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| COVER A BY MIKE HUDDLESTON |
Creativity is a strength, and ingenuity is a good thing. But sometimes, we can be too inventive for our own good. Do you dare to peer into what the science of tomorrow will bring? And where our penchant for experimentation will take us?
Here's all the info from Oni Press:
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| ARCHIVE EDITION (1:50) BY MALACHI WARD |
Thanks to Oni Press for sharing this cover preview with us.
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COVER A BY DUSTIN WEAVER |
Every month, Oni Press brings you great anthologies like EC Comics' sci-fi series Cruel Universe. EC Comics also brings us spine-tingling terror like Catacomb Of Torment. Now, they're alerting us to the dangers of dating, love, and that most crimson of holidays: Valentine's Day! Should you wait to book that special dinner date? Or should you beg your contractors to install a safe room immediately?
Here's all the info from Oni Press and EC Comics:
EC TORTURED HEARTS #1 (ONE-SHOT)
WRITTEN BY JORDIE BELLAIRE, TINI HOWARD & BLAKE HOWARD, ANN NOCENTI, AMY ROY
ART BY SEBASTIÁN CABROL, FABIANA MASCOLO, DAN McDAID, ARJUNA SUSINI
COVER A BY DUSTIN WEAVER
COVER B BY MIGUEL MERCADO
COVER C BY TOM FOWLER
EC HOMAGE VARIANT (1:10) BY SHAWN McMANUS
B&W ARTIST EDITION VARIANT (1:20) BY TOM FOWLER
ARCHIVE EDITION VARIANT (1:50) BY PATRICIA MARTÍN
ON SALE FEBRUARY 11th, 2026 | $8.99 | 56 PAGES | FC
IOC: 12/27/2025
FOC: 1/19/2026
LOVE HURTS! Oni Press, the multiple Eisner and Harvey Award–winning publisher of groundbreaking comics and graphic novels since 1997, and William M. Gaines Agent, Inc., are wrenching romance comics out of the grave in TORTURED HEARTS #1 – a 56-page tome of terror forged in the unrelenting tradition of EC Comics! In advance of the giant-sized special’s February 11th release date, take a lovelorn first look at "A Pocket Full of Nails" by legendary comic writer and editor Ann Nocenti (Daredevil, The Seeds) and ardent artist Dan McDaid (Dega) with colors from the mighty Michelle Madsen (Buffy The Vampire Slayer).
“Deep down in the EC catacomb, we've been toiling away to bring forth compelling tales of torment and technological terror,” says editor Allyson Gronowitz. "Now, we're excited to present our latest concoction of misery... a one-shot anthology dedicated solely to the particular pains and perils of romance! In this terrifying tale, esteemed writer Ann Nocenti explores the dangers of obsession, and the skin-crawling horror of the dark side of devotion... stunningly brought to life on the page by Dan McDaid and Michelle Madsen!”
“This tale is inspired by a true story about a guy who stalked female comic creators back in the days before stalker laws,” explains Ann Nocenti. “it was up to us to defend ourselves! One visual riff in the story was a scattering of loose nails, and Dan masterfully wove the spiky motif throughout the story to terrifying effect... dare I say he nailed it? Telling EC tales for Oni Press is a blast. My modus operandi is to think about what I'm afraid of, and with so much to fear in the world, the possibilities are endless. It's a pleasure to work with editors Allyson Gronowitz and Jung Hu Lee, who always offer tweaks to make the stories just a bit bloody better.”
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, here's one for all of you lovesick lunatics, rancid romantics, and forlorn fatalities as Oni Press proudly presents a giant-sized Valentine’s bouquet full of soft whispers and death rattles from hot-blooded writers Jordie Bellaire (Redlands), Tini Howard (Excalibur) & Blake Howard (Vampire: The Masquerade), Ann Nocenti (Daredevil), and Amy Roy (EC's Epitaphs from the Abyss), alongside candy-coated artists Sebastián Cabrol (Hulk: Maestro), Fabiana Mascolo (Cyberpunk 2077), Dan McDaid (EC's Outlaw Showdown), Arjuna Susini (Lamentation), and many more!
Plus, as an extra-added bonus: Another newly restored and authentically remastered classic from the EC vaults by legendary fiends William M. Gaines, Al Feldstein, and Reed Crandall!
Now, let's take a look inside:
Here are more cover options:
COVER B BY MIGUEL MERCADO
COVER C BY TOM FOWLER
EC HOMAGE VARIANT (1:10) BY SHAWN McMANUS
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B&W ARTIST EDITION VARIANT (1:20) BY TOM FOWLER |
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ARCHIVE EDITION VARIANT (1:50) BY PATRICIA MARTÍN |
Eat your heart out – but make sure to save some for the rest of us! This Valentine’s Day, EC Comics is gifting you a box of poison chocolates and cyanide-laced champagne in TORTURED HEARTS #1 – featuring a slate of salacious covers that will make your eyes linger a second too long from Dustin Weaver (Avengers), Miguel Mercado (X-Men), Tom Fowler (Refrigerator Full of Heads), Shawn McManus (Fables), and Patricia Martín (EC’s Blood Type)! Warm your heart to the boiling point – only in comic shops on February 11th!
Thanks to Oni Press and Superfan Promotions for sharing this preview with us.
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| COVER A BY DUSTIN WEAVER |
How have conditions in the South changed since Kunta Kinte accepted his new name of Toby? What is the secret to maintaining a successful garden? And where are the real life Hercule Poirots? Rest assured, you can rely on Oni Press to answer your questions and put you out of your misery!
Here's all the info:
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| B&W ARTIST EDITION VARIANT (1:20) BY REIKO MURAKAMI |
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| ARCHIVE EDITION (1:50) BY PATRICIA MARTÍN |
Thanks to Oni Press for sharing this preview with us.
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| COVER B BY LUKAS KETNER |
Watch out, horror fans! Three new tales are coming your way. The stories in this new anthology probe the perils of vintners, costumers, and creating a more beautiful society. Warning: there will be blood.
Here's all the info from Oni Press:
CATACOMB OF TORMENT #2 |
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WRITTEN BY MATT BORS, EVAN DORKIN & JEREMY LAMBERT ART BY KANO, LUKAS KETNER & FABIANA MASCOLO COVER A BY ARIEL OLIVETTI COVER B BY LUKAS KETNER EC HOMAGE VARIANT (1:10) BY JAY STEPHENS B&W ARTIST EDITION VARIANT (1:20) BY LUKAS KETNER ARCHIVE EDITION (1:50) BY PATRICIA MARTÍN EC’S BLOODY NEW ONGOING SERIES TWISTS THE KNIFE AS THE SUMMER OF FEAR CONTINUES! Welcome back to the Tormentor’s lair . . . where each crank of the rack tightens your shackled limbs and brings even more taut tales of mayhem and murder spilling forth like so much viscera! This month: Full-blooded writers Matt Bors (Toxic Avenger), Evan Dorkin (Beasts of Burden), and Jeremy Lambert (Doom Patrol) join steel-nerved artists Kano (Action Comics), Lukas Ketner (Count Crowley), and Fabiana Mascolo (Catwoman) to navigate the catacombs by torchlight. . . . We hope they can find their way back out, hehehe! ON SALE AUGUST 20th, 2025 | $4.99 | 32 PGS. | FC
Here are more cover options:
ARCHIVE EDITION (1:50) BY PATRICIA MARTÍN
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Thanks to Oni Press for sharing this preview with us.
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 Bridge
Writer: Ariela Kristantina
Artist: Jorge Corona
Colorist: Jean-Francois Beaulieu
When Alexis visits a Malaysian island with her friends, her boyfriend breaks off their relationship via cell phone. Incensed, she doesn't wait for her friend to translate their guide's warning. She crosses a bridge and discovers an ancient temple surrounded by Banyan trees. Her friend translates the caretaker's warning, but Alexis storms past him too. What she finds inside the temple will haunt her forever. I like how Alexis’ fixation on social media blinds her to reality. Jorge Corona’s art and Jean-Francois Beaulieu’s soft, appealing colors conjure an exotic landscape reminiscent of 1974’s The Man With The Golden Gun and The Phantom movie of 1996. Fans of Clive Barker's stories, and European comics like Leo’s Aldébaran and Christin and Mézières’ Valerian and Laureline series, should check this one out.
Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are
Writer: Kyle Starks
Artist: Fran Galán
A yellow-orange glow suffuses panels as Nancy remembers exploring the woods with her childhood friends. They find bodies drained of blood, but no one heeds their warnings. So, the kids decide to clear out the local vampire nest. The art and limited color palette give this story an all-ages appeal. While I missed the story's logic, I enjoyed the meditations on adulthood and giving into fear. Mix Stand By Me, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, garnish with Night of the Living Dead and serve.
La Mascara Del La Muerte
Writer: Henry Barajas
Artist: Dani
Colorist: Brad Simpson
When rising star Lupe Lopez loses a Luche Libre bout, she steals her father’s mask from her grandma and returns to the ring. Too late, she discovers it retains the same power that ended her father's career. Dani’s blotchy, smudgy style art suggests backgrounds. Characters and proportions sometimes look out of skew. It’s almost as if she draws the negative spaces rather than the positive ones. Simpson's vibrant coloring gives her intriguing style energy and a heightened sense of reality. Sadly, this story in Creepshow Volume 1 seemed familiar and predictable. Still, Venom and Carnage fans will like how the mask manifests its power.
Thirst Trap
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Marianna Ignazzi
Colorist: Fabiana Mascolo
Parker does a deal with a demon. In return for taking regular selfies with his cell phone, he gets his youth back and doesn’t age. But what happens if he loses his phone? Ignazzi’s art gives this story scope and Mascolo’s coloring atmosphere. Still, the scene that tripped me up only had limited coloring. I had to flip back and forth several times to understand Steve Orlando's story better and find clues as to who did what and when. Still, aspects of the story spoke to me, and I liked most of the art.
Husk
Writer: Clay McLeod Chapman
Artist: Anwita Citriya
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Sally’s parents value traditional Southern heritage in their lavish plantation home. Her mother trains her in etiquette, dancing, and deportment. Yet, as her rite of passage nears, Sally believes she doesn't belong. The art ranges from adequate to impressive. Bellaire's limited coloring schemes changed with each panel. Citriya hints at Sally’s struggle for identity with her bedroom decor, while other panels hint at her origin. Still, I needed more backstory to prepare me for the shocking reveal at the debutante ball. As exciting as it is, the revelation lacked emotional resonance.
Final Thoughts
Like a candy haul after a long night’s Trick Or Treating, Creepshow Volume 1 is a mixed bag of scary sweets. Some stories I’d happily give away. Others I will treasure. My favorites were The Gorgahmorahh Tree, Creator’s Rites, and The Bridge. You'll discover your favorites when you delve into this horror anthology.
Rating 8/10
To preview interior art from the story Take One, and see more cover art, see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.
