Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #1 Preview

 

Being an actor may seem glamorous. But actors spend their lives portraying others. Devoting so much time to being someone else can stress your relationships off the set or stage. And when you spend every day being someone else, how do you know who you are anymore? Isn't it wrong to define yourself by who you used to be, when you will become many more people in the future?

Here's all the info from DC Connect: 

Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #1 Preview

Writer: Jude Ellison S Doyle

Artist & Cover Artist: Fran Galán

Variant Cover Artists: Mike Del Mundo & Dave Johnson

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Series Length: 6 Issues

Price: $3.99 US/Variant $4.99 US (card stock)

Release Date: July 8, 2026

 

 

Ahead of DC Studios’ Clayface movie, 

witness Basil Karlo bring the mud and the pain 

back to DC Comics!

 

 

Before he was Clayface, Basil Karlo was one of the hottest stars in Hollywood. As he breaks out of Arkham once again, he’s ready to stage his comeback, but there’s just one problem: Someone already beat him to it, and Basil Karlo is already a massive star. But if that’s true, what’s next for the real Basil? And what does his predicament have to do with young women disappearing in Los Angeles and a new supplement causing hideous transformations in its users?

 

Acclaimed horror writer Jude Ellison S. Doyle and rising star artist Fran Galán join forces for a bold new miniseries that’s equal parts body horror and Hollywood glamour.

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For more recent series involving Clayface, 

See my review of DC K.O. Knightfight #1,

My preview of Harley and Ivy: Life and Crimes #1 & 

My review of Batman and Robin: Year One #1. 

  

 

 

Pine & Merrimac TP Review

 

Writer: Kyle Starks

Artist, Colorist & Cover Artist: Fran Galán

Letterer: Pat Brosseau

Series & Logo Designer: Nancy Mojica

Collection Designer: Armando Elizondo

Editor: Jon Moisan

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Price: $19.99

Release Date: December 11, 2024

 

Linnea was a homicide detective. But crime scenes traumatized her. She struggled to look at a corpse without vomiting. Linnea tried everything but couldn’t cope with the demands of her chosen profession. Amid the intensity and glamor of the city, she met a professional fighter. His name was Parker. Like her, he had lost someone close to him. Parker left his life in the ring behind to support her new career. Can two people who love each other forge a new life in a small town? Or will their troubled past return to haunt them? Let's leap into Pine And Merrimac TP and find out!

 

Story

Linnea grew up in Jamesport. The picturesque East Coast fishing village boasts two astronauts, three presidents, and four extremely wealthy Americans. It’s a scenic spot of picture-perfect houses, cozy diners, and a detective agency on the corner of Pine and Merrimac streets. Jamesport promises the tranquility Linnea sought after the intense demands of solving murders. Yet it's a curious choice, as Linnea fled Jamesport as soon as she could after her sister’s death.

 

As a husband, Parker is selfless, makes no demands, and always puts her needs first. Linnea decides what cases to take, and Parker helps her solve them. Parker never competes with Linnea in Pine & Merrimac TP. The fighter who rigorously trained his body and mind to win every battle trusts Linnea's decisions and backs her plays with his fighting skills.

 

Linnea’s new lease on life comes at a cost to others. In her former occupation, Linnea protected people by taking violent predators off the streets. By solving crimes, she helped grieving survivors and broken families find closure. Now, Linnea breaks up families and ruins lives by proving spousal infidelity. One such case is Abigail Byrne, who lost her affluent, carefree lifestyle and now sleeps in a homeless shelter. As Jody says about his Army Surplus Store, the worse things are, the better business gets. But when two parents approach Linnea about her daughter, she can’t say No. Perhaps things will turn out differently than with her sister.

 

Kyle Starks eases the tension of Linnea and Parker’s investigation into Tabitha’s disappearance with comic relief and quirky characters. Aside from ever-angry Abigail, there's a none-too-bright biker gang, an Army Surplus Store run by a pacifist, and a senator who believes a secret society's ceremonies can boost his bid to become the fourth President of the United States from Jamesport. Humorous wordplay also enhances the over-the-top situations. But Linnea and Parker's chemistry carries you through Pine & Merrimac TP. The couple knows nothing lasts forever and cherishes every moment together.

 

Art

Fran Galán imbues Linnea and Parker’s life in Jamesport with a dreamlike quality. The story begins with Parker waking her from a blissful sleep with a cappuccino from a local barista. The couple drives a classic muscle car from their lakeside house to the flower-framed entrance of their two-story brick corner office. Galán introduces you to thin, mustachioed Jody, heavyset Abigail, the Jackpot City Demons, and guards wielding assault rifles who know that poor job performance means death.

 

There’s a timeworn quality to Fran Galán’s art in this story set in 2023. Limited color palettes energize the daytime encounters and nighttime fights. Light also plays a significant role in Pine & Merrimac TP. Distant skyscrapers create a diffused glare. Sunlight streams through horizontal blinds in the office and a nearby diner. Moonlight illuminates a sunken cell on an isolated island. The colors suggest they radiate from Linnea as she basks in her husband's love and hopes for the best despite the lessons history has taught her.

 

Uppercase black letters inhabit off-white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Pat Brosseau helps us hear small gestures, such as the couple's frequent gifting and Linnea pinching herself to fend off more violent reactions to death. Colorful sound effects accompany Abigail’s felonious assault, gunfire, an inflaming situation, and Parker playing Preschool teacher with bikers. Thanks to Boom! Studios for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

After her sister’s disappearance and death, Linnea geared her life around solving murders. But after solving crimes in the big city, life brought her back home, where Linnea investigates another missing person’s case. Fueled by tragic events, humor, and the uplifting power of love, Pine And Merrimac TP is a meditation on the circular nature of existence and the glorious absurdities of life.

 

Rating 9/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Pine And Merrimac #1 Review

 

Writer: Kyle Starks

Artist & Colorist: Fran Galán

Letterer: Pat Brosseau

Cover Artists: Fran Galán, Erica Henderson, Annie Wu, Jae Lee with June Chung

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Price: $4.99

Release Date: January 3, 2023

 

Linnea was a homicide detective. Parker was a Mixed Martial Arts fighter. Now, they operate the Pine & Merrimac Detective Agency. What kind of people do they help? What sorts of crimes do they refuse to investigate? Let's leap into Pine And Merrimac #1 and find out!

 

Story

Linnea grew up in Jamesport. The picturesque East Coast fishing village, founded nearly three centuries ago, boasts a rich and storied history. Linnea's childhood took a tragic turn when the tide washed her kidnapped sister ashore a few weeks following her disappearance. Like many young people, Linnea traded her hometown for the big city. Alma's unsolved death led Linnea to join the police. Linnea met Parker while investigating the murder of his best friend and sparring partner. They fell in love and decided to build a future together. So they married, Parker retired, and they founded a detective agency in her hometown.

 

Working for the police, Linnea discovered she hated investigating murder. Nor did she enjoy tracing missing persons, as they usually ended up dead. So, the couple specializes in infidelity and insurance fraud in Pine And Merrimac #1. Linnea weeds out problem clients. She pays the price for their success when the targets of their investigations seek revenge. Parker protects her and keeps her happy. Linnea may be coasting, but she's earned her comfortable and undemanding life. Then comes a missing persons case she can't turn down. Now Linnea's looking for Tabitha and hoping the girl’s fate is better than Alma’s.

 

Kyle Starks makes it clear right away that Linnea is whip-smart. Parker protects her in extreme cases, but Linnea can handle most who walk through their door. Parker doesn't overthink life. He knows Linnea's past and snatches every opportunity to make her happy. He's felt the pain of betrayal and the sting of losing a beloved friend. That's something they share and hope never to feel again. Yet despite all his hard work, Linnea is determined to take Tabitha's case in Pine And Merrimac #1. Will Linnea's investigation immerse her in despair like Alma's death and her police work? Or might it bring healing by addressing her sister's death?

 

Art

Like the rice that wedding guests shower upon the happy couple, images cascade across three pages, bringing us up to speed with Linnea. Hand-in-hand, the happy couple walk toward their office at the Pine Street and Merrimac Street intersection. Neighboring tenants welcome them as they pass beneath the flowering vine that forms an arbor over the business’ entrance in this vibrant seaside community. Cheating spouses’ exaggerated features clash with the good citizens’ realism. Linnea and Parker's features and manners underline their storybook life in Pine And Merrimac #1. Backgrounds may fade when panels focus on character interactions. Yet they return like a flood when Linnea investigates Tabitha’s disappearance.

 

Fran Galán’s palette is as varied as Linnea's environment. Parker and Linnea's vintage red Chevrolet Camero transports them from their clifftop home through an arboreal wonderland to a sundrenched township that brings the rich and poor to their door. Light colors pervade this oceanfront community. Yet colors grow less diverse to emphasize the dim lighting inside a biker bar, and purples and pinks suffice to enliven the graceful way Parker and Linnea greet the day.

 

Uppercase black letters grace white dialogue balloons and colored narrative boxes. Pat Brosseau uses sound effects sparingly to illuminate gestures of love and those fraught with peril. Pine And Merrimac #1 generously invites readers from all walks of life to share the couple's investigation. Thanks to Boom! Studios for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Alcohol abuse leads to infidelities and felonies, while a girl's disappearance may illuminate Linnea's painful past in Pine And Merrimac #1.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

 

 

Creepshow TP Vol 1 Review Part 2

 

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.