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Horror News Network’s Comic Awards 2018: Best Mini-Series

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Horror News Network’s top mini-series (non-monthly title) for 2018 is Image Comics’ Infidel. 

Infidel (written by Pornsak Pichetshote with art by Aaron Campbell and colored by Jose Villarrubia) garnered immediate praise from the comic press and as described in our review of issue one last March, the series turned out to be “…one that appeal(ed) to fans of atmospheric horror stories as well as those who enjoy smart, socially conscious writing about the real fears that are created through prejudice and ignorance.” read more

Horror News Network’s Comic Awards 2018: Best Anthology

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Horror News Network’s Award for Best Horror Anthology of 2018 goes to Image Comics Ice Cream Man.

The series (written by W. Maxwell Prince with art by Martín Morazzo and Chris O’Halloran) has been a critical darling since the very first issue was released in January and the title has continued to pick up momentum throughout 2018.  The anthology swaps out a crypt keeper or witch for the unassuming presence of the Ice Cream Man, who is always lurking in the background during the misfortunes that befall the victim of the month.  A morality play in the style of classic EC Comics, the stories range from the anxiety behind an addict’s last fix, the trials and tribulations of a one-hit wonder, the ballad of a falling man, a young girl’s quest with her dead best friend, to a litany of domestic tragedies. read more

‘Ice Cream Man’ Comes to TV

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Deadline is reporting that the popular horror comic Ice Cream Man from Image Comics is currently being developed into a TV series.  The comic series, which debuted in January of 2018, is a horror anthology in the tradition of Tales from the Crypt.  Each of the creepy, and often gory stories is woven together by an old-fashioned ice cream truck driver.

Written by W. Maxwell Prince, the book will see its TV adaption penned by Max and Adam Reid (Sneaky Pete).  The TV series is being optioned by Universal Cable Productions, who saw recent success with another Image series, Happy! Of course, this isn’t the first time a horror comic from Image has been adapted for TV, one may remember when The Walking Dead was just a great genre comic. read more

‘Monstress’ and ‘My Favorite Thing is Monsters’ Win Multiple Categories at 2018 Eisner Awards

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Undoubtedly, the biggest winners at this year’s Eisner Awards were Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda’s for their ongoing series Monstress and Emil Ferris for her graphic novel My Favorite Thing is Monsters, as both titles took home multiple awards at the annual celebration of the best the medium has to offer.

Image Comics’ Monstress won best continuing series, best publication for teens, best painter/multimedia artist, best cover artist, and best writer (actually a tie with Mister Miracle and Batman writer Tom King).  My Favorite Thing is Monsters took best writer/artist, best coloring, and best graphic album (new). read more

‘Infidel’ Writer Pornsak Pichetshote: The Horror News Network Interview

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Most horror comics fall into three broad categories:  Tales from the Crypt style shockers, creature features, and gore fests.  Very few are able to incorporate horror elements and topical subtext to transcend the genre, but Image Comics Infidel by Pornsak Pichetshote and Aaron Campbell certainly does.  We were happy to get to a chance to talk to Pichetshote about the series, his influences, and the exciting news that Infidel will become a major motion picture very soon.

Horror News Network: Where did your inspiration for ‘Infidel’ come from? read more

Warren Ellis’ ‘Injection’ Optioned by Universal for Television

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With the popularity (and profitability) of comic book adaptations reaching a fever pitch in recent years, it is no surprise that studios are reaching beyond standard super hero fare to more adult oriented stories that span multiple genres.  With the success of Garth Ennis’ Preacher (and Amazon’s upcoming The Boys) and Grant Morrison’s  Happy!, it was just a matter of time before their fellow genre-bending writer Warren Ellis got in on the action.

In an exclusive report by the Hollywood Reporter, Universal Cable Productions “…has optioned Ellis, Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire’s comic series Injection for television. The Image Comics title was first published in 2015 and revolves around a group of five highly specialized individuals who are brought together by the British government to hypothesize about the future of human culture. After discovering the results, the group decides to act on it by creating an unusual artificial intelligence using a combination of technology and shamanistic magic, which makes its way into our world.”  As usual, Ellis’ Injection is a mix of science fiction, horror, and conspiracy theories all rolled together into an exquisite brew (and if you are looking to catch up on the series, the first three collected volumes of the series are currently available from Image Comics). read more

‘Infidel’ #1: The Horror News Network Review

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Image’s new horror series Infidel is one that will appeal to fans of atmospheric horror stories as well as those who enjoy smart, socially conscious writing about the real fears that are created through prejudice and ignorance.  Former DC editor Pornsak Pichetshote makes his impressive writing debut in this series and artist Aaron Campbell compliments Pichetshote’s nightmarish script perfectly.

Infidel throws the reader into the deep end of the pool immediately, as our main character Aisha experiences a horrific nightmare that includes insects and a pale ghoul that wants to gently chomp on her throat.  This opening scene begins the uncomfortable atmosphere of tension and claustrophobia that permeates the story, both inside and outside of Aisha’s apartment.  There are certainly breaks in the tension (such as the baking of a Return of the Jedi inspired cake), but the underlying feeling of dread is ever present, even in scenes which seem mundane or day-to-day in comparison to the opening scare. read more

‘Gideon Falls’ Issue One: The Horror News Network Review

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This week Image’s Gideon Falls lands in comic shops.  Jeff Lemire, best known to horror fans for his work on Animal Man, is teaming up again with his Old Man Logan and Green Arrow collaborator Andrea Sorrentino.

Gideon Falls centers around small-town rural mystery. The first issue does more than just give background, Lemire inventively lays out the story through the juxtaposition of the two main characters, Father Wilfred and Norton.  Both are obviously at a low point in their lives and not fitting in well with society.  Two very different roles in the world, yet Lemire shows then being similar in so many ways. It’s clear they have will have connection to each other, although that is not revealed in this first issue. Sorrentino’s artwork does an excellent job of matching the mood of the plot.  The dark, muted colors of fan favorite, Dave Stewart, along with the gritty style complement the somber tone of the story. read more

‘Ice Cream Man’ Issue #1 Review

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Hitting the streets from Image Comics this week is the first issue in the horror anthology, Ice Cream Man.  Each issue will center around a different cast of characters all dealing with different terrors.  These tales all seem to have the common thread of the local ice cream man. The first issue written by W. Maxwell Prince with artwork Martin Morazzo and Chris O’Halloran does a decent job of introducing readers to the story without shoving the concept down their throats.

This first issues see a young boy, Byron getting ice cream as his life gets turned upside down.  As the tale continues, we see the ice cream man appear in many different forms throughout the writing.  Candy coated references made by Maxwell are woven into the storyline, keeping the theme alive. The interior artwork is vintage style, but on many levels complements the idea of the old fashioned “ice cream man uniform” donned by the demonic candyman.  The variant cover by Frazer Irving would be the one to get, as it is trippy and disturbing all at the same time. read more

Horror News Network’s 2017 Horror Comic Awards: Best Artist

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Horror News Network is proud to present 2017’s Best Artist award to Tomm Coker.

Tomm Coker’s art stood out this year in 2017’s Best Limited Series, The Black Monday Murders, and Coker proved to be the perfect partner for Jonathan Hickman’s nightmare-noir take on an occult conspiracy.  Coker’s photo-realistic art style captured the human terror and he also got to apply his skills to a number of demonic characters in this year’s “Unionized Labor” story arc. read more