her sweet revenge. The thing I really like about this series and this issue is that it conveys what real sorrow does to people and what it makes them want to do to be released from it. The really interesting thing is somehow the authors made me feel like she is somehow still winning by losing...or in fact maybe shes not losing at all. Good read and the art grows on you, I know it did me.

Tags: Hellraiser

I admit it. I scoffed at the iPad when it was first introduced. I thought it was nothing more than an oversized iPod touch and I was going to be damned if I was going to lay out that kind a money for an oversized iPod. Let's fast forward to me putting my foot right into my mouth so far that my big toe just gave a thumb's up to my proctologist. I love my iPad and over the course of the year it has all but practically replaced my laptop. Among the actual "productive" apps I have, I have a slew of horror themed apps and games to satiate my thirst for macabre. Add in a full library of books and even a horror trivia app and the iPad becomes a "love horror, will travel" device for me. The Uninvited is the first horror anthology magazine for the iPad and when the office here at HorrorFix heard about we couldn't wait to get our little bloodstained hands on it. I have always been a fan of horror anthology books, magazines and comics. Tales from the Crypt, Eerie, Shock Suspense Stories and Heavy Metal comprised the bulk of my high school study hall reading materials (reprints, gents... I'm old, but I'm not fartin dust yet). I've always loved the idea of being able to explore a wealth of different worlds and styles all within the same binding. So, I ditched second hour home-ec, fired up my favorite contraband smoke under the bleachers and bathed in the electronic glow of Apple's little wonder for my first foray into the digital horror anthology arena. I have to give The Uninvited kudos for its look and its attention to aesthetics. The Uninvited is a nice looking app and a very graphic centric app for something intended to be read. It is the look of The Uninvited that effortlessly leads you into its electronic pages and lets you settle comfortably within its binary dust jacket. The stories within The Uninvited are every bit as polished as its exterior, and although you might not recognize some of the names, that doesn't detract from its quality. The Uninvited brings us five horror stories in this, its first issue, two of which are comic book stories. The comic stories, in fact, might be enough of a drawcard to get The Uninvited its audience, but it is its middle addition, The Most Beautiful Girl, that is truly its standout piece. Anthologies, as much as I enjoy them, often make it difficult to let a store or idea linger. Dealing with short stories or episodic tales, by the time the ball gets rolling, its time for it to come to an abrupt halt, making most anthologies a mixed bag for many. If The Uninvited suffers from anything, it is the format itself. The Most Beautiful Girl feels the most complete of the yarns that the app spins and its author (Mark MacKenzie) probably has the firmest grasp of the short story template. The Devil's Eggs (the first of the two comic pieces) should also be mentioned in its accomplished illustrative style and Lovecraftian storytelling. With more ups than downs, The Uninvited is a nice addition to the App Store and I'm anxious to see what the next installment brings us.

Tags: IPad horror apps, The Uninvited

Gore #2 by GG Studios. Written by Alex Crippa. Drawn by Emilio Laiso. $2.99. First off, the girl on the cover of issue two is the "evil" version of Cinderella. Like I said in issue one, the art is worth getting this title alone. With that being said, I am glad I was right. In this issue the story seems to come together better. Less "setting the stage" and more telling a story, and it is getting better. Cinderella is one brutal bitch in this comic, and that is being nice. She calls rats to eat a girl alive after she had cut off the head of her boyfriend and cut off her feet. Definitely not the Cinderella I remember. The author is getting in his stride and doing a good job at developing the characters in this second installment. If he keeps this up, but the time the series is over he will have a pretty unique story. The artist once again shines in the title, bringing the "evil" storybook characters to life. The action and panel structure is really thought out and makes the story flow much better than in the first issue. Seeing as how I really liked the art style of this book, I'm glad that the story has caught up to the art. That is not to say it is still the best thing I have read, but it is getting better. Follow @Anoriginaldick originally posted by contributor AnOriginalDick

Tags: Gore

American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest by Vertigo/DC Comics. Written by Scott Snyder. Drawn by Sean Murphy. $2.99. Five Issue Limited Series. Once again Scott Snyder brings a new twist to his new world that is inhabited by his brand of vampire. Still set in the 1940's, this story focuses on Cash McCogan, the former sheriff of Las Vegas and Felicia Book, the daughter of the Jim Book the sheriff that brought Skinner Sweet down when he was alive. You find out that Felicia was effected by Jim Books blood and isn't a vampire but has some of the abilities that they do. She has been trying to cure herself of the blood that courses through her. The Vassals of the Morning Star find a botanist that may have found a cure for Vampirism and want them to go get the guy. Again Scott Snyder brings a very detailed and interesting storyline that delves deeper into the world he is creating with the influence of vampires. New to the book is Sean Murphy as the artist. Just off a limited series involving John Constantine, he is definitatly an addition to the art team of the book, even to the point that if he tookl over the book as the artist not many would complain. This limited series is a definite read if you want to get even deeper into the world of Scott Snyder or just simply like a really good vampire comic. Follow @Anoriginaldick originally posted by contributor AnOriginalDick

Tags: American Vampire