Creepshow Volume 1 Review
Writers: Chris Burnham, Paul Dini, Steve Langford, David Lapham, Maria Lapham, Steve Foxe, L Marlow Francavilla, Francesco Francavilla, Ariela Kristantina, Kyle Starks, Henry Barajas, Steve Orlando, Clay McLeod Chapman
Artists: John McCrea, David Lapham, Erica Henderson, Francesco Francavilla, Jorge Corona, Fran Galán, Dani, Marianna Ignazzi, Anwita Citriya
Colorists: Adriano Lucas, Mike Spicer, Trish Mulvihill, John Francois Beaulieu, Brad Simpson, Fabiana Mascolo, Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Cover Artists: Chris Burnham & Adriano Lucas
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $14.99
Release Date: March 22, 2023
The 1982 Creepshow movie ripped through cinemas with stories written by Horror master Steven King. The movie spawned two sequels, a comic book novelization, and the TV series Tales From The Darkside. After owning the ‘80s, Creepshow refused to die, returning with a web series, a streaming TV series, and Scholastic tie-in books. It's even returned to comics courtesy of the good folks at Image. Are you ready for ten new terrifying tales? Then let’s dig into Creepshow Volume 1 and brave what we find inside!
Take One
Writer & Artist: Chris Burnham
Colorist: Adriano Lucas
When three Trick Or Treaters ignore written instructions—and memories of draconian punishments awarded by the former owner of a shuttered house—they discover that Death still has its sting. Burnham’s story reminds us of society’s current trend away from traditional Trick Or Treating, and the ending highlights the sometimes twisted ethics of horror stories. Detailed penciling, tilted camera angles, silhouettes, textured coloring, and excellent shading and light sources give this comic a film noir appeal. The over-the-top violence and gore make Take One a fitting companion to Spawn: Unwanted Violence. Strangely, the morning after welcomes an October sun. Did the boys get their dates mixed up? Was that why we saw no other Trick Or Treaters on those dark streets?
Shingo
Writers: Paul Dini & Stephen Langford
Artist: John McCrea
Colorist: Mike Spicer
A daughter’s birthday party becomes the latest battleground for separated parents. Shingo asks: when parents refuse to get along, how does this affect their children? The circular nature of the story suggests how parents can initiate a cycle of dysfunction and abuse that lingers for generations. Its lighter, humorous tone allows readers to recover from the last story's graphic excess. The art’s more Golden Age than Modern and reminds me of the EC horror comics that the United States Senate called a Comic Book Menace in 1954.
The Gorgahmorahh Tree
Writers: David Lapham & Maria Lapham
Artist: David Lapham
Colorist: Trish Mulvihill
Dysfunctional families enrich the soil in which horror stories grow. The way Lapham draws people in The Gorgahmorahh Tree reminds me of his 90s Harbinger run. Each panel compels as Lapham contrasts the majestic, ancient tree with Daphne’s cluttered, disordered home. How much of what occurs is real? How much does Daphne imagine? This third story in Creepshow Volume 1 evokes classic episodes of The Avengers, Night Gallery, and Doctor Who. It also reminded me of Patrick Ness' novel A Monster Calls and the 2016 movie. An unreliable narrator, a tortured daughter, and mesmerizing art turn an old gardener's adage on its head in this unique take on an oft-told story.
Creator’s Rites
Writer: Steve Foxe
Artist: Erica Henderson
Creator’s Rites tackles elder abuse: a subject most don't want to face. Compare the years it takes to become a doctor or nurse with the weeks of preparation (perhaps via the Internet) to work in a nursing home. We may never become luminaries in the comic world, but if we live long enough, we’ll all need help meeting our basic needs. Do Henderson's Old School TV animation style and vibrant coloring blunt the edges of Foxe’s story or make them sharper? Seemingly ripped from the final days of Stan Lee, Creator’s Rites cuts deep.
Hair
Writer: L. Marlow Francavilla & Francesco Francavilla
Artist: Francesco Francavilla
Jimmy feels more kinship with wild animals than civilized people. The barber doesn't hurt anyone, but Jimmy’s actions aid the animals in the forest outside town. The character reminded me of activist Nick Van Owen (played by Vince Vaughn) in The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Scenes of town life evoke the Andy Griffith Show and Groundhog Day, with no newcomers saying "Heavy" or asking for a Pepsi Free. Francavilla's carefree, heavy inks and limited palette--greens, yellows, and oranges—give Hair a faded appearance. Hair combines a love of nature with a yearning for a simple life in a mood piece that—while not surprising--lingers.
To read this review in its entirety, and preview art from Take One, see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.
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