Fear in Four Colors: Jason Starr's The Chill

By Paige MacGregor

Every girl wants her first time to be special, but for Arlana Flaherty, “special” doesn’t even begin to describe the first time she made love to her boyfriend, Martin Cleary. Unfortunately for this beautiful Irish lass, the Flaherty clan are the keepers of “The Chill”, an old and powerful magic that grants immortality to a select few for the price of innocent men’s lives. And Arlana’s father has a taste for everlasting life.

More than 40 years later, a serial killer is on the loose in New York City, and as the number of sadistic, ritualistic murders begins to add up, the NYPD and FBI hone in on a suspect: a beautiful young woman named Arlana. The problem? Every witness provides a different description of Arlana, a fact that makes sense to no one save a beaten-down Irish cop named Martin Cleary.

Award-winning novelist and screenwriter Jason Starr’s first foray into the world of comics has resulted in the 192-page graphic novel The Chill, first published in 2009 by Vertigo Crime, a sub-imprint of DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint. The Chill is a gritty, noir-style thriller illustrated by Mick Bertilorenzi. Like the silver screen adaptations of Raymond Chandler and other authors’ original noir fiction, Bertilorenzi brings Starr’s story to life in high-contrast black and white perfect for modern crime fiction like The Chill. The graphic novel’s visual style is reminiscent of newsprint, even down to the texture of the paper, and the result is a tableau that compliments Starr’s writing without detracting from the progression of his story.

Starr’s background as a novelist shines through, and is evident in the extent to which the characters are developed, the complexity of the story, and the twisted, unexpected ending. Even readers who believe they know how it will end as they make their way through the graphic novel will be surprised by the grotesque nature of Starr’s ending, which is so deeply disturbing as to be virtually unpredictable. The Chill is far from tame, as readers will discover as soon as they begin reading. It's rife with graphic nudity, gore and sex, but it is the fact that Starr addresses the subject of ritualistic murder, intrigue and sexual manipulation in such a head-on manner that sets The Chill apart from other graphic novels I have read.

While it is possible to read The Chill in a single sitting, this is not a light graphic novel. As previously mentioned, The Chill is 192 pages long, and the action doesn't stop for a second, even when Starr's characters are laying out exposition. Fans of horror comics and thrillers certainly will enjoy Jason Starr's crime drama, and I highly recommend picking up a copy, either directly from Vertigo Crime or from another comic book retailer.

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Fear in Four Colors: The Trick ‘r Treat Graphic Novel

By Paige MacGregor

Although I can’t answer the question of whether the comic adaptation of writer/director Michael Dougherty’s Halloween horror flick Trick ‘r Treat lives up to its cinematic counterpart (since I haven’t seen the movie), I CAN answer whether the 96-page Trick ‘r Treat graphic novel is worth the two-year wait that fans were forced to endure after the comic’s release date was pushed back from October 2007 to October 2009. The answer? No, Trick ‘r Treat isn’t really worth it.

I’m sure that members of the Trick ‘r Treat film’s cult following will enjoy Marc Andreyko’s Trick ‘r Treat adaptation, but as a reader unfamiliar with the film, I was confused by the multiple stories contained in the graphic novel. Originally, Trick ‘r Treat was scheduled to be a four-part comic series illustrated by Done to Death artist Fiona Staples. The four issues were scheduled to be released weekly in October 2007, the last issue appearing on Halloween. When Dougherty’s film was backlisted, however, the comic’s release was pushed back.

Subsequently, DC/WildStorm made the decision to release Trick ‘r Treat as a single graphic novel, written by Marc Andreyko (Manhunter, Torso), but featuring contributions from four different artists, including Fiona Staples. In addition to Staples, Gen13 artist Mike Huddleston, cartoonist Grant Bond, and The Curse of the Werewhale and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre artist Christopher Gugliotti were recruited to illustrate portions of Trick ‘r Treat, and in my opinion that might be the worst decision that was made by DC/WildStorm with regard to this particular graphic novel.

I was intrigued by the novel’s cover, which was created by the film’s concept designer Breehn Burns and depicts the now well-known Trick ‘r Treat character Sam in his signature costume, partially eaten pumpkin-shaped lollipop in hand. Unfortunately, beyond that I was disappointed. Had Trick ‘r Treat been published in four separate issues as originally intended, I think I would have liked the series better. Lumping four comic-book-length stories that are all based on the Trick ‘r Treat film but are illustrated in very different styles is not the best idea. For readers like me who enjoy some consistency in their graphic novels’ visual style, Trick ‘r Treat’s illustrations detract from the story by distracting the reader from the actions taking place on the page.

As such, I had to read through it several times to focus on the stories being told rather than on the visuals, and what I found was some rather uninspired writing. According to various sources, Marc Andreyko’s writing remains true to the Trick ‘r Treat movie script, which may be why the stories themselves lack imagination and emotion. Stories designed to be told using a combination of audio and visual means don’t always translate well into the written word, even with accompanying illustrations, and despite Andreyko’s best efforts the Trick ‘r Treat graphic novel falls flat.

I would only recommend this graphic novel to those who have seen and enjoyed the Trick ‘r Treat film, and even then I would do so with the disclaimer that I can’t speak to how well the comic captures the feel of the movie. Trick ‘r Treat fans may find that the graphic novel adaptation falls short for them, as well.

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High Moon: Werewolves. In the Old West. How Did I Not Like This??

I really, really wanted to enjoy Dave Gallaher and Steve Ellis' High Moon. I had been looking forward to it from back when I first reported on it. And yet, now that I've finished the bound first three chapters released in book form by DC's Zuda Comics, I am stunned to say that it held very little interest for me.

I fully realize I am in the small minority on this, and part of my excitement about it was due to the rave reviews. Gallaher and Ellis even won a Harvey Award for Best Web Comic with the series. And yet there I was, page after page, befuddled at my lack of engagement, until finally putting it down and trying to figure out what just happened.

Revolving around a former detective-turned-vigilante's investigations into a mysterious Texas town, High Moon gives us werewolves battling it out with cowboys and outlaws, plus some vampires thrown in for good measure. It has a certain Sergio Leone feel to it, which I'm guessing is what the creators were going for.

This sounds like a surefire recipe for success. And it isn't so much in the writing that the series falters. Gallaher has an interesting style, using a minimum of dialogue to convey a lot. He's also got a great concept on his hands, and takes some bold chances early on that impressed me. Rather, I think it's in Ellis' artwork that the book loses its way.

Some may blanch at this, but I've always felt that the artist has a lot more control over whether a comic works than the writer. The writer I equate with a screenwriter; but the artist, he's the director. He's the one that has to take a script and really sell it. And quite simply, Steve Ellis fails to do this.

Don't get me wrong, the man appears to be an excellent draftsman. His work is moody, visually stimulating, and he does a lot of interesting things with light and shading. His touch helps create an environment of Leone-esque Old West, with a kind of 1970s Heavy Metal sensibility weaved in.

Individually, his illustrations are great to look at, but here's where I turn into Curmudgeony Old-Scool Guy. There's a reason that Jack "King" Kirby is still considered by many to be the greatest comic book artist who ever lived. Certainly, there have been others since with a better grasp of realistic anatomy, a stronger sense of nuance and detail, a more evocative way with light and shade. But what sets Kirby ahead of the pack and always will are two things: His cleanness and purity of style, and most importantly, his impeccable sense of action and movement.

This is why I'll still take a Kirby, Steve Ditko, or Gil Kane over the Todd McFarlanes, Jim Lees and Rob Liefields of the world. A master like Kirby never forgot that comic books are illustrated narratives, and the most important thing is telling the story though the pictures, moving the story along in a dynamic way. He knew it wasn't about making a series of pretty individual pictures, especially if the story suffered because of it.

The problem with Ellis' work is that, taken as a whole, it does nothing but create total confusion. I'm a pretty bright guy, yet there were many points while reading High Moon where I couldn't have told you what the heck was even going on, where I had no grasp on the overarching story being told. And unfortunately, Gallaher's minimalist writing style gave all the leeway in the world to Ellis, putting the ball in his court to get the story across.

As part of DC's Zuda line of web comics, High Moon first came to life on the internet before being reprinted on paper. I can't be sure since I didn't see it in its original medium, but it's possible that something was somehow lost in translation. In short, this is a moody, evocative piece that looks great on the page and has some clever dialogue. Yet taken all together, read as a story, it fails.

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The Vault of Horror's Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide!

It's that time of year again, when we each come up with our fantasy "wish list" of horror goodies, and hope that our loved ones pick up the hint and get us something we want, instead of another bland stocking stuffer we have to pretend to be excited about. That's why I've gone to the trouble once again of putting together this special catalog of brand new horror-related gift ideas for Christmas, Hannukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, Festivus, or whatever.

Whether you print this out and hand it over to the folks buying you gifts this year, or if you're the woeful significant other of a horror freak trying to figure out what the hell to buy for them, I hope you find this useful...

Video

Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer - Blu-Ray, $17.98 (Big Blu-Ray releases are the order of the day this year. Sign of the times...)
Gremlins - Blu-Ray, $28.99 (The Dante/Spielberg '80s classic comes to Blu-Ray for its 25th anniversary.)
The Monster Squad - Blu-Ray, $19.99 (I confess this cult favorite has lost a bit of luster for me personally, but most from my generation go nuts for it. Here it is on Blu-Ray for the first time.)
Near Dark - Blu-Ray, $19.99 (Another, more deserved cult fave takes a Blu bow. And to think, there was a time when all prints were believed lost...)
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark - DVD, $19.99 (The sole DVD release I've included is of my personal favorite horror TV movie of all time. Believe it or not, this is Warner Bros.' first official DVD release in the United States.)

Books

English Gothic: A Century of Horror Cinema - Paperback, $32.95 (This acclaimed 2001 history of British horror films from the silent era to the 1970s has finally come to paperback. Yeesh, I wonder how much the hardcover cost!)
Saga of the Swamp Thing, Book 2 - Graphic novel, $24.99 (More of Alan Moore's groundbreaking run on DC's greatest horror character. I've got a review copy from DC that I can't to jump into. Yes, it's good to be me.)
Strange Suspense: Steve Ditko Archives - Graphic novel, $39.99 (An amazing collection encompassing the first few years of Ditko's work in comics, when he pumped out uncompromising horror tales, just prior to the inception of the Comics Code.)
Eerie Archives, Vol. 2 - Graphic novel, $49.95 (In addition to Creepy, Eerie was one of Warren Publications' innovative mag-sized horror comics of the 1960s and 1970s. This Dark Horse compendium collects more of the best of them.)

Toys

Last Night on Earth - Board game, $57.95 (A zombie survival board game. Pricey, but looks like a lot of fun.)
Arkham Horror - Board game, $59.99 (An even pricier, yet even more fun board game based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft.)
The Simpsons Tree House of Horrors Monopoly - Board game, $35.95 (I know, I know, we've all had enough of these themed versions of Monopoly, but I like this one, don't you?)
Edgar Allen Poe - Action figure, $12.95 (How cool is this? It even comes with a raven accessory...)
1954 Godzilla - Action figure, $15.25 (Bandai outdid themselves when they put out this 6-inch vinyl figure of Godzilla as he appeared in his original movie. A must-have for any G-fan.)

Music

The Definitive Horror Movie Music Collection - CD box set, $39.98 (This four-disc collection was just released last Halloween, and features the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra performing a vast array of beloved horror themes from movies such as The Omen, Young Frankenstein, Let the Right One In, The Thing, Poltergeist, The Haunting, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Exorcist and yes, Twilight.)

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New Constantine Graphic Novel One Hell of a Bore

Ian Rankin and Werther Dell'Edera's Dark Entries is the first piece of John Constantine fiction I have ever read. Maybe that might have something to do with how unimpressed with it I was, I don't know. I'm sure previous Constantine stuff would have to be much better, or else there would never have been a whole franchise built around the character. All I know is that DC Vertigo's latest hardcover release is nothing to write home about whatsoever.

It started out with a promising premise, about Constantine being recruited to investigate a reality series set in a supposedly haunted house. See, the producers are upset because it looks like the place may actually be haunted, and they can no longer control the show. Of course, it turns out to be far worse than that, and Constantine finds himself once again contending face-to-face with the minions of Satan.

It's all told in a very hard-boiled crime fiction style, courtesy of Rankin, a Scottish mystery novelist best known for his Inspector Rebus series. However, whereas it should have been taut and crisp, it fell completely flat for me--a series of boring interactions amongs the decidedly uninteresting contestants on the show, leading up to a tacked-on climax involving one of Constantine's previously damned adversaries returning for revenge.

Rankin has been writing for almost 25 years, but this is his first graphic novel, and I think that may be the whole problem. Whereas other crime novelists like Brad Meltzer have been known to take to the medium like fish to water, I don't think Rankin is one of them. Perhaps down the road he will learn the nuances of style and pacing in this very different format, but for now, Dark Entries stands as an initial, less-than-successful experiment.

Speaking of less than successful, I wish that I could say that the art of Italian penciler/inker Werther Dell'Edera saves the day, but it really doesn't. Though competent, Dell'Edera's work is far from engaging, and he comes off as just another Klaus Janson wannabe. If only the interior work could've been handled by the excellent Lee Bermejo, the long-time Hellblazer cover artist who also did the excellent cover here.

To be perfectly honest, Dark Entries was a bit of a chore to get through, but I soldiered through it in order to bring you this review. Aren't you grateful? Anyway, I would suggest avoiding it, unless you're a die-hard Constantine fan who must have some kind of insight that I apparently don't have.

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The Vault of Horror's Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide '09

In the midst of America's yearly tribute to gluttony and greed, the Thanksgiving/Black Friday weekend, I bring to you my second annual holiday season gift guide. This year, I've tried to focus on the items that might not be among the most obvious, but deserve attention. In other words, you don't need me to tell you to run out and grab Hellboy II or I Am Legend. But here are some ideas that you may have overlooked:

Video

Resident Evil 3-Pack - DVD, $29.95 (Blu-Ray elitists got this set earlier this year, but this is the first time DVD luddites can own the nu-zombie trilogy of RE, RE: Apocalypse & RE: Extinction. Available 12/9.)
Vampyr Special Edition - DVD, $39.95 (Not my cup of tea, but this last gasp of German Expressionism is a revered early favorite, with its first deluxe DVD treatment.)
Night Gallery Season 2 - DVD, $59.98 (The newly released second installment of Rod Serling's other landmark horror/sci-fi series.)
Oasis of the Zombies - DVD, $9.99 (This piece of Nazi/zombie trash, reissued for the first time since 2001, is worth seeing for a laugh. And wisely priced at under $10.)
Lights Out, Vol. 3 & 4 - DVD, $7.98 each (The long-awaited follow-up installments of one of TV's earliest horror series, based on the classic radio series of the '40s. Each DVD contains four episodes.)
Dark Shadows: The Beginning Vol. 6, DVD $59.98 (For the stark raving Dark Shadows fanatic in your life, this is the final collection of DS episodes from the earliest era of the soap, before Barnabas Collins showed up and changed the course of the series. Contains episodes 179-209, from the spring of 1967.)
The Terror - Blu-Ray, $11.98 (On Blu-Ray for the first time, it's Roger Corman's classic. See Boris Karloff and Jack Nicholshon on screen together!)
The Beyond - DVD, $24.95 (It's the spiffy new edition of Lucio Fulci's masterwork. Having just caught this gem for the first time, I can't recommend it highly enough to fan's of exploitation horror.)

Books

Sookie Stackhouse Boxed Set - Paperbacks, $55.93 (The seven books of Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire Mysteries, the inspiration for HBO's True Blood. Available for $39.15 at bn.com!)
Wolves at the Gate - Graphic novel, $15.95 (The third collection of Joss Whedon's history-making "Season 8" of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, told in comic book form.)
The Living Dead - Paperback, $15.95 (An excellent anthology of zombie fiction featuring stories by the likes of Stephen King, Joe Hill, George R.R. Martin, Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman, Harlan Ellison and Poppy Z. Brite. The hottest horror anthology on shelves today.)
Let the Right One In - Paperback, $15.95 (By Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist, translated into English by Ebba Segerberg. The novel that led to the movie of the same name.)

Toys

Flesh Eating Zombies - Action figures, $17.99 (A nine-piece set of hard vinyl, 3 1/4-inch zombie figures. Fun for the whole family!)
Cthulhu Plush Slippers - $36.99 (The price may be a bit steep, but what do you expect? Wearing Lovecraft's undying beast from beyond on your feet doesn't come cheap!)
Michael Myers Head Knocker - Bobblehead, $12.59 (It's a Michael Myers bobblehead. 'Nuff said.)

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The Vault of Horror's Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide

Yes, folks, the holiday season is drawing near once again! Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa/Winter Solstice/Festivus is almost upon us. And you know what that means. Peace on Earth? Good will toward men? Sure, all that stuff, too--but I'm thinking of gift guides. So I figured, why not put in my two cents, as well? Here's a look at some goodies that happened to catch my eye, for that special sicko in your life. I've organized them by release date:

11/20

• Nosferatu: Ultimate Edition - DVD, $29.95 (discussed here a couple days back)
• Stir of Echoes 2: The Homecoming - DVD, $26.98 (starring Rob Lowe; should be good for a laugh or two)
• Tremors - HD DVD, $29.98

11/21

• The Bride of Frankenstein - Paperback, $6.99 (Intriguing novel which postulates that the Bride wasn't destroyed at the end of the movie.)

11/25

• Demon Night - Paperback, $11.95 (new one from J. Michael Straczynski)

• The Essential Dracula - Paperback, $14.95 (annotated edition of Stoker's classic)
• The Essential Phantom of the Opera - Paperback, $14.95 (you get the idea)

11/27

• The Omega Man - Blu-Ray, $28.99 (100% Anglo-Saxon, baby!!)

11/28

• Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Panel to Panel - Paperback, $19.95 (a look back at ten years of Buffy in Dark Horse Comics)
• Hellboy Animated Vol. 3: The Menagerie - Graphic novel, $6.95

11/29

• The Fly & Other Horror Stories - Paperback, $10.54 (British anthology)
• Winter Moon - Audiobook (for the blind/lazy Dean Koontz fan!)

11/30

• Trashfiend: Disposable Horror Fare of the 1960s and 1970s - Paperback, $19.95

12/1

• The Hellbound Heart - Hardcover, $30.00 (20th anniversary edition of Clive Barker's masterwork)

12/4

• Carrie - DVD, $19.98 (Re-released as part of MGM's "Decades Collection", comes with a CD of some kind)
• The Last Man on Earth - DVD, $14.98 (a spiffy re-release to capitalize on the sure-to-be-vastly-inferior I Am Legend)
• 20 Million Miles to Earth - DVD, $24.96 (50th Anniversay edition)

12/5

• Batman: Vampire - Graphic novel, $19.99 (continuation of Doug Moench & Kelley Jones' compelling and unrelenting saga)
• Hellblazer: Bloodlines - Graphic novel, $19.99 (hopefully better than Hellraiser: Bloodlines!)

12/11

• Masters of Horror: Season 1, Vol. 4 - Blu-Ray, $29.98
• Silent Night, Deadly Night - DVD, $14.98 (back to piss off soccer moms nationwide once more!)

12/15

• Final Destination: Spring Break - Paperback, $17.99 (see: Stir of Echoes 2)

12/18

• The Evil Dead: Ultimate Edition - DVD, $34.98 (previously talked about here)

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