Wake the Dead, a modern take on ‘Shelleyian’ consequences…
Posted by Ms Harker | Filed under Graphic Novels
Its been a little while since I shared some of my graphic novel readings with you, so to make up for the lack of coverage I bring you a quality title: Wake The Dead by Steve Niles and Chee (yes just Chee, you know like Madonna or Cher).
This graphic novel is a keeper, the cover is textured with the etchings of a human torso, devoid of its skin with titles that hark back to an older style font; similar to that of 50’s cult horror movies. The cut out peep hole gives just enough of a hint to the horrors that lie within.
Niles has taken Shelley’s classic tale of messing with the natural order of life and death and given it a modern twist. The story centers around Victor a spoilt rich kid who fancies himself a ground breaking scientist, he embroils his friends in his bloody endeavors whilst finding time to bonk the local Sheriff’s daughter. However his blind ambition takes him and those around him down a path of tragic ‘Shellyian’ consequences of which Chee illustrates with fine gory detail.
I admit to being a bit of a fan girl when it comes to the work of Steve Niles, however his interpretation of Mary Shelley’s gothic horror tale of science and humanity gone awry is worthy of the original novel.
Ms Harker
Wake The Dead: Single Issue Cover Art
Tags: Horror, Horror Comics, Zombies
Why I love Steve Niles…
Posted by Ms Harker | Filed under Graphic Novels, Horror Films, Horror Genres
After Ben Templesmith, my second graphic novel love is Steve Niles. He is the creator of the 30 Days of Night graphic novel series, that most of you would know was then developed into a film. He also did a gritty graphic novel interpretation of the horror stalwart ‘The Strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ by Robert Louis Stevenson entitled ‘Hyde’. His latest film in development according to Dread Central is called ‘Wake the Dead’. It is a modern take on the classic horror novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.
However, due to Guillermo Del Toro’s Hobbits taking priority by the creature workshop they both use, the release date for ‘Waking the Dead’ has been delayed to 2012 (dirty little hobbits).
Boo, I say, boooooo.
However there is a ‘Brain Teaser’ trailer that Niles developed last year for ‘Waking the Dead’, which demonstrates my love for his work and perception of the horror genre.
Ms Harker
Tags: Horror, Horror Comics, Horror Flms
Ben Templesmith: werewolves, sodomites and leprechauns.
Posted by Ms Harker | Filed under Graphic Novels, Horror Genres
I have been on somewhat of a Templesmith comic book binge of late. This has been driven by a love of his artwork and a bizarre patriotic drive to support a fellow Aussie. I think he is producing some of the best ‘horror’ material currently in the comic world. Now I don’t want to get all artsy fartsy on you but his use of colour and creation of mood are what I feel make him stand out from the crowd. Most people would be familiar with his artwork in the 30 Days of Night original graphic novel written by Steve Niles (another legend), I have also previously written about his writing (which often has a rank black twisted sense of humour *sigh*) and illustration of ‘30 Days of Night: Red Snow’.
More recently I have been making my way through the ‘Wormwood:Gentleman Corpse’ series which continues Templesmith’s tradition of black humour and horrific looking characters that you learn to love, see below for the Queen of the Leprachuans, one of my personal favourites!
I cannot gush enough about his latest graphic novel ‘Welcome To Hoxford’ set in a prison for the criminally insane where the inmates are societies most twisted sodomites and cannibals and the staff are even more NQR. Again Templesmith creates a dark and twisted environment which contrasts with the brutality of the inmates crimes and eventual demise (also a werewolf cop’s it in the arse, if anyone has seen that in another comic I’d like to hear it!).
However having just read his blog entry on MTV’s Splash Page I was both pleased and interested to hear his comments on what horror comics are/are not.
Templesmith discusses good horror being about mood and situation, also what you don’t see. Which for me is what makes good horror whether it be in comic or movie form. However he also discusses what he deems horror not to be in the latest slew of reinvented classic’s to hit the shelves:
“I can tell you what isn’t horror: Most comics. Most comics these days seem to take classic “monsters” and reset them in power fantasy, detective, romance or just plain all-out brawl stories. They try to be edgy like that, and most miss the point. Most are drawn in the same or very similar style to superhero comics. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying comics that take what are termed “classical horror” and give them a bit of a new spin are crap, I’m just saying they’re not exactly horror. They’re trading on horror but are actually producing something else.”
Interestingly he doesn’t feel that the ‘Wormwood’ series is within the horror genre, naming it as ‘dark, black humor… with horror trimmings’. Splitting hairs? Maybe, I think it has elements of horror with a sci-fi twist (*gasp*, dare I mention sci-fi in horror blog!).
Whether you are into comics/graphic novels or not, if you are into horror, Templesmith in my opinion is the best out there at the moment and you would be well served to pick up some of his material.
Ms Harker
P.S Keep and eye put for his upcoming new graphic novel Bram Stoker Dracula! Oh and thanks to Ben Templesmith’s flickr site for the pictures.
Tags: Horror, Horror Comics
