Comic Review (ARC): Criminal Macabre: They Fight By Night (one-shot)

CRIMINAL MACABRE: THEY FIGHT BY NIGHT (ONE-SHOT) 
Writer: Steve Niles 
Artist: Chris Mitten 
Colorist: Michelle Madsen 
Cover Artist: Fiona Staples 
Genre: Action/Adventure, Crime, Horror 
Publication Date: November 07, 2012 
Format: FC, 32 pages 
Dark Horse

After Cal McDonald’s recent resurrection into the world of monsters, he’s back to his old game: solving crimes involving creatures that go bump in the night. After a political candidate is mysteriously decapitated on live TV, Cal teams up with his ghoulish sidekick Mo’Lock and an LAPD detective to find out who the culprit is . . . and if it’s connected to the brewing war of darkness.

* The debates turn bloody . . . live on TV!

* Collects four installments from Dark Horse Presents!

* Leads into the epic 30 Days of Night crossover!

Criminal Macabre is by far one of my favorite comics. It actually makes me laugh out loud and is the perfect mix of horror and humor. Steve Niles is a genius and all the artists that have worked with Steve on this series, while having different styles, always seem to capture the noir/horror elements perfectly.

Cal McDonald is a sarcastic, unapologetic ass and loose cannon, but he has a good heart. He's also a damned good detective despite his addiction to pills and alcohol. Cal can see supernatural creatures hiding among the humans and has gotten himself in the middle of a gang war between different groups of monsters. His partner and best friend is Mo’Lock, a ghoul with a stuffy personality and by far the more mature one in the relationship. Recently Cal has become one of the undead and isn’t adjusting very well, but Mo and the other ghouls living in the sewers are trying to help him.

In this one shot a politician has been assassinated on TV while giving a speech, and Cal and Mo are out to catch who, or what, killed him. While out investigating, Cal is approached by a police detective who teams up with him and gets a crash course in monster killing. But things aren’t always what they seem and the end of the story reveals a betrayal.

Once again the artwork captures the gritty, violent aspects of the story with harsh lines and shading. There isn’t a lot of detailed work, but it does pack an emotional punch especially when matched with the humorous dialogue.

I can’t recommend this series enough. Grab a digital copy of this issue CRIMINAL MACABRE: A CAL MCDONALD MYSTERY #1  It is only $.99 and it also features my favorite Criminal Macabre artist Ben Templesmith. Give it a try. Then come back and get this latest comic when it releases on Nov 7, 2012.

5 "monster killing" Sheep

Sharon Stogner (edit by Kaplar)

my other Criminal Macabre reviews:

Criminal Macabre: The Iron Spirit 
Criminal Macabre: The Cal McDonald Mysteries Omnibus Vol. #1
Criminal Macabre: Die, Die, My Darling (one-shot)

Comic Review: Criminal Macabre: The Iron Spirit [Hardcover]

Criminal Macabre: The Iron Spirit [Hardcover]
Writer: Steve Niles
Artist: Scott Morse
Cover Artist: Scott Morse
Genre: Action/Adventure, Crime, Horror
Publication Date: September 12, 2012
Format: FC, 32 pages; HC, 9" x 12"

A haunted veteran leads monster hunter Cal McDonald to a creepy subterranean military base where mad-science experiments were conducted on US soldiers.

Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) takes his occult detective into a new collector’s format with Eisner winner Scott Morse of Pixar and TR!CKSTER fame!
*Printed as an oversized hardcover in a deluxe format.

*A perfect introduction for new readers!

“Steve Niles has beaten up his main man, broken him down and now stands on the precipice of reinventing him with a conflict on the horizon that portends to be nothing short of epic.” —Newsarama

I love Criminal Macabre for its snarky humor, but this one was much different from the rest. There was a little humor, because Cal McDonald is a bit of an ass on a good day and becoming recently dead hasn’t improved his outlook, but the story itself is about guilt and loyalty and how far someone will go to make things right.

The story is very well done and I liked the use of an old fashion typewriter font because it added to the secret government files and projects aspect of the story. The art work is very minimal and consists mostly of sketchings and watercolors in somber earth tones. While this does fit the ghost story mood, I personally didn’t find it aesthetically pleasing. At the end the artist, Scott Morse, talks about why they choose this type of medium to tell this story and it gave me more appreciation for the comic as a whole.

I enjoyed the story and the hauntingly beautiful tale.

3 1/2 “possessed” Sheep

SS

STEVE NILES
Steve Niles is best known for works such as 30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre, Simon Dark, Mystery Society, and Batman: Gotham County Line. He is credited among other contemporary writers with bringing horror comics back to prominence. Steve got his start back in Washington, DC, through his own Arcane Comix, where he began writing and publishing comics and anthologies in the mid-eighties. Monster hunter Cal McDonald continues in the Criminal Macabre series from Dark Horse (Criminal Macabre Omnibus Volume 2 has just been released), as well as in stories currently being published by Steve’s own Bloody Pulp Books. Steve is writing a new 30 Days of Night series for IDW, with Sam Kieth illustrating. 30 Days of Night sparked renewed interest in the horror genre and was released in 2007 as a major motion picture. Steve resides in Los Angeles with his fiancée Monica, two dogs, four cats, and Gil the tortoise. While there’s no crawlspace, there is a questionable closet in one corner and no one is quite sure what is hidden in there . . . but we have an idea. SteveNiles.com

SCOTT MORSE
Award-winning storyteller Scott Morse has authored over
twenty graphic novels, including Soulwind, Ancient Joe, Strange Science Fantasy, and the Magic Pickle series for children. His story work in film includes Ratatouille, WALL-E, Cars 2, and Brave. He lives in northern California with his wife and children, building hot rods and wreaking havoc of all kinds. ScottMorse.Blogspot.com

Cal McDonald saw his first dead body when he was eight years old—setting the tone for the rest of his life. A pill-popping, alcoholic degenerate, Cal teams up with his ghoul associate Mo’Lock to spiral around the sin-infested streets of Los Angeles in his possessed Chevy Nova, battling a growing horde of monsters. After losing one friend after another to his cases, Cal is slowly being pushed over the edge. A looming war between man and monster is coming, and Cal and his army of the undead are ready to blast every single werewolf, demon,occultist, and vampire back to hell!

Graphic Novels: the perfect combination of art and fiction

Criminal Macabre: The Cal McDonald Mysteries Omnibus Vol. #1

Author Steve Niles

Artwork: Kelley Jones and Ben Templesmith

I’ve always liked graphic novels, you get the beauty of the art work and a kick ass story. So I was thrilled to get an ARC of the Criminal Macabre Omnibus from Netgalley and I absolutely loved it! I haven’t read a lot of this type of graphic novel and I am not sure about the terminology I should use so please bear with me. I think this qualifies as Noir or Pulp. Since graphic novels are really the marrying of art and fiction, I will address each part separately.

Blurb:

In 2003 Steve Niles, creator of the 30 Days of Night comics series, launched a series of occult detective stories featuring the monstrously hard-boiled Cal McDonald. A pill-popping alcoholic reprobate, Cal is the only line of defense between Los Angeles and a growing horde of zombies, vampires, possessed muscle cars, mad scientists, werewolves, and much more weirdness!

* This volume collects the first two Criminal Macabre trades, the one-shot story Love Me Tenderloin, and Criminal Macabre: Supernatural Freak Machine--never before in trade paperback!

* From the creators of 30 Days of Night!

* For all your vampire and zombie fans!

Let’s talk story. Steve Nile’s Criminal Macabre Omnibus was my first introduction to Cal McDonald. He's a cynical, pill-popping, foul-mouthed, alcoholic private detective that has attracted supernatural creatures that the rest of the world doesn’t know exists ever since he was a kid. As a result, everyone close to him usually ends up dead. His partner and best friend is a very polite and dry humored Ghoul named Mo. Mo, along with all the other ghouls, lives in the sewers. The stories have a pulp feel and the character dialogue is hilarious. Snarky witticism at its best. He is like a male version of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, only way more screwed-up and vulgar .

The first story Criminal Macabre is about a crazy man who has found a way to bring back the original monsters from legend, like werewolves and vampires, using a mutated form of the Bubonic plague and fleas to transmit it. You won’t believe how Cal manages to defeat this guy .

The second is the short story A Letter From B.S. Cal helps a dead man find his dead girlfriend. This story is outright hilarious, especially they way the dead guy helps Cal “see” other dead people.

The third story is Love Me Tenderloin. A rogue spirit is possessing meat products. Oh, yeah .

The fourth is Last Train To Deadsville. Here we get meet Cal’s sort of girlfriend and he has forgotten Valentine’s Day, she is a good fit for him. Instead of the usual Valentine's Day date, they end up fighting possessed rednecks and a succubus.

The last story is Supernatural Freak Machine. Cal and Mo buy a possessed car and must track down an escaped insane scientist named Dr. Polynice. This story has a more serious edge and is emotionally tough. Cal loses someone important to him, and it made me kind of sad. You end up seeing why Cal acts the way his does.

Some of my favorite Cal quotes:

“The crazy ghoul had abandoned trying to free himself. Instead he allowed his bones to be shattered so he could stretch his skin and reach what I needed. It was the coolest thing he’d ever done for me. But really f***ing gross.”

“Every once in a while a case comes along that you don’t solve so much as it mows you down and drags you along until it’s over. This was going to be one of those cases. If I’d known at the time, I would have stayed on the f***ing toilet.”

“Polynice is a grade A twisted F***. He likes to play with dead things, Even if he has to make them dead to play with them.”

Now let’s talk artwork. The first 3 stories are illustrated by Ben Templesmith. I think his minimalist approach was a perfect fit for these stories. There isn’t a lot of detail in the art, but the facial expressions are priceless. The rest of the stories are illustrated by Kelley Jones. His work has a more “pop” art feel. It is completely different from Templesmith, with all the detail, but still a perfect fit for the characters. I didn’t prefer one over the other. Both were entertaining and added to the experience.

Here are some examples of their work:

Templesmith

Jones

I give this Omnibus 5 monster killing Sheep!

SS (edited by BAK)

Comic Review: Criminal Macabre: Final Night-The 30 Days of Night Crossover #1 (of 4)

Criminal Macabre: Final Night-The 30 Days of Night Crossover #1 (of 4)
Writer: Steve Niles 

Artist: Christopher Mitten 
Cover Artist: Justin Erickson 
Genre: Horror, Crime, Action/Adventure 
Publication Date: December 12, 2012 
Dark Horse

Format: FC, 32 Pages 

Preview 

In this epic crossover with IDW, Steve Niles’s greatest characters come together in a final showdown. 

Cal McDonald only wanted a beer, but what he got was a jaded federal agent and a story about vampires up in Barrow, Alaska. There’s a new vamp in LA, and he’s hell bent on escalating his attacks. When Mo’Lock’s sometimes ghoul-friend is murdered, Cal’s on the hunt . . . for Eben—the longtime protagonist/antagonist of 30 Days of Night.

* Dark Horse and IDW team up on this once-in-a-lifetime crossover!

* Covers by poster artist Justin Erickson (Rue Morgue).

“Fans of the horror genre really can’t go wrong with [30 Days of Night].”—About.com

Horror crossover of the year! 

Do you know who Steve Niles is? Well, you should! He created two of the best comics out there. Criminal Macabre is a pulp-noir/crime and horror series that follows the exploits of the pill-popping, alcoholic Cal MacDonald and his straight-laced ghoul partner Mo’lock as they try to battle the forces of evil. I have reviewed several of the Criminal Macabre comics before (here) and fell in love with the troubled detective. Niles’s other famous comic, which I haven’t had a chance to read yet, is 30 Days of Night, which is about vampires that attack the small Alaskan town of Barrow. Barrow has a month of night which allows the vampires free reign. 

Steve Niles has written many novels and comic series for each title and 30 Days of Night was even turned into a major movie. Both titles have a large and loyal fan base and it was only a matter of time before these two worlds collided. 

In the last few issues of CM, Cal has discovered a war is about to be waged between the undead and humanity. In the recently ended 30DON series Eban, a once good vampire, has turned bad and is now building an army of vampires to destroy humanity. FBI agent Alice Blood is partially responsible for this turn of events and has come to Cal for help. 

Criminal Macabre: Final Night #1 is the big showdown as Eban is invades L.A., pitting him against Cal. There is a lot at stake for fans in this epic battle, because there can only be one winner and losing will mean the end of a much loved series.

Final Night #1 is off to a great start. Using little detail and deep shadowing, which is a characteristic of the Criminal Macabre comics, the artist manages to capture the noir feeling but also to convey the dark humor of the series. I am not familiar with the 30 Days of Night comics but there is enough back-story included to catch me up on the motivations behind Eban’s actions. I think non-fans of either series will be able to enjoy Final Night, but there will be spoilers for the separate series if you decide to check them out. 

I will be eagerly awaiting the next issue and cheering on one of my favorite comic characters.

5 “Team Cal MacDonald” Sheep

Sharon Stogner (edit Kalpar)

Sheep Comic Review: Criminal Macabre: Die, die, My Darling!

Criminal Macabre: Die, Die, My Darling (one-shot)

Dark Horse Comics

Writer: Steve Niles

Artist: Christopher Mitten

Colorist: Michelle Madsen

Cover Artist: Fiona Staples

Genre: Horror, Crime, Action/Adventure

Publication Date: April 04, 2012

Format: FC, 32 pages

Price: $3.50

UPC: 7 61568 21185 6 00111

Monster hunters Cal and Mo'loch are hired by a giant stranger and his fetal sibling to make a final stand in the war between good and evil.

* A perfect introduction for new readers!

"Steve Niles has beaten up his main man, broken him down and now stands on the precipice of reinventing him with a conflict on the horizon that portends to be nothing short of epic." —Newsaramal

Cal McDonald saw his first dead body when he was eight years old—setting the tone for the rest of his life. A pill-popping, alcoholic degenerate, teamed up with his ghoul associate Mo’Lock, Cal spirals around the sin-infested streets of Los Angeles in his possessed Chevy Nova against a growing horde of monsters.

Losing one friend after another to his cases, Cal is slowly being pushed over the edge. A looming war between man and monster is coming, and Cal and his army of the undead are ready to blast every single werewolf, demon, occultist, and vampire back to hell!

I absolutely loved this comic. Our protagonist Cal is a cynical, pill-popping, foul-mouthed, alcoholic private detective who has attracted supernatural creatures that the rest of the world doesn’t even know exists since he was a kid. His partner and best friend is a very polite and dry humored Ghoul named Mo. The stories have a pulp-noir feel and the dialogue between characters is hilarious; snarky witticism at its best. Cal is like a male version of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, only way more screwed-up and vulgar .

In this issue Cal has experienced a life-altering event and his ghoul friend Mo is quite pleased with the irony of it. How is that for vague <G>? Sorry, I don’t want to give any spoilers for folks. Anyway, Cal and Mo are bonding (i.e. beating each other up) when a guy with his fetal twin sister in his belly shows up. They tell Cal he needs to eliminate an evil creature to help win the oncoming war, but Cal finds that there are some lines he isn’t even willing to cross.

This is a must-read for anyone who enjoys urban fantasy with a dash of horror and snarky dialogue. Grab it when it comes out April 4^th!

5 “What the hell?!” Sheep

SharonS. (edited by BAK)

Dark Horse Comics

Buy digital editions of Criminal Macabre here

check out previews for Criminal Macabre here

Comic Review: CRIMINAL MACABRE: THE THIRD CHILD #3

CRIMINAL MACABRE: THE THIRD CHILD #3
Writer: Steve Niles
Artist: Christopher Mitten
Colorist: Michelle Madsen
Cover Artist: Justin Erickson
Genre: Action/Adventure, Crime, Horror
Publication Date: November 19, 2014

Dark Horse Comics
Format: FC, 32 pages; Miniseries
Price: $3.99
UPC: 7 61568 24672 8 00311
Mayhem in the streets!

The world is rioting and everyone has turned to their darker sides. In all this mayhem, Cal seeks help from those long gone, but can he and the few outcasts still on his side save a world that has always shunned them?

* From the writer of Breath of Bones and 30 Days of Night!

The love between a father and son…nothing like it. Cal gets good advice from his dad after digging him up. He also makes a confession to longtime friend Mo and new friend Frank about his purpose. There is an imbalance between light and darkness and it is spilling into their world. They are going to need an army to help and the ghouls have switched sides. But luckily Frank has some monster friends in the backyard so things might be looking up.

This is issue #3 of a 4 part story. Criminal Macabre is one of the best horror/humor urban fantasy comics out there. The Third Child is no exception. The artwork is on point for the series with graphic horror scenes and minimal detail drawing that still manages to express the proverbial thousand words. And I’ve always loved the “f*** you” Cal McDonald dry wit.

I absolutely love this series and The Third Child storyline. Looking forward to how this plays out.

5 “I wanna shoot you so bad right now” Sheep

SharonS

Three Free Comics from Steve Niles

I adore comic book writer Steve Niles. Criminal Macabre is one of my top three favorite comics. (reviews of C.M.) If you love horror comics then this is a man you need to read. He has three gruesome horror comics for free on his website. I have included the blurbs and links for you to check out. These are reminiscent of the old school Tales from the Crypt comics, only a little more graphic. My favorite is Edge of Doom. A collection of 5 separate short stories that are tied together in a unusual way. 

I give all three comics 5 "superhero horror" Sheep

Best known for works such as 30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre, Simon Dark, Mystery Society and Batman: Gotham County Line, he is credited among other contemporary writers as bringing horror comics back to prominence.


Niles is currently working for four of the top American comic publishers - IDW, DC, Image and Dark Horse. Everyone's favorite monster hunter Cal McDonald continues in theCriminal Macabre series from Dark Horse, as well as in stories currently being published by Steve's own Bloody Pulp Books.

http://www.steveniles.net/freecomics.html

Pieces For Mom: A Tale of The Undead (one-shot)
story Steve Niles
art & cover Andrew Ritchie
32 pages- FC - $3.99
The world has been overrun, the flesh-eating undead rule the streets, and two teen boys left abandoned in the city to fend for themselves and care for their rotting mother. In a world where the undead eat human flesh what chance do two boys have when they can hardly get along themselves? Featuring art by Andrew Ritchie that will literately crawl under your skin and story by Steve Niles, readers will discover this is NOT your typical zombie story.

http://www.steveniles.net/_assets/PiecesForMom-SteveNiles.pdf

Wake the Dead #1
by Steve Niles (Author) , Michael Dougherty (Introduction) , Chee (Artist)
Modern master of horror Steve Niles (30 Days Of Night) teams with new art sensation, Milx, to present a tale guaranteed to terrify! When Victor sets his sights on reversing death, he can't know just what a can of worms he's opening up. But he'll find out...

http://www.steveniles.net/_assets/WTD.pdf

Edge of Doom 

Art by Kelley Jones
Discover the true meaning of terror as fright-masters Steve Niles and Kelley Jones bring you five frightening tales of stark raving horror! In one tale we watch a very sad and lonely man reaching the end of his rope, only to discover he's in way deeper than he ever imagined. It seems there's an army of little demons in his garden and he's their next sacrifice! Or another, of a brave space explorer left to roam a strange planet all alone as a result of an engine malfunction, with his only companion, a weather droid. And yet another, as we witness a husband & wife who thought the toughest challenge before them was their impending divorce, until a terrible car 'accident' makes them unwitting subjects in a bizarre scientific experiment.

http://www.steveniles.net/_assets/EdgeofDoomTPB.pdf

Comic Review (ARC): The Untold Tales of Dog Mendonca & Pizzaboy (One-Shot)

The Untold Tales of Dog Mendonca & Pizzaboy (One-Shot)

Writer: Filipe Melo

Artist: Juan Cavia

Colorist: Santiago Villa

Genre: Action/Adventure, Humor

Publication Date: October 24, 2012

Format: FC, 40 pages

Price: $2.99

UPC: 7 61568 21704 9 00111 

Dark Horse

Flanked by his demonic assistant Pazuul and the “unpaid intern” known as PizzaBoy, overweight Portuguese werewolf “Dog” Mendonça narrates his own bizarre origin story, taking us from a traveling circus to a Nazi laboratory to the depths of Loch Ness! And when we catch up with the present-day Mendonça, can his team adjust to the new fame and outrageous fortune that come from being published by Dark Horse Comics? Bite into the raucous adventure that was first serialized in Dark Horse Presents—now in one comic!

* Find out how Dog Mendonça got his powers!

* Author Filipe Melo deliberately breaks the fourth wall for an ironic commentary on the comics industry itself.

* From the pages of Dark Horse Presents!

 Official website

Back in May 2012, I reviewed a fabulous trade paperback from Dark Horse Comics called The Incredible Adventures of Dog Mendonca and Pizzaboy, and I ended up giving it five Sheep. I didn't realize it, but in 2011 there was a four-part series of Dog Mendonca and Pizza Boy in Dark Horse Presents #4-7. For those who don’t know, Dark Horse Presents is an 80 page-ish anthology of well-known and new writers/artists where you get a chapter of many different comics. Kind of like a sampler of what Dark Horse has to offer. Anyway…  Dark Horse has taken all four of the Dog Mendonca chapters and put them together in a one-shot comic called The Untold Tales of Dog Mendonca & Pizza Boy.

Because this is a collection of four separate small chapters from DH Presents, they don’t fit together like one cohesive story, but you end up getting the story of who Dog is and how he became a detective.

You also get a sense of the character personalities like Dog, the overweight werewolf, Pazuul, a 6000 year old demon in a six year old girl’s body, and Pizza Boy, who is a dorky and lovable guy. What is so delightful about the one shot is how the characters talk to the reader throughout the action and poke fun at Dark Horse and advertisers with things like product placement and showing the check they got from Dark Horse.

The art work for this series is fantastic using shading, facial expressions, and backgrounds to their fullest potential to set the mood and tell the story. I highly recommend anything Dog Mendonca for those who like humor, detectives, and quality artwork. It kind of reminds me of Criminal Macabre, only with a fat werewolf and a little sillier.

5 “Pocket knife carrying” Sheep

Sharon Stogner (edit by Kalpar)

There is even a movie. The trailer is in Portuguese, but still pretty funny

Raising Hell - A Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter Novella (Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter #1) by John G. Hartness

Raising Hell - A Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter Novella (Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter #1)
by John G. Hartness
Kindle Edition, 91 pages
Published January 20th 2015

by Falstaff Books
Straight out of the pages of the legendary vampire novel Dracula comes a demon hunter for the modern world. Mina Murray and Jonathan Harker had a son. They named him Quincy. His guardian angel calls him Q. Dracula calls him nephew.

Demons call him The Reaper.

"There are things in this world that men and women aren’t meant to understand. We aren’t supposed to know these things exist, much less how to fight them. The things that go bump in the night, the monsters in the closet, the shadow out of the corner of your eye — that’s where I live."

This exciting new series from the author of The Black Knight Chronicles and the Bubba the Monster Hunter short stories is a walk through the dark side, where things go bump in the night, and somebody has to bump back. Quincy Harker is that somebody.

Also includes a bonus free chapter to Daughters of Shadow and Blood - Book I: Yasamin by J. Matthew Saunders!

I am a sucker for foul-mouthed, belligerent, all-out-of-f***s-to-give, but hearts of gold male protags in my urban fantasy. I’m not talking romantic leads. That’s a whole other something-something. If a guy is a monster hunter, like Quincy Harker in Raising Hell, then they need to be as scary, or scarier, than the big bads they hunt. I also don’t want a drawn out story. They go in, kick ass, and go home. The end. This is one reason I love comic books with this type of character (Cal MacDonald from Criminal Macabre and Constantine). Okay so now you know where I’m coming from...

Raising Hell is a novella that reads quickly and entertains. It would make a great comic book by the way. If you have issue with language you might want to skip this one. The F-word appears multiple times on each page and it should because…Harker says it best:

“I’m not a priest, and I’m sure as hell not normal. I’m Quincy mother***in’ Harker and the blood of Dracula himself runs through my veins.”

Speaking of Dracula, he goes by the name Luke Card, and is Harker’s uncle. He also has a man-servant named Renfield, his sixth one. He helps bail Harker out of jail while Detective Gail Flynn is constantly trying to put him in. She finally gets her eyes opened to what goes bump in the night and helps Harker take care of a nasty witch who is trying to bring demons into our plane.

This story moves quick, with lots of action and enough character development to make you curious but not giving much away. I am looking forward to the next Demon Hunter story.

Quincy Harker quotes:

“Whatever was on the other side of that door wasn’t human, was powerful as sh**, and was really hungry. It was also in a really good mood, which disturbed the f*** out of me.”

“My mom always told me I swear too much. I told her she was provincial and old-fashioned. She told me both statements were true. She was right. I swear too much. But almost always only at demons. Except when I swear at people. And angels. And minor elder Gods. And traffic lights. And a lot of elevators. F*** it, I swear too much.”

“Yeah, if you had a magical Geiger counter that thing would blow your eardrums the second we stepped off the elevator. Speaking of which, is there a plan? Because I can speak personally to the fact that just going in and punching him in the face isn’t very effective. And there are no SUVs out front to break our fall this time.”

4.5 “I’m nobody’s f***ing sweetheart” Sheep

SharonS

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

Literate Liquors video blog

This is me, and this is where I write. I’m John “Falstaff” Hartness and I’ve been writing for years, for myself and for other people. Once upon a time I did a little gig for Turner Broadcasting as part of their My South ad campaign and that got me interested in writing fiction and poetry again. After writing a poker blog for several years, I’ve transitioned into writing fiction, and launched this site to be my internet home. This is where I try out new stories, new essays and poems, and post photos of some of the shows I’ve designed.

I am the author of The Black Knight Chronicles, an urban fantasy series set in Charlotte, NC. I have self-published the first three books in the series, and am under agreement with Bell Bridge Books for books 4-6. The Black Knight Chronicles follows the adventures of a pair of nerdy private investigators with a slight problem – they’re vampires. In addition to their strange dietary requirements, Jimmy Black and Greg Knightwood have to deal with prejudice, relationship drama, trolls, dragons, werewolves, other vampires and a plethora of comic book nerds along their way to saving the world and (hopefully someday) getting the girl. The series has sold over 15,000 copies in the first year of publication, and I think you’ll really enjoy it.

I grew up in Bullock Creek, South Carolina, the youngest of four kids. I’m a graduate of Winthrop Universty with a BA in Theatre Performance, and I live in Charlotte with my lovely wife Suzy. We’ve been active in the theatre community around Charlotte for years, and between us we’ve worked for almost every theatre group in town at some point. My work has primarily been as a lighting designer, but I've also directed quite a bit, done sound and set design, and even acted once in a while. But I’ve always wanted to write, and this site is where I do it. So welcome, thanks for stopping by.

Sheep Comic Review: Creepy #8

By: Jeff Parker, Doug Moench, Rick Geary, Colleen Coover, Kelly Jones, Richard Corben

Type: Comics

Genres: Classic, Horror

Publisher: Dark Horse

Pub. Date: April 04, 2012

Details: Full color, 48 pages

Uncle Creepy has unearthed another malicious mag's worth of terror! Waiting in these pages are brand-new stories from Jeff Parker (Thunderbolts, Hulk), Colleen Coover (X-Men: First Class), Rick Geary (A Treasury of Victorian Murder), Doug Moench (Batman), and Kelly Jones (Criminal Macabre) all wrapped up in a cover from horror master Richard Corben (Hellboy, classic Creepy and Eerie)!

* Cover by Richard Corben!

* Featuring a classic reprint from Bruce Jones and Bernie Wrightson!

This was my first time reading an issue of Creepy and I really enjoyed the variety of stories and art work. Uncle Creepy is our host and he introduces us to five old school horror stories, but Jenifer was by far my favorite with a great “ew!” factor. The weakest of the bunch was the two-page Loathsome Lore, but it wasn’t really a story, more of a listing of rock musicians and what gave them their famous horror reputation. Overall an entertaining assortment of horror candy.

Contents:

Nineteen - Jeff Parker, Colleen Coover

A man learns his new-found salvation from guilt is actually anything but… I liked the broad stroke artwork and minimal details.

The Lurking Fate That Came to Lovercraft Part 1- Doug Moench, and Kelly Jones

There is a thin line between genius and madness and you are better off keeping that to yourself. The artwork was a little busy, but set the mood well.

The Mausoleum- Rick Geary

Sad tale of why the living and dead shouldn’t fall in love. The artwork is very crisp and clean like Sunday comics.

Loathsome Lore- Dan Braun and Kyle Baker

This was just panels of famous musicians with a description of why they are considered horror rock. The artwork is messy looking.

Jenifer - Bruce Jones and Bernie Wrightson

No good deed goes unpunished; watch the cycle of horror as a hideous creature moves from one poor soul to the next. The artwork is a mix of detailed drawings for the normal things in the story and a heavily shaded style for the horror scenes giving it a fantastic overall creep factor.

4 Creepy Sheep

SharonS (edited by BAK)

Pre-order and see previews: here