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Published by: Dark Horse Comics
Released on: Aug. 16, 2014
Writer: various
Artist: various
Cover: Juan Ferreyra
Purchase at Amazon
Check out last issue's write up HERE
The latest installment Dark Horse's re-launch of the legendary comic anthology title brings more (although not nearly enough) ghastly tidbits of black-and-white horror. This issue's cover comes from Juan Ferreyra, who also illustrates the cover story “The Human Conditionâ€, a tale written by Paul Tobin. This is the same team who brought you the comic series Colder (click here to read about it), and are now working on their newest collaboration, Prometheus: Fire and Stone (click here to read about issue number one). Fans of Alien comic books will find it interesting.
“The Human Condition†by writer Paul Tobin and artist Juan Ferreyra. A depressed loser in life decides pills are the way out. Then they'll be sorry. Before he can swallow a handful of something, a man shows up in his bathroom to give him an “It's A Wonderful Life†sort of suicide intervention. The dude has an epiphany that is a soon shattered. Was it mentioned the Clarence character has a giant hole in his face and one hanging eye, courtesy a self-inflict gunshot blast to the kisser? Great stuff a great team and Juan's work looks fantastic in black-and-white.
“Arrangement of Skin†written by J. Torres, drawn by Ron Salas. An eccentric old codger brings his deceased Siamese cat to the best taxidermist the Victorian era had to offer. So pleased is he with the craftsman's work that he hires the man to do the same for his soon to be deceased dog. Being asked to put the dog down first and then do his work is a bit more than he is willing to do, but money talks and he does it. After he does the same with a horse he is offered even more money to go one step further. And it'll cost the taxidermist a lost more than it does the old man. It's a sick little tale with artwork that makes great use of shadow and gray tones.
“The Duel of the Monsters†by script by Archie Goodwin, art by Angelo Torres. Every issue has a reprint story and this one is no different, putting in a schlock tale from issue #7 (Warren Publishing, 1966). In a little Spanish village, a soldier becomes unnerved by a rash of murders in his area. The thing is, murdering is his other job, as he's a vampire, and someone is muscling in on his turf. It has to be a werewolf. He knows the culprit, and hunts him down. But as luck would have it, the spawn of the devil isn't the know-it-all he thinks he is.
This issue features a pinup in the front by Sergio Aragones. Uncle Creepy is getting married and the wedding photo he captured is insane. Also within the pages are one-page multi-panel gags featuring Uncle Creepy and his family. Like them or don't, there they are. The three stories that take up the bulk of the insides are all top-notch and come together to create a great issue. And look out for the next one…it's advertised as a 50th anniversary issue…can't wait!
