Comic Review: Woodstake - Hippie Vampire Comic Book Series

Woodstake Hippie Vampire Comic Book Series  
Writer: Darin S. Cape
Illustrator: Felipe Kroll
April 14, 2026
Publisher: SHP
Genre: Horror, Graphic Novel
ISBN: 979-8-9927499-1-5
Ages 16+
Sink your teeth into Woodstake a brilliant horror/comedy about three days of peace, music, and blood. In the summer of 1969, an old and deadly vampire awakens as hippies unknowingly gather for the historic Woodstock Festival. Amidst the backdrop of peace signs and protest anthems, festival-goers are hunted in a chilling but hilarious adventure filled with music, mayhem, and vampires tripping hard on hippie blood. Woodstake is a must-have series, masterfully blending 1960s counterculture, psychedelic imagery, vampire mythology, and biting humor into something truly special. Prepare for a wild ride of laughs and frights in Woodstake!

Woodstake is as shrewd as Shaun of the Dead and as haunting as a Hendrix solo!

Buy: 

Print copy out April 14, 2026

digital copy out on SHP website 

SHP Comics website-Amazon-Bookshop

 

Review:

O_O (my face when I was offered a review copy, LOL.) I mean, how could I not? Look at that title! Look at that cover...nom nom nom.
 
Okay, time to get serious. Let's talk story. Woodstake is Dracula-coded. The main vampire is never named, but it's Dracula. Other characters' names are plays on some of the original book characters. But there is a Van Helsing. The vampire lore is also consistent with the book. 
 
The prologue might smell a little like Dracula but it is an imaginative, fresh take from chapters one to five. It covers the vampire's journey across the ocean to escape Helsing in 1927. He lands in upstate NY and almost dies (again). One groovy page is used to transition the story from 1931 to 1965 and the start of chapter one.

The story picks up with Jonathan Harper and Nina Murray making the cross-country drive to NY for Woodstock with two other friends. Over the course of the five chapters, our crew's story crosses paths with the vamp and the characters' relatives from the prologue. The songs playing in the background of each scene are shown so you can imagine the story's soundtrack while reading.
 
Does the vamp dress like a hippie and take acid? Does he meet Jimi Hendrix? And if so, does he eat him? You'll have to read it. This is a spoiler-free review.
 
At the end of chapter five, we are teased with Woodstake '99! How far-out is that sequel idea?

The artwork is a mixed bag. It looks like they used a 3-D model program and digitally painted them. I've seen it used in online comics. The characters look life-like in some panels, but sometimes stiff. In other panels, they look more painted, if that makes sense... Not my favorite style, but once I got into the story, I adjusted to it.
 
I was born in 1967, so I don't remember much about the '60s, except what I learned from the media (music, TV, movies), and the fashion made a cool Halloween costume "Peace out." Woodstake captures the '60s vibes, the good and the bad.

  

5 "And that's the way it is." Sheep

OMG! You can get the whole digital series on sale!

The print version is on pre-order.

SHP Comics website

 

SHP: A new kind of comics company
Website
SHP was founded by Shawn Hainsworth in 2021. He wanted to bring his thought-provoking screenwriting into the world of comics and enlisted the help of some world class talents. SHP already has 3 acclaimed series coming to comic shops in the fall with a brand new adventure slated for 2025.

The future looks bright. Won't you join us on the edge?

From https://booksforward.com/ Press Release:

SHP’s unique collection of horror, science fiction, adventure, comedy and reimagined classic stories are distributed by IPG, Lunar via Massive Indies and Diamond, available in comic book stores and at the publisher’s website.

5 Sheep Comic Review: The Loose End by Dave Dwonch (from Titan Comics)

"The award-winning imprint Hard Case Crime presents a wacky story of guns, ganja and gambling from writer Dave Dwonch artist Travis Hymel."

 

Remember to  Support your local comic book store
 https://www.comicshoplocator.com/

The Loose End
by Dave Dwonch
Illustrated by Travis Hymel
Publisher: Titan Books (US, CA), 2025
ISBN 1787746445, 9781787746442
Length 112 pages
Genre: Crime & Mystery, Action & Adventure
Steven Hollis is a mild-mannered scriptwriter with a love for risk and reward. When he gambles his way into debt, the Mob offer him a one-way ticket from under their thumb. All he has to do is kill the biggest Hollywood executive in the industry…

However, plans derail when a trip to Mexico City turns sour. A drug deal gone wrong sets the cartel on the hunt for a rag-tag group of actors, writers and executives as they have a no-holds-barred standoff!

If you’re a fan of cinema classics and a totally balls-to-the-wall action adventure, this is the book for you!

The Loose End graphic novel collects The Loose End issues #1-4.

Gonna start off with what I say in EVERY Dave Dwonch graphic novel review: Dave is talented, skilled and one of my favorite writers. I have never been disappointed with his storytelling.

My review of The Loose End could double as a movie review; reading it felt like watching an action release. I agree with the comparison to a Quentin Tarantino action movie script, but I'd like to add that it has Pulp Fiction humor. 

The Loose End covers all the action movie tropes. It even starts out with a car chase and the master-level use of the movie plot flashback technique (ex., Two days ago..., Two hours later...) to keep the story moving at warp speed to the end. Pulled into the story/action from the beginning, I couldn't put it down till I finished. And like all great stories, there are a couple of plot twists.

Big shout out to the artist. His style, panel compositions and the use of multiple color pallets to set the mood for each scene. 

The Loose End is an exciting adventure from start to finish, so buckle up, Buttercup!

Warp Speed Uss Enterprise GIFfrom Warp Speed GIFs

5 "Blink 182 thing" Sheep

 

SharonS

About the Author:
Linktree
Dave Dwonch has been a comics writer and artist for nearly two decades, penning titles like Jenny Zero (Dark Horse), Vamplets (Scholastic), as well as The Automaton and the Cyrus Perkins series under his Hellbrain imprint. Most recently he collaborated with Travis Hymel on The Loose End for Titan's Hard Case Crime line to rave reviews. He's also worked as a letterer and editor, most notably for the Eisner nominated series, Princeless.

About the Artist:
Linktree
Travis Hymel is an artist and illustrator living in Colorado. He has worked for clients such as Oni Press, Dark Horse Comics, IDW, Titan Comics, Devil's Due comics, and Action Lab Entertainment.

Check out Titan Comics 

 

5 Sheep Comic Review: Super Creepshow Special #1from Skybound Entertainment

Super Creepshow Special #1
Series: Creepshow
October 8, 2025
Writers: Dan Watters, Ryan Stegman, Ed Brisson
Artists: Riley Rommo, Andrei Bressan, Carmine Di Giandomenico
Colorists: Andres Mossa, Inaki Azpiazu, Adriano Lucas
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Cover A: Pye Parr
Image Comics
Lunar Code: 0825IM0309
Age Rating: M
Page Count: 40
THIS ULTIMATE CREEPSHOW EXPERIENCE IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST-READ!

Join the Creep in a special celebration of superheroes new, old, and very, very disturbed in what’s possibly already being called the most important comic book of the year!

First, Dan Watters (Batman: Dark Patterns, Destro) and Carmine Di Giandomenico (Absolute Superman) plan a funeral for the world’s greatest superhero, but his return might be the worst thing that could ever happen!

Then, Ryan Stegman (X-Men) and Riley Rossmo (The Moon is Following Us) introduce the world to the Grave Ghost, a superhero who must solve the case of...his own death!

Finally, Ed Brisson (Wolverine: Old Man Logan) and Andrei Bressan (Dark Ride) unleash the chilling tale of what happens when a super serum gets injected into someone who may be more super VILLAIN than hero.

I've always been a fan of comic horror shorts. Creepshow is right up there with Tales from the Crypt. The cover of Super Creepshow #1 caught my eye immediatley. It's simple but powerful and having the punny Creep striking a superhero pose...

Perfect Sweet GIFfrom Perfect GIFs

If you want to create superhero-horror stories, you should get artists and writers who create superhero comics. Regular Creepshow comics are 32 pages, but Super Creepshow is 40 pages, allowing the writers to give their characters depth and create emotional horror alongside the usual situational horror in the stories.

Using familiar superhero tropes, the writers send their heroes down a darker path of destruction, made more awful because had no control over their fate. The artists did a fantastic job of conveying the emotional horror, along with the gore we all expect, in a Creepshow comic.

I enjoyed this issue. Thanks for providing a Halloween-worthy issue.

5 "super" sheep

 

SharonS

Comic Review: Universal Monsters: Frankenstein #1 (of 4)

Universal Monsters: Frankenstein #1 (of 4)
Writer: Michael Walsh
Artists: Michael Walsh, Toni Marie Griffen
Arriving: August 28, 2024
Image Comics-Skybound
MINISERIES PREMIERE
A MODERN-DAY HORROR VISIONARY RESURRECTS ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC MONSTERS
Award-winning creator MICHAEL WALSH (THE SILVER COIN) presents an electrifying new vision of the horror classic. Each issue of the limited series tells the shocking story behind one of the body parts used to create the unforgettable monster in the original film.

In this first issue, Dr. Henry Frankenstein begins his unholy quest to create life by robbing the grave of a decorated police officer. But little does he know that the corpse has a son who is mourning a father—and that this young boy will forever change Frankenstein’s life.

Universal Monsters: Frankenstein is a new four-issue limited comic book series from Skybound and award-winning artist/writer Michael Walsh (The Silver Coin). Longtime fans of the iconic 1931 Frankenstein film and new fans alike will be enthralled as Walsh resurrects one of the most iconic monsters of all time. The official synopsis says Dr. Henry Frankenstein begins his unholy quest to create life by robbing the grave of a decorated police officer to find necessary parts, specifically a strong pair of hands. But little does he know that the corpse has a son who is mourning a father – and that this young boy will forever change Frankenstein’s life.

My review of the last Universal Monsters series, The Creature of the Black Lagoon Lives!, was giddy like a kid on Christmas morn. This review will be more somber, because this series is both horrifying and heartbreaking. Like that very same Christmas morn, when your brother gets a home dentist kit and you get a bib.

The story has you at the very first page. A young boy is at a grave. Orphaned. Speaking to the father that meant everything to him. But voices in the night interrupt him and he hides, only to watch Dr. Frankenstein and his assistant steal his father’s body. The boy jumps onto the wagon as it returns to the castle.

Here’s where Walsh and Griffin truly excel. They do not rely on dialogue or descriptions. They let their incredible artwork and panels tell the story. You know exactly what is happening. And it hits you hard. The boy discovering the Doctor’s classic laboratory. Holding his father’s hand as it hangs out from the sheet. When he finds the pile of discarded limbs and body parts. Walsh allows him to simply say “The monster”, referring to the Doctor.

Two scenes stand out for me. The brilliant salute to Henry Frankenstein bringing the creature to life. Complete with his fiancée and her father witnessing electricity flying from gadget to gadget. Ending with Henry screaming “It’s alive! It’s alive”, like the madman he is. And the second is when the boy finds his dad. Believing he’s rescuing him, he finds it is not who he expected. But he holds the hands that were his father’s. It is impossible to stay emotionally detached to this story.

The boy has a decision to make, one his police officer father would choose. And we are left with one helluva cliff hanger. The series synopsis says readers can expect each issue to tell the shocking story behind one of the corpse parts used to create the monster. In a world that simply regurgitates yet another reboot, remake, sequel, it is SO awesome to find such an original spin. Like a kid who discovers a cattle prod in my Easter basket, and my brother a cow costume, I am 100% hooked and cannot wait for the next issues. 

Universal Monsters: Frankenstein gets 5 hacked and discarded sheep.

 

Reviewed by Olga Dickie

 

Comic Review: Universal Monsters: The Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives! #1 (of 4)

Universal Monsters: The Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives! #1 (of 4)
April 24, 2024
Writers: Ram V, Dan Watters
Artists: Matthew Roberts, Dave Stewart
Publisher: Skybound (Image Comics)
Lunar Code: 0224IM219
MINISERIES PREMIERE
A NEW HORROR DREAM TEAM RESURRECTS ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC MONSTERS
Acclaimed creators DAN WATTERS (HOME SICK PILOTS, Lucifer), RAM V (The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, Batman: Detective Comics), and MATTHEW ROBERTS (MANIFEST DESTINY) rise from the depths for an all-new epic.
Years after the events of the original film, journalist Kate Marsden hunts for a notorious serial killer in the heart of the Amazon. Hot on the trail of this madman, she soon encounters an unexpected new threat—but is it friend or foe? Or is it simply...THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON?

This miniseries resurrects one of the most iconic Universal monsters. Acclaimed creators Dan Watters, Ram V, and Matthew Roberts rise from the depths for an all-new epic.

Years after the events of the original film, journalist Kate Marsden hunts for a notorious serial killer in the heart of the Amazon. Hot on the trail of this madman, she soon encounters an unexpected new threat- but is it friend or foe? Or is it simply… THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON?

I have been waiting for this comic book since last year, when I first I heard they were spotlighting the Universal monsters from my childhood. And the Creature is still my favorite monster of all time! (Sorry, C.H.U.D.) Image and Skybound did not disappoint.

I have to begin by applauding the artwork. I’m not a fan of comic art that wants to prove how artsy it is, or overdoes splash pages, or worse of the worst- draws my horror or heroes cartoonish. Roberts creates perfect images that hit the realism and never distract from the story. The creators wisely let their multiple variant covers do their bragging. And they are beautiful. It’s hard not to collect them all. Or pick just one to be my new tramp stamp.

The story flies fast, yet doesn’t skimp on plot or characters. We know all about Kate, the attempted drowning that almost murdered her, and her tortured life every day since. Strung out on amphetamine, she follows her target, the serial killer Collier, into foreign countries and unknown territories. It’s clear her need for revenge and closure override most of her common sense and caution towards danger. With the help of a few locals, she is able to close in, as an interesting subplot is laid out.

But here’s the reason I’m diving into this miniseries. My beloved Creature. Watters and Ram V treat him with respect. When another body is found in the river, Collier’s M.O., the gathering of townspeople explain it was the Creature. Kate dismisses the urban legend. She knows fact from fiction. But, uh, no. She don’t. I love how the old woman explains the Creature is not cruel. It is not a monster. It simply takes people for the river. Most importantly, the Creature does not like to be spoken of. My grandmother was very much the same way.

As any good cliff hanger does, our star makes his appearance in the final pages. It’s done with suspense, with horror, so well you can hear the Creature’s classic theme music. I cannot wait for the next issue and the entire series. But at the same time, it’s kinda like Christmas. The anticipation of opening my next present is a huge part of the fun. 

Definitely five waterlogged sheep!

 

 

 

Reviewed by Olga Dickie (the reviewer's name has been changed to protect the guilty) 

 

Comic Review: Creepshow Holiday Special 2023 #1 (one-shot) from Skybound

Creepshow Holiday Special 2023 #1
Series: Creepshow
December 6, 2023
Writers: Daniel Kraus, James Asmus
Artists: Letizia Cadonici, Jonathan Wayshak
Skybound Press
CREEPSHOW is here to put the fear in your cheer!
You’ve heard of Santa, you’ve heard of Krampus, but have you ever heard of "The Christmas Man"? Witness the birth of a new horrifying holiday classic from DANIEL "DON'T CALL ME SANTA" KRAUS (The Shape of Water) and jolly JONATHAN WAYSHAK (Skin Crawl)!
Then, jovial JAMES ASMUS (Survival Street, Rick & Morty) and lively LETIZIA CADONICI (House of Slaughter) deliver a cautionary tale about stealing the wrong parcel in "Package Thief."

Andy Williams said it best in “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” 

“There’ll be scary ghost stories...”

Creepshow from Skybound stepped up to the plate to give us two pun-filled scary stories for your enjoyment!

The first story teaches us that is you f*** around with Christmas magic, you will found out. Here is some of the artwork from "Christmas Man."

This is the season of giving. Holly and Joy f*** around and found out if you decide to take.

Creepshow Holiday Special #1 is full of scary puns and karma, like any good holiday story should be. It is, after all...

 “...the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!”

5 "scary" Sheep

SharonS

Comic Review: Lords of LA #1 Frank Zanca

Lords of LA #1
by Frank Zanca

Art by: Alex Femenias, Maria Keane
Colors by: Luis Antonio Delgado, James Brown
Letters by: Anaid Melendez
Cover art by: Hedwin Zaldivar
Genre: Graphic Novel, Action/Horror
Publisher: Destiny Horizons, Inc.
Number of pages: 48
Cover Artist: Joe Sanchez
Vampires, the Mob, 1950s Hollywood = Awesome

Lena Morgan was an exotic-looking lounge singer with hopes of achieving the Hollywood dream in 1952. Here dreams were dashed when she became entangled in a lust triangle between the two mob bosses who ruled the city. She found herself turned into a vampire and was forced to leave her newborn son behind for fear of losing control and hurting him. She spent sixty years training to live among humans, building a fortune, and learning not only to fight, but to dominate. Returning to LA, she has one thought, one goal – revenge on both crime families.

BUY

Lords of LA is an 18+ indie horror graphic novel. My review of Issue #1 one is below. Issue #2 is currently on Kickstarter with only a few days left to support. Here is the link to check it out

Back this Project on Kickstarter

 

Review of Issue #1

Lords of LA Issue #1 does give all the 1950s mobster vibes. These vampires are pure evil like they should be in a horror story. If you need trigger warnings, this graphic novel (heavy on the graphic) is probably not for you. There is a lot of violence and blood and torture of men and women and lots of sex.
 
I really enjoyed the story. It happens in two timelines: in the 1950s, when the protagonist, Lena Morgan, is attacked by a vampire mobster, and in 2006 when she returns for her revenge. To help keep the timelines straight, the 50s have tan backgrounds and 2006 has blue. Keeping up with the "when" is pretty easy. But I did have problems keeping up with who the characters were. Sometimes, they looked too much alike. I had to go back and reread to keep people and multiple plots straight. There were a few plot holes too.

There is a lot of potential for this horror comic series. And who doesn't love a pissed-off character getting revenge on those who deserve some karma?

4 "bloody" Sheep

 

 

 

 

SharonS

About the Author:
Website-FB-Twitter
Instagram-YouTube
Amazon-Goodreads
Frank Zanca is an award-winning writer and producer with over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry. Frank’s first published work was the Shadow Raven comic book in 1995. He has since created the Destiny Aurora franchise, which has been wildly successful in both novel and graphic novel forms. It also spawned a board game, and the audiobook is now available on Audible. Also available on Amazon is Frank’s acclaimed WWII biography Escape from Berlin based on the life of Diane Jacobs.

Frank wrote and produced Six Gun Savior, the Supernatural/Western, starring Eric Roberts and Martin Kove (Cobra Kai), along with Star Trek: Renegades.

Comic Review: Universal Monsters: Dracula #1 (of 4) from Skybound (Image Comics)

UNIVERSAL MONSTERS: DRACULA #1 (OF 4)
Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Martin Simmonds
Imprint: Skybound - Image Comics
32 pages
Arriving: October 25, 2023
Lunar Code: 0723IM809
MINISERIES PREMIERE
THE BIGGEST NAMES IN COMICS RESURRECT THE MOST ICONIC MONSTERS!
THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH creators JAMES TYNION IV (W0RLDTR33, Something is Killing the Children) and MARTIN SIMMONDS reteam to tell a new tale of the monster who started it all! 

When Dr. John Seward admits a strange new patient into his asylum, the madman tells stories of a demon who has taken residence next door. But as Dr. Seward attempts to apply logic to the impossible…his surrogate daughter Lucy begins to fall under the spell of the twisted Count Dracula!

You can't beat the classics for monster stories... *dances around to "It's a story as old as time..."*  After checking out Dracula issue #1 from Skybound (Image Comics), I am excited to see how the other monster stories will be interpreted.

The cover on the left matches the classical movie version of Dracula. But the cover on the right represents the artwork used to tell the Bram Stokers version.

I was struck by the macabre artwork used to symbolize Renfield's loss of identity and decent into madness. Truly nightmarish in all the right ways.  

 

 

Issue #1 is all about character set up, but not much action. I can't wait for Dracula to make his first appearance, in issue #2 maybe? The four issue series is off to a good start.

4 "blood sucking" Sheep

 

 

SharonS