The ESSENTIAL CLIVE BARKER
(Harper Collins)
The title pretty much says it all. This very meaty tome features moments from all of Barker's written works on a variety of subjects. It's a wonderful introduction to Clive and his worlds. I was particularly pleased to see my favorite moments with characters like Harry D'Amour and to reread some passages I hadn't in quite some time. It's also very cool to see the various styles Barker employs in his fiction sometimes two or three different genres or ways of writing in a matter of pages. I would hope that one day the publishers follow this up with an art book of Clive's too.
for more information visit the following site:
Clive Barker.com
GIANTKILLER series
written and painted by Dan Brereton (DC Comics)
GIANTKILLER takes place in the same universe as Brereton's wildly adored NOCTURNALS and is a fine companion to Doc Horror and his friends. GK involves the control and restraint of over two dozen monsters who emerged from the volcanic depths of San Francisco's Mount Diablo. These creatures would do Japanese monster film makers proud and I could clearly see Godzilla pitted against several of them. Sent to study the monsters in Diablo Valley is Jill Sleet. A former government agent who nearly died from her encounters with said beasties, has been resurrected as a genetic hybrid sent to study them. She flees her savors and works freelance for private industries now. Spurned by Sleet's turncoat ways, the military decide to create a human-monster hybrid that will hunt and destroy the monsters lurking in Diablo Valley. This creature, Jack, is trained in samurai lore by his creator and goes off and kicks monster butt.
While waging war, Jack meets Jill and the two eventually realize they have more in common than they realize. A nice twist is the wonderful monster Nox who actually helps our duo, and the humor that laces the NOCTURNALS is also present here. My favorite issue though, is Jill's "field guide" to the monsters that run rampant in Diablo Valley. Told in her voice, it's classic Brereton. Irony, humor and ire all wrapped up in one neat little package.
Check out Dan's official site: Nocturnals.com
Blade of the Immortal
(Dark Horse)
Interesting manga from Dark horse that is something of a cult classic. I have to admit it sometimes gets a bit more deep than I like with comics, but the artwork and story are definitely keepers. Worth a look see (RJ Mac)
Dirty Pair A Plague of Angels
(Dark Horse)
This is the kind of ott silly manga that I get a chuckle out of. Two gals out to save the galaxy only to accidentally bring about castatrophies as they hunt their men. The kind of 'oops' factor makes the Dirty Pair: A Plague of Angels entertaining. I like the talk of the strength of the city destroying bomb at the end of the comic "Maybe it's a dud..." "it was tossed around a lot..." and then blammo, there goes the city. Oblivious devestators...that's a good one. (RJ Mac)
Lords of Misrule
(Dark Horse)
A dud of a mix of Celtic lore and insanity, LOMR fails on many levels. It's not scary, not involving and eventually annoying. While I know Kim has an intensive knowledge of Brit speak and customs, I don't so trying to understand some of the dialog wasn't easy. It's also a very nasty comic. Unlike Kelly Jones THE HAMMER and some other DH horror comics, LOMR is just vicious, mindless and not enjoyable at all. Buy the HAMMER, THE THING or the NOCTURNALS if you want great horror written with class, terror and tension intact. (RJ Mac)
The Hammer
by Kelly Jones (Dark Horse)
Kelly Jones often insane and very funny THE HAMMER features a 1500 year old alien warrior (who looks like one of folks from Stuart Gordon's THE BEYOND once their flesh went beserk) who fights a Lovecraftian witch bent on bringing C'thulu and all those Old Ones back. Now the catch is, the HAMMER is actually this alien organism that was attached to the warrior's head. Having found the remains of said warrior and the organism, Professor Wilcox has communicated with the organism for five years and allowed it to be attached to his head so he can battle the evils brought forth by the reanimated witch. It's often funny, a bit strange and scary... worth a read (RJ Mac)
Fight Club
by Chuck Palahniuk
Fight Club is unlike any other novel I've read. Written in first person, in often scattered thoughts. You really get inside the head of the narrator and his nihilistic buddy Tyler Durden. The book's details are its strength, as are the characterizations. However the revelation of how Durden is related to the Narrator comes too soon and lacks the holy shit factor that the same moment in Fincher's movie did. Just because this comes across like's guys thing, doesn't mean it is. Women can relate to the consumerism, the demands of society and growing up without a father too. The crisis of identity is also something explored very deeply both here in and in the film. A wonderful read despite the lack of surprise concerning Durden's ties to the Narrator. A fine companion to David Fincher's brillaint film. I've read it about 7x and am hooked. (Kim August)
Dylan Dog
(Dark Horse)
Dylan Dog is the basis of the wonderful Italian art house zombie movie (thanks Shawna) Dellamorte Dellamore (aka Cemetery Man). A strange italian comic series about a supernatural investigator (Dylan) and his annoying unfunny comedian friend Felix who looks too much like Groucho Marx on uppers. While I haven't seen all six issues I can clearly see where the filmmakers saw the need to translate Dylan Dog to film. There are very big differences which like the Fight Club novel vs. film, these work much better in the film Dellamorte Dellamore. Still, Dylan Dog is a most entertaining and well told/drawn series. A must for Horror fans. (Kim August)
The Nocturnals Black Planet
Written and painted by Dan Brereton (Oni Press)
Dan Brereton's ode to monsters, families and crime, is one of the greatest comics created this decade. Laced together with a vicious wit, exacting details and characters you really care about, the premiere offering of the Nocs, introduces us to Doc Horror and his extended family. There are some heavy Lovecraftian moments as the group (the lovely femme gunmoll Starfish, the pyro samurai Firelion, Horror's silent and deadly scarecrow zombie gunslinger, the Gunwitch amongst them) meets up with the very gross, nasty and scary Crim. Evil tenacled menances that forced Horror and his daughter Evening to flee their home world and come to earth. The Crim have joined forces with the local mafia and it's up to Horror and co., to rid the world of them. A powerful, beautifully presented story, with Brereton's awesome painted pages. A very deep rooted wit emerges frequently and adds to the coolness of the tale. The characters are some of the coolest, most unique ever to offered to the world of comics. I certainly hope we see lots more of the NOCTURNALS in the future. For more info, check out:
Nocturnals.com
The Nocturnals Witching Hour
written and painted by Dan Brereton with pin-ups from other comic talents (Dark Horse)
Now only available from Nocturnals monster-mind Dan Brereton, Witching Hour is a hilarious tale of Evening Horror's rather interesting trick-or-treat run. Full of stabs at witches, bats, Bit-0-Honey (It wouldn't be a Nocturnals comic without BOH), and brillaint art/dialogue, Witching Hour is worth every penny. If only just to see/read Evening's slamming of the Punkinheads. "It's a plastic bucket you retard!" The comics scene needs more writer/artists like Dan. BADLY. Go to the aforementioned Nocs website to get a copy of this while you can. (Kim August)