Issue: Night of 1,000 Wolves #1
Writer: Bobby Curnow
Artist: Dave Wachter
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Release Date: May 2012
Price: $3.99

“In the Dark Ages, the tranquil life of Harrick Benjyon and his family is shattered by unthinkable tragedy. Before they can react, the family find themselves under seige by hordes of wolves with one aim. Death. A race for survival becomes all the more impossible by the arrival of the supernatural… and the dark secrets that lie at the heart of the Benjyon family. Another classic horror tale from the company that brought you 30 Days of Night and Locke & Key!”

Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5
I’ll make this review simple… BUY THIS BOOK! Night of 1,000 Wolves sprints right out of the gate and never slows down. The artwork by Wachter is so consistent on the characters, which leads to some gnarly looking wolves to the drop dead GORE-Geous monster wolf (still not sure if it is a werewolf yet) at the end. He nailed this book. Matter of fact I want a large poster of that final page, it was just so damn awesome. Like I mentioned, the story crafted by Curnow never skips a beat. His pacing is perfect for a first issue. He grabs you by the throat at the start, loosens up a little in the middle just to tease you, and then finishes you off at the end. The dialogue is perfect and the mystery is just beginning to unravel. From the start this is one horrific tale that you will grab you and not let go. I was not expecting this, but I am damn sure glad I got it. Can I have issue #2 now?

Artwork: 5.0 out of 5 • Story: 4.5 out of 5

If you would like to buy or know more about Night of 1,000 Wolves you can find it at http://www.idwpublishing.com

Gary Reed’s DEADWORLD returns in a weekly miniseries!

 
San Diego, CA (May 9, 2012) – This August, IDW Publishing is proud to announce the return of original co-creator Gary Reed’s classic zombie series Deadworld! When vicious masses of undead monsters have taken over the planet, desperate humans cling to hope while warring factions of uniquely sinister zombies conspire against each other. Deadworld is a zombie tale unlike any other and a horrific and thrilling world that is decades in the making and unique unto itself.

“It seems like everything with Deadworld over the years is culminating towards this storyline, yet at the same time, it is an opportunity to introduce new readers to the Deadworld saga. That’s why I’m so excited about this series, as it accomplishes both” said co-creator Reed.

Deadworld has seen a number of different formats and volumes over the years, but Reed’s collaboration with artist Sami Makkonen, Deadworld: War of the Dead will be hitting comic shop shelves in a particularly thrilling fashion this August. War of the Dead will be released weekly in every one of August’s five weeks!

Five issues of grim and terrifying zombie action in one month? What could be better?

Oh, that’s right, five issues of Deadworld in horrifying, skull-crushing full-color! For the first time!

As a bonus salvo in IDW’s August Deadworld onslaught, Deadworld Classic Volume 1 and Volume 2 will be offered again; as well as the hit Deadworld: Last Siesta TPB!

About Gary Reed
Gary Reed was the publisher of Caliber Comics, an independent comic company that gave a chance to many of today’s top comics talents. Reed has written over 200 comics and graphic novels from publishers such as Caliber, Image, IDW, Simon & Shuster, Penguin, and others. He was also Vice President of McFarlane Toys when the company launched in 1993. He currently is publisher of Transfuzion Publishing which has released nearly 30 graphic novels over the last four years and is launching Binary Press this summer. www.garyreed.net

About Sami Makkonen
Finnish artist Sami Makkonen is probably best known from his work for Eisner Award nominated Hatter M. graphic novel series volume 2 and 3. Makkonen has also illustrated graphic novels Blue and Deadworld Slaughterhouse, CD-covers and magazines. He is now concentrating to Hatter M. vol. 4 -The Zen of Wonder and a new a full color Deadworld series, War of the Dead. .Sami is a recipient of the Sarjis award for bestc omic writer and illustrator. http://www.samimakkonen.com

Issues: Hoax Hunter’s #1
Writers: Michael Moreci, Steve Seeley
Artist: Axel Medellin, Tim Seeley (c)
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: July 2011
Price: $2.99

“The acclaimed backup begins its own series! A rash of mass animal deaths leads the Hoax Hunters to the Louisiana bayou. What they find is a mystery that harkens to Jack’s past – and a dangerous cryptid bent on revenge!”

Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5
There are three things that one can do to easily win me over with a comic book. One of those things is to have the story take place in the Louisiana swamps, and guess what issue did that, Hoax Hunters #1. Spinning out of the back up stories in Hack/Slash, and then being collected into issue #0, we join the team as they embark to solve a mystery in the swamp. No this is not like Scooby Doo, it is better. I openly welcome artist Axel Medellin into the family because he nailed this issue. His panels were consistent and he created one of the most GORE-Geous swamp monsters I have ever seen. Moreci and Seeley are on top of their game with this issue. If you missed the #0 issue you don’t have to worry, because they cover some good back story here. They also move forward with great pacing and some killer mystery that is left to unfold. Hoax Hunters is simply put, a fun read that plays with monster mythos. Hell I could easily just call this the baby of Scooby Doo and Proof. A great first issue and there is still more to come, I mean come on, lets get to the carnival already!

Artwork: 4.5 out of 5 • Story: 4.5 out of 5

If you would like to know more about Hoax Hunters please go to http://www.imagecomics.com/

Are you ready for the Zombie Invasion? On May 30, 2012 IDW Publishing will be releasing Zombies: The Chilling Archives of Horror Comics Vol. 3 by Craig Yoe and Steve Banes.



From the banned 1950s horror comics that Dr. Fredric Wertham of the U.S. Senate and mothers didn't want innocent children to devour comes a terrifying and timely anthology of comics of the undead... Zombies. These gruesome mini-masterpieces are hauntingly delineated by some of the Golden Age's greatest artists: Jack Cole, Bob Powell, Howard Nostrand, Wally Wood, Gene Colan, Lou Cameron, Reed Crandall, and others at their very best. The nightmarish scripts of the unstoppable living dead will make your spine freeze over in terror! Edited and designed by Eisner winner Craig Yoe with an introduction by the host of the popular "The Horrors of It All" vintage comics blog, Steve "Karswell" Banes, Zombies follows in the footsteps of the "Dick Briefer's Frankenstein" and "Bob Powell's Terror" as the third not-to-be-missed book in The Chilling Archives of Horror Comics! As with the entire line of Yoe Books, the reproduction techniques employed strive to preserve the look and feel of expensive vintage comics. Painstakingly remastered, enjoy the closest possible recreation of reading these comics when first released.

You can pre-order it now at Amazon.com

Issue: Frankenstein Alive, Alive! #1
Writer: Steve Niles
Artist: Bernie Wrightson
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Release Date: May 2012
Price: $3.99

“Few works by comic-book artists have earned the universal acclaim and reverence that Bernie Wrightson’s illustrated version of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein was met with upon its original release in 1983. Nearly 30 years later, Wrightson returns to his passion project with a comic series that picks up at the end of the classic novel, hailed as one of the greatest horror stories of all time. Frequent Wrightson collaborator Steve Niles provides the script for this epic, decades in the making. While appearing to be in black and white, each page was scanned in color to mimic as closely as possible the experience of viewing the actual original art, showing off the exquisitely detailed brush work of one of the greatest living artists in comics today. Each issue will also include supplemental materials, including interviews, essays and a serialization of the original prose story by Shelley.”

Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5
Please hold, my eyes are still drooling from these GORE-Geous pages. Wrightson just blew my visual system right out of the back of my head in this first issue of Frankenstein Alive, Alive! #1. Every single panel in this book is a masterpiece, as a matter of fact, think of this issue as a $4 art gallery that you are privileged to take come in and enjoy. The black and white is so crisp and clean, and I don’t recall if I said this yet, but it is GORE-Geous! The story by Niles is so poetic that it moved me. Granted I can’t move far unless a strong gush of wind comes my way, but this story really took a look into the soul of the Monster. I will admit, it did take 2 reads for me to fully catch everything, in terms of the order of the events that were happening, but it just meant I got to enjoy the hell out of this twice. The horror elements seem to be more about internal suffering than anything else, and it works. From the artwork to the story, this book is a winner. It will make you want to go get the first round by Wrightson and read it again, and then you will come back and read this again, until it all becomes one vicious cycle that consumes you. Then you will create your own Monster to do your bidding so you can keep enjoying this over and over again. A MUST BUY!

Artwork: 5.0 out of 5 • Story: 4.5 out of 5
 

If you would like to buy or know more about Frankenstein Alive, Alive! you can find it at http://www.idwpublishing.com/

Issue: Dead Reckoning: Contagion issue #2
Writer: Z.M. Thomas
Pencils: Cliff Richards
 Publisher: Trepidation Comics
Release Date: January 2012
Pages: 28
Price: $3.99

“With the resurgence of what is believed an evolved strain of the 1918 Spanish Influenza strikes South Eastern Asia, a Chinese pharmaceutical company along with the Epidemic Intelligence Service and CDC are on a race against time to create a cure and prevent a future global pandemic. But when the new vaccine begins to bring the dead of those infected back to life, the military places the entire city of Minneapolis under quarantine.”

If you would like to buy or know more about Dead Reckoning: Contagion please check out http://www.trepidation-comics.com/

Issue: Bela Lugosi’s Tales from the Grave #2
Creators: Rick Baker, Kerry Gammill, Mike Hoffman, Sam F. Park, Jack Herman, Mike Dubisch, Joe Freire, Michael Leal, Kamil Kochanski, Neil Vokes, James Groman, Tom Smith, Nik Poliwko,  Mark Owen, Linda Miller
Publisher: Monsterverse Entertainment
Release Date: May 2012
Price: $4.99

“A strange, pop-eyed sailor is released from a sunken ship after over 70 years; all who look into the eye have their souls sucked out! A masked Mexican wrestler battles a chupacabra to rescue a lady in distress. Film experts discover the horrible secret of a lost werewolf film. Dr. Vornoff builds a mechanical man to help him conquer the world. And a busboy learns of bizarre tastes working in a obscure Chinese restaurant serving dishes that are out of this world.“

Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5
Anthologies, the life blood of the horror comics industry. The foundation to which the genre was built off of, still has such a solid base when you know that Bela Lugosi’s Tales from the Grave is part of that great tradition. I can’t lie to you review reader, it is very difficult to review anthologies, when you figure that you are getting 3+ stories that all have a different story telling and artistic style. So not everything will appeal to everyone. Issue #2 of BLTFTG has to have been written just for me, because I enjoyed every second of every single story. The artwork in this issue starts off at such a high level thanks to the cover by Academy Award winner Rick Baker, but each story and pin-up does nothing to lower the bar. I thought that “Strange to the Finish”, “Lugosi’s Legends & Lore” and “Order In/Take Out Chaos” were the best of the bunch. Onto the stories, of those horror stories that just blew the doors off of one another. Hell I even liked the one about wrestlers! This is a great mix of monsters, that all compliment one another. Personally I have to tip my head to ”Order In/Take Out Chaos” and ” Claws of the Werewolf”. Everything about this issue screams old school horror meets new school approach. With the inclusion of an interview and the pin-ups this is a steal for only 5. I am beyond ecstatic that this issue is in my collection and I can not wait for more. There is a reason that Monsterverse Entertainment won a Ghastly Award and had so many nominees, they do horror right!

Artwork: 4.5 out of 5 • Story: 4.5 out of 5
 
Please note MV books are available in the UK via Hemlock Books. http://www.hemlockbooks.co.uk/
Comics from the MONSTERVERSE are NOW AVAILABLE at finer comic shops in the US and Canada and on Amazon.com! http://www.amazon.com/shops/monsterverse
MV books are also available in the US on Facebook via our Monsterverse Store at SHOP NOW. https://www.facebook.com/Monsterverse/app_135607783795
You can also download our books at iVerse, Amusedom and GRAPHICLY. Monsterverse on GRAPHICLY presents the best in modern horror stories told in the classic horror comics tradition. Publications include BELA LUGOSI’S TALES FROM THE GRAVE and the graphic novel series THE BLACK FOREST and THE FACELESS. Download now on your computer or mobile apps. http://graphicly.com/monsterverse

Issue: Zombie Chuck #2
Writer: Brian Fyffe
Artist: Brian Fyffe
Release Date: 2012
Pages: 32
Price: $5.00

“Chuck and Lily’s second adventure, in 28 pages of color printed on aged newsprint paper!”

Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5
Zombie Chuck is back, and ready to party for Halloween! I was so excited to get my hands on the second issue of this series from Brian Fyffe, that he avoided me for 2 whole days at C2E2, just to drive up my want level. Building off of the first issue, we now get Chuck in color. This adds to the overall concept and feel of ZC in such a good way. Being a book that is directed at all ages, like Casper would be, it is important to utilize all of the tools at your disposal to try to attract an audience, so the addition of color is a step in the right direction. I really love Fyffe’s style on the entire cast, and while I thought that I the werewolves would be the coolest looking characters in this issues, I have to go hands down to the Big Blue Monster. He is awesome! The designs on the cast are classic in horror nature, but so fun in context to the story. The story itself is full of horror and comedy. I really get this old sci-fi movie vibe from it as well. Movies that were meant to be scary at the time, but when watched now have this fun monster feel to them. The story is great for everyone and anyone and added with the amazing artwork, it makes this book a clear-cut winner. I really hope that at some point we can get more than 1 issue a year, but it’s always great to know that when I go to C2E2 I can pick up the next one. Zombie Chuck is worth all 500 pennies.

Artwork: 4.5 out of 5 • Story: 4.5 out of 5

If you would like to buy or know more about Zombie Chuck you can find it at http://www.fyffo.com

Issue: Product of Society #5
Creators: Jon Michael Lennon, Leo Perez, Chris Newman, B. Alan Hubbard, Lauren Burke, Andrew Dimitt, Don Hills, Kyle Lawler, Donovan Klingal, Josh Filer, Mat Festa, Thor Fjalarsson and Sarah Hollings
Publisher: CheeseLord Comics
Release Date: March 2012
Price: $5.00

“Synopsis An anthology of Earth’s most disturbed persons. Product of Society features comics covering all known genres from a wide be selection of upcoming indie talents. It is an echo chamber for the despair within the human soul that makes us all products of society.”

Dying Breath: 4.0 out of 5
Dirty, Smut, Filth, Trash, Horror GOODNESS! Each word can only bring 1 oz of justice to the pages of Product of Society #5. I want to start with the cover art because that is just GORE-Geous! I want a story based on whatever is going on there. And the back cover is magnificent! Like most anthologies this book is filled with varying art and story telling styles. I really think that every single artist in this issue is amazing in what they do. They all have a unique visual voice that might not look like it’s neighbor story, but they all play together so well. Visually this book is a winner. So how do the stories hold up? What I always seem to notice in an anthology is some kind a variance in what I enjoy, compared to something that just is not for me. I highly enjoyed 6 of the 8 stories in this book. I did find that some could use a little polishing on the dialogue, but overall it is a solid collection of tales. The highlights for me were “Re:Salvation”, “Moon Shits”, and “Her Eyes”. Out of all the stories these 3 were my favorites. Product of Society may be a mature title, but what is collected inside of it, is solid comic silver. Polishing up some of the edges for future issues will easily put this book in a gold class all on its own, it is worth every penny.

Artwork: 4.5 out of 5 • Story: 4.0 out of 5

If you would like to buy or know more about Product of Society #5 you can find it at http://cheeselordcomics.com/