Rob Liefeld sends himself a love letter in this volume of Deadpool Team-Up: Blood of the Dragon. Having pissed off a cadre of ninjas, Deadpool opts toRob Liefeld sends himself a love letter in this volume of Deadpool Team-Up: Blood of the Dragon. Having pissed off a cadre of ninjas, Deadpool opts to undertake a quest for dragon eggs that will wipe his slate clean. Naturally, this being a team-up book, the mission adds a few guest stars along the way. First up is Dragon Lord, who is the keeper of the eggs and resident master of the aforementioned large lizards. Wolverine and Lady Deadpool tag in, while the Hulk gets a chance to roar and punch for about an issue. Honorable mention Crystar gets a shot at the spotlight before being quickly forgotten; Cable and a futuristic Spider-Gwen also pop up for cameos. With the status quo of the future restored, Deadpool heads off on new adventures. Rob Liefeld throws everything but the kitchen sink at one of his final Marvel Comics appearances, and that is meant literally. Not only does Liefeld pencil a jumbled script of action scenes and one liners, but his trademark oddball anatomy is on display across each chapter. Topping it off, he even has one of the X-Soldiers unmask - calling himself Rob and sporting a certain artist’s likeness. Fans of the man will enjoy this send off, but those who have followed his works know that this was all just a ploy to remind people who created Deadpool over thirty years ago. Deadpool Team-Up: Blood of the Dragon is a swan song to Rob Liefeld, leaving readers to do with that what they will....more
Jeremy Adams and Amancay Nahuelpan team with a host of writers and artists for the second volume of the latest Green Lantern series, entitled Love andJeremy Adams and Amancay Nahuelpan team with a host of writers and artists for the second volume of the latest Green Lantern series, entitled Love and War. The opening issue flashes back to Hal’s last assignment for the United Planets, leading to Kilowog’s death and his decommissioning back to Earth. Inspired by Razer to get back into space, Hal heads to Spain and the source of his newest ring - a secret power battery left in the care of his old ally Tom Kalmaku. Given a new ring, Hal charges up and joins the battle for the Corps. Learning of the new Lanterns able to shift spectrum colors, Hal naturally leaps into the fray; his rashness does provide a momentary victory for the Earth-based Lanterns and their few allies. Yet the attempt to share their story of the United Planets’ corruption leads to a near-total loss. The only hope now lies in a recharged Carol Ferris, who escapes with Hal back home. Each book also has a small backup feature to highlight the other Green Lanterns: Guy is sent after Lobo, Kyle is breaking down along with the emotional spectrum, Jessica is playing double agent, and Jo is trying her bets to keep everything together. The main plot from Adams is still a bumpy ride, often jumping from scene to scene without giving characters time to breathe. The new status quo established last volume is already out the window in favor of another color-coded space opera. The miniature tales also reduce the main page count, shortening the story’s length and thus presenting readers with a whole host of undigested information at once. Nahuelpan does well with the ever-shifting backdrops, but he is overwhelmed with all of this plotlines. Green Lantern: Love and War is fighting all the wrong battles in all the wrong places....more
R.O. Kwan and Garth Greenwell collaborate to pick a selection of tales dealing with human sexuality in their anthology Kink: Stories. Linked by a so-cR.O. Kwan and Garth Greenwell collaborate to pick a selection of tales dealing with human sexuality in their anthology Kink: Stories. Linked by a so-called abnormal need for connection, the tales curated within these pages emphasize the overarching desire for understading. The opening gambit, The Cure, sees a woman take control of her own pleasure by denying her companion his own. Two men meet for a domineering birthday hookup during Best Friendster Fate Ever, while Trust follows a May-December romance tested by a weekend trip to the countryside. A husband takes his wife to a dominatrix to better understand her desire to be hurt during Safeword; a woman and her transgender partner lament environmental changes and wildlife loss in the simply-titled Canada. A young man hired as an older couple’s third for the summer must deal with the wedge he has driven between them as Oh, Youth unfolds. During a trip to a Seattle kink festival, a divorced man introduces his new girlfriend to his cousin as a means of unburdening his hidden lifestyle in Impact Play. A call girl drag queen meets a voyeur client in a club during Mirror, Mirror, and a couple struggles with unspoken desires forged by scars and pain in Reach. A man seeking humiliation from another must take back control as Gspodar unravels, while a nightly stage act featuring the cutting of clothes and sensory deprivation keeps a female couple together during Scissors. The Lost Performance of the High Priestess of the Temple of Horror follows a woman’s obsession with a Parisian starlet, penning her a play designed to mix sex and violence together for a one-time only event. A couple transitioning genders discover their bigoted neighbor is watching through their windows at night during They Voyeurs, while Retouch/Switch is an exercise in change and expectation. The book closes with Emotional Technologies, a series of vignettes dealing with masochism as both art form and thought experiment. Taken as a whole, the collection evokes a certain sadness resulting from the oft-broken people portrayed within. Rather than presenting the intended normalcy of such lifestyles, there is little more than a profound echo of emptiness left behind. It does not help that many of the pieces included are terse, harsh explorations of human physicality; very few bother to tell a story that addresses emotion and sensation that exists at the heart of true kink. Kink: Stories presents itself as a flavor buffet, only to rarely veer from the basic vanilla options in different bowls....more
Rodney Barnes and Stevan Subic pit the Batman against a werewolf in their four-part series Batman: Full Moon. Former soldier Christian Talbot is affecRodney Barnes and Stevan Subic pit the Batman against a werewolf in their four-part series Batman: Full Moon. Former soldier Christian Talbot is affected by a mystical bite that turns him into a literal monster during the lunar cycle. Seeking help from the Man-Bat himself, Doctor Kirk Langstrom, Talbot instead finds himself loose on the streets of Gotham. The ever-skeptical Bruce Wayne naturally dons his cape and cowl to protect the city, only to fall victim to the curse himself. Seeking to break the cycle of violence, Batman and Zatanna head to Romania in search of a cure. As Batman and Talbot meet for a fatal showdown, only one will walk away. Part of the Black Label imprint for DC, the book is not part of the main continuity. As such, the script from Rodney Barnes is severely underwhelming for a plot that could - and should - have been much more daring. Aside from putting the spotlight on a Batman/Zatanna romance, this book does little more than its titular premise. There is no drama about any character except Talbot himself; the soldier is used mostly as a way to highlight the oft-ignored homeless people of the city streets like himself. The art from Stevan Subic really only shines through on the stark white and black minimalist cover, as the interior pages are a muddied glut of muted tones, wonky facial structures, and odd background design. Aside from a glow-in-the-dark dust jacket and a Bat-wolf series of panels, this title does little to move beyond familiar tropes. Batman: Full Moon is just a full mess....more
David Michelinie teams with Gerardo Sandoval for more tales of the Lethal Protector era in Venom: Separation Anxiety - The King in Purple. A rage-fuelDavid Michelinie teams with Gerardo Sandoval for more tales of the Lethal Protector era in Venom: Separation Anxiety - The King in Purple. A rage-fueled Eddie Brock is still looking to eliminate Peter Parker, and ends up trying to locate the photographer on the West Coast. A last-minute assignment switch means Brock has no target to eviscerate, leaving the villainous vigilante free to team with former colleague Joy Mercado for an exclusive. Acting as her cameraman, Brock is in the front row for a military extraction of the imprisoned Purple Man. While Venom suits up to battle the group’s muscle, Rhino, the violet-skinned Killgrave manages to snatch a sample of the alien costume. Now able to fling tentacles and transmit his mental control further, Purple Man is after global revenge. Eddie and Venom must find a way to become whole once again, eluding the newer and deadlier Zebediah Killgrave. David Michelinie’s script definitely feels torn from the early 1990s, as it bounces from issue to issue with but a thread of a plot string to hold it together. The initial exclusive angle featuring Joy presented promise, but the book swiftly becomes a crash course in character cramming - and not for the better. The bookended fight with Rhino, skirmishes withGhost, Sunturion, and the Thing, and unnecessary cameos from Kingpin and Doctor Doom are all done to reminder readers that these antagonists exist in this timeframe. Nothing about Killgrave’s motivations work, nor does the explanation of how he gains a part of Venom; the book’s sole purpose is a nostalgic cash grab. The saving grace is the electric art from Gerardo Sandoval, who excels at the energetic and muscle-bound physics of comic book design. His time on the Venom run was over too soon, and this is just a reminder than he needs to be back in a title as soon as possible. Venom: Separation Anxiety - The King in Purple is a long winded diatribe that says nothing new....more
Caroline Hardaker presents a mental breakdown in two acts with her novel Mothtown. At the heart of the story is David Porter, an English boy who idoliCaroline Hardaker presents a mental breakdown in two acts with her novel Mothtown. At the heart of the story is David Porter, an English boy who idolizes his grandfather. The elderly man is a professor obsessed with finding doorways to other universes, to the point that he disappears on David and his family. The “Before” segments of the book are told by David, detailing his evolution from socially-awkward preteen into an even more antisocial thirty-something. Filled with thievery, stalking, disassociation, and hints of Kafkaesque symbolism, David clearly is an unwell individual. The “After” sections follow David’s attempts to escape from an eerie world called Mothtown, as he seeks to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps. The flight of fantasy escape from a deserted world is unsettling vagueness that serves to bridge his connection to the real world. Culminating in harsh truths about David and his mental state, readers must uncover what they believe about his tale. Catherine Hardaker has an unparalleled mastery of language that shines in this novel; both haunting and ethereal, that quality is on display throughout the experience. The book itself though is an unreliable narrator’s descent into insanity billed as horror. The titular location seems to be nothing but a metaphor for David’s mental destruction. The book would be better classified as tragedy, as it paints a melancholy image of devastating grief rather than terror. While one can applaud the efforts taken to meticulously examine this phenomenon, it does not match the initial premise that led to the selection of this title. Mothtown flies towards an engaging possibility, but flutters around the edges of reality once too often....more
Jason Aaron and Doug Mahnke send the Dark Knight to space in their miniseries Batman: Off-World. A typical rooftop clash in Gotham goes awry when a moJason Aaron and Doug Mahnke send the Dark Knight to space in their miniseries Batman: Off-World. A typical rooftop clash in Gotham goes awry when a mob boss introduces a ringer - an alien. The red-skinned behemoth from light years away manages to beat Batman, leaving the hero broken in a dumpster. Determined to learn how to beat his new adversary, Batman launches himself headlong into the alien’s Slag Galaxy to learn new ways of war. Aided by a defective punching robot and a disgraced bounty hunter, the so-called “Bat-Man” storms into the heart of an interstellar conflict. What began as a quest of vengeance turns into a revolution, as the bat symbol inspires worlds to rise against the despotic Blakksun twins. Jason Aaron impossibly makes a book about Batman in space engaging. Aaron capably strips the character down to his core as an agent of justice, and then lets the Bat loose on alien species of all kinds. The strengths include the cast of characters - allies and enemies alike - which quickly display entertaining personalities that fit with the DC mythos. Aaron’s plot, though it may lean heavily on the unbeatable trope of the Dark Knight, manages to offer enough fun twists and turns to remain likable. The gritty art chores from Doug Mahnke is eclectic; the rugged alien species, cluttered warships, and overall dirty feel perfectly captures this new aspect of the DC Universe. Batman: Off-World may seem spacey, but it is a grounded reminder reminder of how much fun comic books can be....more
Kemi Ashing-Giwa dissolves romances and bodies with her science fiction tale This World Is Not Yours. In a distant future, humanity has left Earth behKemi Ashing-Giwa dissolves romances and bodies with her science fiction tale This World Is Not Yours. In a distant future, humanity has left Earth behind for the stars, exploring various worlds for chances at habitation. On a colony dubbed New Belaforme, three humans find their lives growing increasingly entangled. The security chief, Vinh, fights not only to keep her colony safe from rivals but to keep the hand of her wife Amara. Planetary scientist Amara excels at examining the flora and fauna of their new home, but is unable to truly see past the entangled relationship triad that engulfs herself, her cold wife Vinh, and the unrequited love from colleague Jesse. Research assistant Jesse adores both Vinh and Amara, but has grown weary of how humankind has treated their new home. Everything shifts when the planetary mechanism dubbed "the Gray," an ameboid substance that dissolves unwanted objects whilst leaving others untouched, decides the invading humans need to be cleansed. As the colonies try to rally in the face of an unstoppable threat, Vinh, Amara, and Jesse are forced to confront their inner feelings in order to survive being consumed both without and within. Kemi Ashing-Giwa inserts human connection into the outline of her sci-fi story to exceptional effort. Despite the radicalized changes made to environments and backgrounds, the heart of the plot still revolves around the unknowable human heart. Ashing-Giwa does a masterful job at highlighting the pitfalls of love; be it lost, regained, yearned for, slather, buried, or overt, the human emotion continues to drive the tale. As such, it feels that the unique elements of the spacy colony are left in the periphery. Ranging from the descriptive animal life to the detailed plant structures, everything that is introduced could easily fill its own guidebook. The cleansing matter itself, despite being a prevalent piece of the tale, presents entertaining questions regarding its function, intellect, and even its purpose by the end of the story that deserves to be explored once again in a second volume. The World Is Not Yours rockets readers emotions across the stars, but needs just a bit more fuel for a return trip home....more
Grady Hendrix weaves witches with women's rights in his novel Witchcraft for Wayward Girls. Set in the early 1970s, the tale follows Neva Craven and hGrady Hendrix weaves witches with women's rights in his novel Witchcraft for Wayward Girls. Set in the early 1970s, the tale follows Neva Craven and her many challenges as an unwed teenage mother. Driven from Alabama to a house in Florida, Neva becomes one of the many shamed charges at the Wellwood House. Given the new moniker of Fern - as all the girls are renamed after flowers to "protect" their identities - Neva finds herself alone and adrift with fellow female castouts. Her initial roommates are the anti-establishment Rose, the mute Holly, and the African-American newcomer Zinnia. As Fern tries to go along with the program, she ends up receiving an interesting piece of literature from the bookmobile driver. The elderly woman presents the four girls with a spellbook, allowing them to begin dabbling in magic. After transferring Zinnia's upset stomach ailments to their resident doctor, the ladies start diving deeper into the arcane. Realizing that they now have power in a powerless situation, Rose, Holly and Fern look for newfound ways to use these charms. Yet there is a price to be paid for the secrets of the book, and the girls soon learn it may bee just too steep. As the witch coven closes in on one side and the human rights abuses continue on the other, Fern must choose between a path of power or servitude. Grady Hendrix continues to find ways to apply the paranormal to life events, this time providing his female cast of characters a means of empowerment in a time when they had none. The book itself focuses primarily on the Wellwood House, displaying its horrifically outdated and inane policies as the true terror of the novel. Ranging from the hidden identities to the medical procedures, from the overt oversight to the lack of insight into female pregnancies; Hendrix shines on light on ignorance as the true villain of the piece. Due to the focus remaining heavily on the injustices of the time period, the mysticism is but a small piece of the overall narrative. Readers expecting more than just a handful spells will be left wanting, as the witchcraft is primarily a vehicle for the cast to attain control over their lives once again. Hendrix's is more engaging when the odd and mundane are mixed together more evenly, making this outing a lesser entry in his oeuvre. Witchcraft for Wayward Girls addresses a tragedy of American life, but needs to muster up a little more magic to truly get readers under its spell....more
Camilla Bruce pits explores the barriers of life and death with her novel At the Bottom of the Garden. Clarabelle Woods is a greedy woman, having madeCamilla Bruce pits explores the barriers of life and death with her novel At the Bottom of the Garden. Clarabelle Woods is a greedy woman, having made a slight fortune out of murdering her former hospice patient, her husband, and her husband's illicit lover. When her brother and sister-in-law perish during an attempt to climb K2, Clara finds herself as the sole family remaining for her young nieces. Accomplished musician Lily Webb is the older sibling, who can apparently see colors around people linked to their emotions; younger Violet Webb can observe the spirits of the dead. Seeing the girls as merely dollar signs, Clara takes them into her home in hope of attaining their sizeable trust fund. The sisters, however, quickly learn that their selfish aunt is untrustworthy and violently opportunistic. When Violet learns that she can untether ghosts that have become stuck, the entire household is plagued by the three aforementioned victims of Clara's avarice. In order to save themselves, the siblings must harness their gifts and end their aunt's destructive path once and for all. Camilla Bruce presents an intriguing notion of spirituality in her plotlines. The triplicate voices, all offering their own discourse as the novel's events unfolds, is a nice literary touch that feels warranted in this situation. Yet the book itself drags onwards with its unlikable antagonist chewing scenery and railing against her own narcissistic qualities. As such, there is a meandering that tends to fill up multiple pages in an attempt to have the reader connect with Clara and her actions - all for naught due to writing the character and entirely irredeemable. Her ultimate end, easily foreshadowed from the onset, does little to alleviate spending so much time with her. The last pages, which touch on a familial bloodline charged with keeping the peace between life and death, deserved greater attention and are sorely underdeveloped as a result. At the Bottom of the Garden plants engaging possibilities for future tales, but is choked off by the weedy threads that consume its presentation....more
Hildur Knútsdóttir reminds readers that their greatest enemy just may be themselves in her novel The Night Guest. Iðunn spends her days drifting throuHildur Knútsdóttir reminds readers that their greatest enemy just may be themselves in her novel The Night Guest. Iðunn spends her days drifting through life, leaving her office job for dinners with her parents followed by fitful attempts at sleep. Try as she might, every morning the exasperated woman awakens physically exhausted and unable to remember anything about the night before. Things grow worse after Iðunn begins taking a prescription; her watch monitors an average of over forty-thousand steps at night, neighborhood cats are hissing in her presence, and multiple bruises are appearing across her body. While multiple doctors suggest therapy, Iðunn is convinced she just needs rest. Yet reminders of her lost sister, presumably drowned a year prior, are nagging at her mind. A feeling in her stomach - and a GPS route - lead to a reclusive shack by the water filled with unseemly items. As Iðunn starts trying to account for her unconscious whereabouts, she must determine how much of herself was lost during that tragic night. Hildur Knútsdóttir offers an enjoyable, if not predictable, horror tale with her English-translated presentation. The short chapters make it a breeze to get through, while helping indicate the protagonist's mental spiral. The plot itself unfolds in a classic manner, hinting at Iðunn's state long before deciphering it by the end of the novel. The true tragedy is that the characters of the novel are very bland. Little is offered to truly flesh them out, making the cast an assembly of empty shadows that never fully connect with the audience. The slightly ambiguous ending also offers no resolution to the main conflict either, choosing to languish alongside its protagonist. The Night Guest plays overnight host to multiple seeds of excellence, but they are long gone by the time morning rises on its conclusion....more
Marcus Kliewer bends reality with his anxiety-inducing novel We Used to Live Here. Eve Palmer and her partner Charlie have just purchased an old houseMarcus Kliewer bends reality with his anxiety-inducing novel We Used to Live Here. Eve Palmer and her partner Charlie have just purchased an old house in upstate Oregon for their latest renovation project. Left at home while Charlie is on a supply run, Eve's night is interrupted by a knock at the door. Standing on the stoop is Thomas Faust and his family, inquiring if they can step inside and look around his childhood home. Despite her better judgement, the nonconfrontational Eve allows the family to enter, causing things to spiral out of control. The youngest Faust, Jenny, disappears into the basement for a hide-and-seek game. A harsh snowfall is blanketing the only road to the homestead, forcing Eve to host the Fausts overnight. Even the return of Charlie allays Eve only so much, especially when she wakes to an empty bed the next morning. Unable to reach Charlie or displace her unwanted guests, Eve finds her very reality being shifted. As Eve continues to notice small changes in her world - an altered window, new doors, missing tattoos - she is forced into a fight for her own sanity. Marcus Kliewer creates an interesting notion of multiversal menace with his engaging plotline. The mix of physical alterations with mental gaslighting is an assault on the reader's senses, as they can only play witness to Eve's growing desperation over her situation. The Faust family itself is a great set of malleable antagonists, potentially both victims and villains of the strangeness associated with the home. Kliewer's chapter breaks are more haunting then the main plot, however, as they introduce more of the home's terrifying incidents. Along with psychiatrist reports on mental displacement and hidden codes, these segments are much more engaging. Kliewer's primary story tends to weave pieces in and out very quickly, robbing the novel of the gravitas contained in the smaller sections. We Used to Live Here tours a townhouse of terror, but cannot quite ink the contract to seal the deal....more
Nick Cutter uses insects as a metaphor for transition in his pseudo-science horror novel The Queen. High school student Margaret Carpenter has been moNick Cutter uses insects as a metaphor for transition in his pseudo-science horror novel The Queen. High school student Margaret Carpenter has been mourning the disappearance of her best friend, Charity Atwater. Her melancholy routine is interrupted by the arrival of a simple package with an iPhone inside. Turning on the device, Margaret is greeted with texts from Charity. These texts reveal private information shared only by the former best friends, yet they have a sinister undertone. The next twenty-four hours turn into a twisted scavenger hunt that drags Margaret all over their Ontario town. Dark secrets are revealed about Charity's past, her mental and physical changes, and the insectoid genome project that transformed a teenaged girl into the first of a new breed. Revelations abound, and soon the unsung disappearance of Charity Atwater will become a viral warning of global proportions. Nick Cutter splices aspects of Jurassic Park and Species into his tale of teenaged angst, which rockets along at a breakneck pace. The high points of the plot include the vile scavenger hunt, the visceral body horror aspects strewn throughout the book, and the not-so-subtle hints that growing up can be its own metamorphosis. As a result of both the speed and the gore, the book tends to gloss over the human interactions in favor of body dysmorphia scenes. As a result, the denouement at the country club - already spoiled in the book's opening chapter - fails to resonate beyond shock value. The multiple lives wrecked and ruined are simply a footnote towards a person's unrelenting quest to play God, thusly cheapening the final impact. The unnecessary Tony Soprano mental projections for Margaret is also a headscratcher; it becomes a dated reference that holds no impact whatsoever. The Queen builds up a good terror buzz for the gore factor, but does end up droning on in its presentation....more
Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips deconstruct the Satanic Panic epidemic with their graphic novel collaboration Houses of the Unholy. Years ago, six childEd Brubaker and Sean Phillips deconstruct the Satanic Panic epidemic with their graphic novel collaboration Houses of the Unholy. Years ago, six children told a tale of Satan and sacrifice after their summer camp ended. The story, while untrue, spiraled into a lifetime of pain and anguish for all involved in the "Satanic Six" event. Natalie Burns was one of Six, and now spends her days rescuing teenagers from cults. Her latest find is able to escape however, landing her a night in jail for kidnapping charges. She is released into the custody of FBI agent Paul West, who has been tracking the murders of the other Six members. Travelling with him to check on two of the others, Natalie discovers herself at the center of an actual occult ritual - and must call upon what she has learned over the years to escape a death sentence. Ed Brubaker uses the devilry scare of 1970s America to craft an engaging mystery that spans decades. His knowledge of crime, humanity, and terror work well to generate the overarching plot of the book. However, Brubaker does rely heavily on left-turn plot changes that feel more like gimmicks than actual plot points. The revelations about West were telegraphed easily, while the final showdown with the cult leader is undercut for unknown reasons. As the book leans heavily on religious practices, it feels cheapened to have not swung for the fences regarding those influences in the story. Sean Phillips has made noir-style designs his bread and butter. His signature imagery is on display here, but his female characters all seem slightly off - his first few pages required word balloons to help identify Natalie and her charge as both being female. Houses of the Unholy creaks open a door on a dark time of United States history, but feels content to linger in the doorframe instead of charge in with confidence....more
Cullen Bunn and Jesús Hervás pool their talents for a medical mutilation mystery with their comic series Invasive. Across an unnamed metropolis, an unCullen Bunn and Jesús Hervás pool their talents for a medical mutilation mystery with their comic series Invasive. Across an unnamed metropolis, an unusual number of people are the targets of rogue surgeons. The investigation into the events have been stalemated, leaving only two dedicated individuals willing to continue the search for the butchers. The first is former detective Vic Hudgens, whose determination to keep a promise to a local family drives him in his obsessive quest. The second is Doctor Carrie Reynolds, herself a medic, searching for the ones who stole her daughter's vocal chords and dumped her comatose body in a nearby hospital. Drawn together by their refusal to give up, Caroline and Vic track surgery addiction meetings for survivors. When they get a lead on the potential ringleader, both parties must decide if what they group offers is sickness or salvation. Cullen Bunn pens a very fast-moving tale that quickly races through the four issue length. His broken protagonists are relatable and sympathetic, trying to do what is right in spite of the systemic roadblocks in the way. Yet the story does jump over much of their vital backstory, making the ultimate shock at the end of the book hit less than expected. Jesús Hervás pencils the right kind of grittiness with his character layouts, infusing the various characters with the requisite grime needed for this noir tale. He does tend to eschew backgrounds in his action sequences, but the overall look of the series is eye-catching. Invasive digs into its readers with a swift precision, but does tear at the seams upon reaching its conclusion....more
Eric LaRocca plumbs the depths of despair during his unsettling tale At Dark, I Become Loathsome. Ashley Lutin is a man for whom life has lost all meaEric LaRocca plumbs the depths of despair during his unsettling tale At Dark, I Become Loathsome. Ashley Lutin is a man for whom life has lost all meaning. His wife Pema has passed from cancer, his son Bailey was abducted two years earlier, and his passion for painting has dwindled into nothingness. Ashley's way of dealing with these emotions is by helping others at the end of their rope. Offering an eerie ritual designed to give the despondent a taste of the grave, he utters the titular mantra nightly as a means of justifying his actions. Yet the news of tattered clothing worn by Bailey being located finally tears him apart; for the first time, Ashley decides his purposes will be better served if he actually provides the death his clients are craving. Questions about lust, love, violence, and murder abound as Lutin prepares for his most horrific act - one that may finally turn him into the monster he had always feared becoming. Eric LaRocca crafts a deftly sinister story that revolves around the decidedly human emotion of grief. The overarching narrative, the online missives shared by an anonymous user, and the blog postings of a couple addressing one's cancer diagnosis, are all linked by a twisted response to the grieving process. LaRocca's writing style remains captivatingly disconcerting, shining lights upon the ugliness of humanity across his work. The concern with this novel is the decision to include the two separate tales, each of which might have been better served as short stories in their own right. The aforementioned fictions, though cementing the book's premise, take the reader out of the main plot entirely; they are woefully underused as set pieces here. At Dark, I Become Loathsome is filled with self-hatred that ultimately pales under the light of a new day....more
Dennis Mahoney blends trauma with terror in his horror tale Our Winter Monster. One year ago, an event dubbed "the Bad Date" forever shattered the relDennis Mahoney blends trauma with terror in his horror tale Our Winter Monster. One year ago, an event dubbed "the Bad Date" forever shattered the relationship of Brian and Holly; Brian has become withdrawn and jumpy while Holly has grown solid and cold. A wintry vacation in a small tourist town seems to be their last gasp at reconnecting. Unfortunately, something else has been stirred up by their unresolved issues. Manifesting as a hulking shape of snow and ice, this creature is somehow linked to the couple's emotions - and is leaving violence and property damage in its wake. Local sheriff Kendra is already reeling from being dumped by her partner months back. Her inability to locate two missing tourists forty-eight days ago has not helped her public image, and now this supernatural storm has dumped itself upon her beat. All three characters must look within to find the answers they seek, lest they become torn apart in more ways than one. Dennis Mahoney builds an eerie mystery with his primary plot line, choosing to have unresolved angst become a powerful physical beast that damages all it encounters. In this, Mahoney succeeds. Readers become invested in Holly and Brian, seeing them learn how to better understand each other in a way traditional counselling could never achieve. In order to do that, however, a serial killer element is introduced as an underlying subplot. Though the final confrontation is necessary for the couple to achieve catharsis, it feels more like an add-on rather than a true part of the main story; the same holds true for the chapters dealing with Sheriff Kendra and her problems. The book might have been better served avoiding these pitfalls to deal solely with Brian and Holly, thus making their resolution - and the ending - a greater conclusion. Our Winter Monster stampedes in like a blizzard of activity, but eventually thaws into a flaky smattering of a novel....more
Hailey Piper triggers a physical and existential crisis with her horror novel A Light Most Hateful. Teenaged runaway Olivia feels trapped in the smallHailey Piper triggers a physical and existential crisis with her horror novel A Light Most Hateful. Teenaged runaway Olivia feels trapped in the small Pennsylvania town of Chapel Hill. Since her arrival almost three years ago, she has yet to escape her counter job at the drive-in movie theater or her past memories of parents unwilling to accept a growing interest in other girls. The sole light in Olivia's life is the company of her best friend and unrequited crush, Sunflower. On the night that Sunflower ditches Olivia to hang with her boyfriend at a lover's lane, an eerie storm runs through the town. The strange rain turns the citizens into glassy-eyed, shambling figures; the booming thunder heralds the arrival of a humanoid lizard woman with a taste for flesh. As waves of piercing colored glass and feral humanoids join the insanity, Olivia refuses to leave Chapel Hill without finding Sunflower. Yet the greatest danger may not be what awaits in the dark, but the golden-haired girl with the moon tattoo on her neck. Hailey Piper drives readers headfirst into a classic terror tale, crafting a small town venue plagued by nightmares come to life. The plot quickly veers sideways by the middle of the story, introducing ideas that are almost Lovecraftian in nature. Its best moments come from the body horrors that plagues the cast, and the ultimate discussion of what constitutes living. However, despite the captivating revelations, the pacing tends to hiccup the overall presentation. The constant stopping, starting, retracing of steps, and winding journey drags the book along when it should be continuing at its initial breakneck pace. It only speeds up again at the revelation of the cosmic seed at the center of Piper's novel, only to then stumble on home to its predictable conclusion. A Light Most Hateful pops with a brilliant premise and tantalizing story threads, but becomes a flash in the pan by story's end....more
Navessa Allen mixes meet cute with dark romance during her spicy tale Lights Out. Bouncing between dual narrators, the book follows two people with a Navessa Allen mixes meet cute with dark romance during her spicy tale Lights Out. Bouncing between dual narrators, the book follows two people with a unique take on relationships. Hospital nurse Aly Cappellucci spends her days mending the wounded, and her time off ogling masked men in online thirst trap videos. Josh Hammond sells his hacking skills to security companies, while his nights are spent uploading images of himself in a custom mask and shirtless. Obsessed with Josh’s content, Aly sends him a provocative message referencing their shared stalker kink. Choosing to enact the fantasy, Josh dons his trademark facemask and breaks into Aly’s home. The two begin a sensual game of cat and mouse; the thrill of the anonymity blossoms into a deeper connection. As they play their games, the emergence of an actual rapist sets of a chain of events that will test the limits of their newfound bonds. Navessa Allen does create two entertainingly endearing protagonists in Aly and Josh; both protagonists are hardened by their pasts yet capable of displaying a wide range of genuine emotions and humor. Despite the darker themes of the novel, there is a levity that helps humanize the situation. The plot itself does manage to rise above the basic sex drive of a typical steamy read, but it falters as the page count adds up. Lights Outs is a supernova for fans of the erotic thriller, but classical readers of horror or mystery will discern that is does not quite hold a candle to their favorite genres....more
Zac Thompson , Daniel Irizarri, and Gegê Schall explore the future of interactive gaming with their graphic novel Cemetery Kids Don't Die. Siblings BiZac Thompson , Daniel Irizarri, and Gegê Schall explore the future of interactive gaming with their graphic novel Cemetery Kids Don't Die. Siblings Birdie and Pik, alongside schoolmates Wilson and Enid, comprise a fantasy quartet within the virtual world of Nightmare Cemetery. In order to play, the kids plug their brains into the bioorganic system named Dreawave; while the body rests during a sleep cycle, their minds enter an immersive world with monsters and quests. One night the, group is besieged by a shadowy monstrosity that causes them all to unplug for the safety of the real world - except for Pik. Left comatose by the event, Pik's avatar is still seemingly online. Believing her brother to be trapped in the game, Birdie begins taking pills to help her sleep longer and search the code for her brother. Wilson is gung ho for the adventure as well, but Enid becomes more reluctant after sustaining an eye injury in real life. As videos emerge hinting that Nightmare Cemetery may be more than just an imaginative interaction platform, the crew delves into the dark world searching for the truth. Zac Thompson pokes at the growing separation between real life and virtual worlds, presenting a classic scenario wherein the cost of playing may be too high for humans to pay. The concept, while engaging, feels rushed however. The lives of the kids are hinted at, but never truly given depth. Hints at parental neglect, drug usage, and addiction are barely introduced before the tale drives headfirst into an online rescue mission trope. As such, the final page twist loses its impactful punch. The art from Irizarri and Schall has a cartoonish style that is utilized across the tale; having two artists showcasing two different renditions of the physical and virtual worlds would have been much more utile. Cemetery Kids Don't Die is a quick button-masher, but requires greater lore and graphics in order to entice readers for a second play-through....more