The Graveyard Examiner #5 by Famous Monsters Of Filmland

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Welcome to Issue #5 of THE GRAVEYARD EXAMINER! This issue, our “Contests” Section is devoted to announcing the winners from our past two contests, so be sure to check there to see it you are one of the lucky few! As always, our “Television” Section brings you several delightful reviews of your favorite genre TV shows. We’ve tossed in the review of THE WALKING DEAD season 2 finale just in case some of you miss seeing the walkers every week. I also highly suggest trying BEING HUMAN on for size, it just may quench your thirst for the supernatural in the days to come. Last, but certainly not least, I would like to point your attention to this issue’s feature is a must read - a Famous Monsters Exclusive Interview with the one and only Scott Snyder! Enjoy! Barrett Schwalenberg Editor-in-Chief FamousMonsters.com

Publisher PHILIP KIM (KONG)

Design Assistant JENNIFER W. GERRITSEN

Associate Publisher DOMINIE LEE

Senior Writer HOLLY INTERLANDI

Executive Editor (Famous Monsters Magazine) ED BLAIR

Business Development SEAN FERNALD

Editor-in-Chief (FamousMonsters.com/The Graveyard Examiner) BARRETT SCHWALENBERG

Kong-tributing Writers: ANDY GREENE JUSTIN BEAHM PETER SCHWOTZER INSPIRATION: FORREST J ACKERMAN

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CONTEST WINNERS!! Who won our Time Travel Trivia Contest?? The Prize: THE COMPANY OF THE DEAD The Winners: KELLY NICHOLSON BRETT TUCKER

Who won our DVD GIVEAWAY MYSTERY CLIP CONTEST? The Winners: JEREMY JORDAN AMY LOCHART FERRANCE ROWDS FIEVEL KULIK ANGELICA REEDS WILLOW LYONS KAITLYN SAUNDERS GARY BENDER

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DARK SHADOWS: THE MUSIC by The ED-itor

been the case in previous Burton/ Elfman collaborations. It’s definitely geared more towards setting a tone and providing ambiance than dictating the raw emotion of the scene. Elfman scores have always been hit or miss for me. I remember picking up the cassette of the original BATMAN film and playing it until it broke, but that has largely been the exception as opposed to the rule. But this certainly ranks as one of his most subtle and atmospheric compositions in Elfman’s resumé, with nods to the original show and classic Gothic horror.

There was no surprise when it was announced that Danny Elfman would be providing the music for Tim Burton’s upcoming DARK SHADOWS flick. But what is surprising is the tone of the music given the trailers that have been released. While the early looks have all had that campy 70s vibe, the music is far darker. But the soundtrack is a strong effort, seeming to remain understated as Listen to the entire release here. opposed to overpowering as has

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put the legendary studio back on the map, so a follow-up was only natural. Jon Croker is at work on the screenplay. Information is limited, but here is the synopsis:

Woman in black: angels of death by Justin Beahm Hammer, Alliance Films, and Cross Creek Pictures are joining forces on the next WOMAN IN

BLACK

installment,

currently titled THE WOMAN IN BLACK: ANGELS OF DEATH.

Director

James

Watkins’ humble fright flick that has gone on to become the most successful British horror film of the last 20 years. and

The next instalment, will pick the story up four decades later and focus on the concept of a couple and the experience they have when they encounter the haunted setting of Eel Marsh House. The film will be produced by Exclusive Media, Talisman, Cross Creek Pictures, Vertigo Entertainment, and Alliance Films. Hammer helmer Simon Oakes had this to say in a press release today: “We are proud and honoured to be working with Susan again on THE WOMAN IN BLACK: ANGELS OF DEATH, a wonderful new tale every bit as atmospheric and terrifying as its predecessor THE WOMAN IN BLACK.”

RECENT HEADLINES DEAD MAN wrestling WINTER is coming! Game of thrones featurette FM Cover reveal: 262 - The clash of the kaiju!! 21 “Game of thrones” pictures to pump you up

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SCOTT SNYDER

Scott Snyder has been on my interview bucket list for what feels like ages, even if it’s only been a year or so. This writer has taken the comics world by storm in twelve months by sheer virtue of his awesome storytelling, which often takes a horrific turn. He’s tortured Batman with owl assassins, terrified us with a sharp-toothed salesman, turned American History red with bloodsuckers, and given Alec Holland something rotten to scream about. In the short time I had to speak with him, he proved to be gracious, enthusiastic, and very appreciative of his sudden fame, now that people recognize him everywhere he goes.

Famous Monsters. I’d first like to talk about your writing style in general. What I’ve noticed in some comic books is that the prose is forgotten as a sort of afterthought, like it’s only there to drive the action. When reading yours, it’s not like that. You very much pay attention to the actual vocabulary and the words you’re using, and the poetry… I know that you got your first comic book gig from writing a prose short story, and I 10

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was wondering what your background was in actual prose writing. Scott Snyder. Well, my background really is in prose. I actually wanted to be a comic book artist when I was younger, all the way through high school. When I applied to college I had a portfolio with comic book art in it. I had drawings of Batman that I used to post on the internet. But in college I fell more into

writing. I majored in writing in college, and then I went to graduate school for it at Columbia. So I graduated from there, and then worked pretty strictly in prose. I love prose. FM. That explains a lot. SS. I wrote a short story collection that came out in 2006 called VOODOO HEART, and that’s when I started… I wrote a couple of short stories that had superheroes in them, and it caught the attention of Marvel and DC. They approached me and asked if I liked comics, and I said I did, and I was incredibly excited to get a chance to pitch for tiny little things. Little oneshots and eight-pagers. And I worked my way up from there. But your question is great in the way that one of the things I was worried about missing was the poetry and the prose, as weird as that sounds. Because I spent so many hours, when I did prose, going from sentence to sentence.

talking about BATMAN? SS. No, I’m really not. I’m not there yet. Maybe on Sunday [of WonderCon] I’ll be like, Batman, ugh, no. But right now I’m not. FM. Well, as far as Batman goes… the crazy layouts that were in Issue 5… I’m sure you’ve talked a lot about that, but I just wanted to touch really quickly on how much of that is your input.

SS. Well, that was Greg [Capullo]’s idea. He’s such an awesome guy to work with in that he’s someone who’s so established, and yet when you work with him, he brings all this passion and fire to it. I brought him the script, and the script really said—in this area, Bruce is so disoriented that if you want, you can make the panels seem shattered, or strange, or upside down. And he came up with the idea of just turning the whole book like that. I thought it was amazing. I was like, let’s do it! DC fought it a little bit. They were really nice, but they FM. Yeah, I feel that in your comics. did hesitate, because they were SS. Well, thanks. And when you’re doing like, everyone’s going thing it’s a a character’s voice and narration, there is misprint! room for that. I think I was worried that fans wouldn’t respond to it, or think it FM. That’s what I thought, at first. was nerdy or whatever. But I’ve realized [laughs] that they respond well because they want the writing to be layered or rich, and it’s SS. I know! And we were like, no they’re been so enthralling and exciting. It’s not! That’s ridiculous. And then we got made comics so creatively fulfilling. It our PDF of the file, and it looked great, really is important to me to be able to because when you read a PDF you read bring a prosaic quality to how I do my it vertically, so you don’t have to actually storytelling. I appreciate you picking that turn the book from right to left. And then our comps came, and I saw it and went, up. oh my god, there’s a misprint. Then I FM. That’s fantastic. So, are you sick of saw it wasn’t, and I went on Twitter and

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some town in Arkansas. We were like, we need to tell a story that takes place in that time period with one character who’s all about the optimism and excitement of the time and one character who represents the scariest stuff ever about the time, and to make it unconventional. So we started writing it then, as a screenplay first. And once I got into comics I said, I think it would FM. [laughing] make a much better comic. He thought so too. I’m so proud of it. It’s a different sort of book, SS. It’s because when we saw it, it was even but… more radical than we had anticipated, but I think it’s all the better for that. I’m so proud of him for FM. It’s gorgeous. How’d you hook up with bringing those kinds of ideas to the table. He’s [SEVERED artist] Attila Futaki? just a powerhouse. I love him. SS. Jeff Lemire! FM. Definitely. That’s awesome. Are we allowed FM. Oh yeah? to talk about SEVERED? was like, “Just so you guys know, everything in Batman #5 is on purpose!” Greg called me up and was like, “Why are you telling them that? If they don’t get it, too bad!” So I deleted the tweet. And about five minutes later, Greg called and was like, “I just got them and there’s a misprint!”

SS. Sure! Anything you want. FM. That’s a cowrite for Image, right? SS. Yes.

SS. Yeah, [DC author] Jeff Lemire was like, I think this guy’s style might be good. He knew him from some Artist Alley stuff, and he hooked us up with him.

FM. His painting is so intense, and dark. FM. I loved it, by the way. A seven issue miniseries. How did the genesis of that come about? SS. He’s terrific. I know he’s now looking at stuff with the Big Two. I really think the sky’s SS. Well, the guy I wrote it with [Scott Tuft] is the limit for him. He’s great. actually wandering around here, somewhere. He’s my oldest and dearest friend from when I FM. He’s awesome. Let’s see… we can talk was thirteen years old. We’ve been friends since about SWAMP THING, which is amazing. freshman year of high school, when he had blue hair and I was a comic geek. One of the things we SS. Oh, thanks! bonded over was our love of horror movies. We would rent horror movies, and the two things we FM. It’s also interesting because I feel like in the really liked were horror and American history. New 52, DC brought a lot of Vertigo characters We went on a couple of road trips together, and over to the main line. Do you feel like that makes we used to go to the South all the time. We were you write in a different style for the New 52 than fascinated by the idea that all of these things you would for DC before the reboot, when you were changing all of a sudden at a particular were doing Detective Comics, for example? time period in the early twentieth century. Not only was music evolving, but all these roads SS. That’s a really good question… I’ve thought were bringing people together who had never about that, because I’ve wondered if I do write met, and you could change your identity, and it differently. But almost all the stuff that I do is was such a fascinating time for all of the exciting like a Vertigo book. I mean, my favorite stories and wonderful things that were happening and are ones where the characters and the heroes are all the things that were frightening and terrifying brought to face their inner demons and worst to people who were older—electrical lights, nightmares. That’s why the Joker is my favourite Batman villain, because to me he represents the highways, cars… darkest reflection of Bruce. So I think that lends We were actually on a road trip—I remember itself to the same kind of horror and Vertigo talking about it at a buffet, a Chinese buffet in style where characters are facing really dark and

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serious problems in every storyline. I think I am FM. The Americana… you mentioned that again. It seems telling them all in the same way. to be a common thread. Where FM. Well, the Batman book is so dark, it almost did you grow up? could be a Vertigo book. Swamp Thing, too. SS. I grew up in New York City, but SS. It kind of is horror. It’s like, secretly like a I was very close to my grandmother horror story. And it’s wonderful to see people who passed away a couple years ago. respond, because you worry if it’s too dark. But We spent a lot of time with her, and she at the end of the day, we’re not doing anything was a very die-hard antiquer. When I to make it dark or scary so much as we’re trying was a little kid… she had stuff around her to make the stories matter to the characters. If house, and she’d be like, this thing is from something is scary, it’s because it’s scary to Alec 18-whenever, let’s make up a story about it Holland, not because it’s just a big monster, you and how it got here. We did that a lot, and I know? It’s deeply scary to him as a person. still have a lot of those things from her house. Not to make my house sound super-creepy, FM. Any Vertigo character that you want to with all these weird antiques. write that you haven’t gotten to write yet? FM. No, it sounds amazing! SS. There are a ton! SS. And maybe it’s there… I don’t really know FM. Who’s at the top of your list? where it comes from, except that maybe I’ve always loved the idea of stories that touch SS. Well, I just got to write Animal Man for the on the secret history of everything, from first time, because we’re doing that crossover, objects that are important to someone to and he was at the top of my list. I just wrote my locations and characters. I’ve always first Buddy Baker lines. I’m really thrilled. loved those elements—the secret FM. Excellent. Oh, we haven’t talked about stories buried in the history of things. AMERICAN VAMPIRE! How do you feel FM. Are you gonna go see ABRAHAM about tackling a subject that so many people LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER? think is tired? SS. Yes! Anything that does something SS. I feel like vampires have endured this long different with vampires, whether it’s because deep down, they have the potential to be my take on it or a TWILIGHT kind really scary. I don’t think they endure because of take on it, I’ll always line up just they can be heartthrobs or romantic heroes. to see someone do something new The reason they’re still around is because that seems exciting. when you look at the concept of someone that you love turned into a bloodthirsty thing, back FM. Yeah. This was great. Is there from the grave, trying to turn you into one of anything else you wanted to say? them… that’s what’s so scary about zombies, werewolves, and all that stuff. So my approach SS. Just thanks to you, and to was to say, let’s do something where you return everyone listening to and reading vampires to those roots, but do a new spin on this for picking up the books. it where they’re American icons. Things you know in a familiar way, like a cowboy, or a FM. And thanks to you for starlet, or a boxer, or a jazz musician… but now all your awesome work! we’re turning them into these monsters that are haunting and hunting the American landscape. That was the emphasis for it. I’m very proud of that series, and I’m so happy to be doing it with Rafael [Albuquerque].

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THE WALKING DEAD

Air Date: 3/18/2012 “Beside The Dying Fire”

too late. The mass horde of flesh eaters are everywhere, and force Rick and the gang to make their last stand at Herschel’s farm. Lori is a panicked wreck due to Carl’s disappearance (and rightfully so), while Herschel (now a badass) and Andrea (still a badass) rally the troops against the onslaught to come. For the first twenty minutes, TWD is a convincing Hollywood action movie in the best possible sense, with innumerable gunshots, a myriad of vehicles (RV’s, trucks, motorcycles oh my), fires, blood and TWD’s weekly requirement of character deaths. There are a couple heroic saves by Daryl and Andrea, Herschel has a crisis of faith, and one main character is unwittingly left behind to die. When all is said and done, I had to take a deep breathe. Epic, intense stuff.

And that’s only the first act. As always, TWD thrives in in-action, or the scenes after the fact, by Andy Greene which isn’t surprising, because what makes WD unique in the zombie cultural landscape is that It’s been almost a week since the finale of AMC’s THE it focuses on what happens AFTER the zombies WALKING DEAD, and I’m still not resigned to the attack and eat our friend’s brains out, whereas fact that I won’t be able to watch and review another most in the genre solely focus on its inception episode this Sunday night. Sure, AMC’s MAD MEN and the initial chaos therein. and HBO’s GAME OF THRONES (to be featured next week and forever after that) is a nice consolation, but I’ll miss the verbal warfare, dripping tension and operatic emotion at the heart of this series every weekend until it returns in the fall.

Season 2’s finale, “Beside the Dying Fire,” follows up arguably two of the best and definitely most shocking episodes of the series thus far, and literally, doesn’t skip a beat. It picks up immediately where we left off, with Carl shooting zombie Shane dead (again). Carl doesn’t know that Rick killed him first, and neither know that a mob of zombies are coming for them until it’s almost

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The invasion forces the group to separate, all in different vehicles, all unsure if anyone else made it out alive. For awhile, I thought it might stay that way for awhile, but even TWD’s writers ain’t that mean. Rick, Herschel and Carl make it to the highway where they lost Sophia...

BEING HUMAN

Air Date: 3/26/2012 “Don’t Fear The Scott” Review by Andy Greene

The mantra of this week’s BEING HUMAN is that “time heals all wounds,” a cliché warped by the presence of vampires, werewolves and ghosts, and as something that is revealed as not true through the events of another hour of great TV. Aidan and Suren, in love and proud of their work in ridding Boston of the orphans, nervously prepare for Mother’s (Deena Aziz) imminent arrival. Josh and Julia, newly love birds (again), take it slow after a “guy stole [Josh’s] penis,” to consummate it, because they’re worried about diving all in after how damaged they were before. Plus, Julia doesn’t want to go to his place because Aidan called her a slut and she hates his guts. That and the house is haunted, probably smells and looks like it’s on a shady side of town, but who’s keeping score?

Josh is determined to make it work with Julia, so he wants to have a dinner with Aidan at the house. Aidan relents, but only if Suren can go on the world’s worst double date. Add in Sally trying to ignite the conversation, and you have another in a long line of awkward dinners on BEING HUMAN. After a few false starts, surprisingly, things go rather swimmingly (despite Aida’s nightmares of Suren chewing on Julia) due to ANTIQUES ROADSHOW and brutal honesty. This euphoric mood is quickly interrupted, on cue, by Nora’s return and Mother’s visit. Nora wants Josh back, is extremely sorry, and has seen things her wolf side would rather forget, in her romps around in the woods with Brynn. Julia, instead of flipping out at her rival’s appearance, implores Josh to consider them both, and make an informed decision, so as not to break her completely once again. Josh is forced to choose between his normal and (being) human life and first love in Julia, or his animal instincts, his ‘wolf’ in Nora. He lays out his concerns to Aidan, and we’re reminded why we love their unique friendship. It’s amazing how a few episodes ago I loved Josh and Nora, and now, I can’t decide who I want Josh to be with. Mercifully, Josh comes to a decision by the end of the episode, so we don’t have to suffer through a TWILIGHT tinged love triangle. To get in Josh’s good graces, Nora helps Sally reach out to Janet (Amber Goldfarb), who’s landed in the mental hospital because of Sally’s possession...

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SPARTACUS

Air Date: 3/30/2012

“Wrath of the Gods” Review by Andy Greene

Holy $#*!. Like the two finales before it, in the original series and its prequel GODS OF THE ARENA, creator Stephen DeKnight and the team at STARZ have delivered another massively entertaining, ridiculously bloody and shocking capper to a season that made a statement. With or without Andy Whitfield, SPARTACUS is a creative force to be reckoned with and it isn’t going anywhere. I’m not sure there’s been a better or more satisfying, sad or disturbing episode since “Kill Them All.” Just ten weeks ago, Liam McIntyre and company started off on a weak point with season 2’s premiere episode “Fugitivus,” bringing dishonor to the arena and in so doing, causing myself and fans to wonder if the Gods would ever remove a certain organ from a certain body part. But ever since, the quality, tension and excitement have been building, and now, once again, we ask ourselves: How do you follow THAT? In a quick count, this finale features at least six key

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deaths, a few of which change the very fabric of the show, and will create as big a hole in the ensemble as any that SPARTACUS has faced. No fan or no side in this war is left unscathed after this one. The week before, Seppia attempted to enact revenge on Glaber for the murder of her brother Seppius, but was rewarded for her efforts by filling a bath with her own blood, as Ilithyia surprisingly saved her husband with gruesome force. Later, Glaber’s political and sexual rival Varinius had fallen in battle to Spartacus and his rebels, while Glaber and Ashur subsequently forced the slaves from their base and up Mount Vesuvius, where they must now face the winter elements and the prospect of little food or water, and you know, Glaber’s men. All in all, it’s a good time to be Gaius Claudius Glaber. On the mountain, Spartacus’ crew threatens mutiny. Against his wishes, a cadre of the rebels launch a surprise attack on the guards at the mountain’s base. The mission looks like it may be a success, until Ashur and the Egyptian (the brute who took an eye from Oenamaus himself) arrive, and in so doing, bring upon the first tragic moment in the episode...

ALCATRAZ

Air Date: 3/26/2012

“Garrett Stillman” “Tommy Madsen” Review by Andy Greene

FOX aired what most likely will be the two final episodes of ALCATRAZ this past Monday, and usually that’s cause for an uproar when it comes to premature endings for its shows, but it may just be due diligence this time around. Last week, Lucy finally woke up from her coma (God bless the 63’s silver heavy blood, or something). Within minutes, it’s clear the BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM alum’s involvement could’ve been used a helluva lot sooner in the present day timeline, as she adds another (okay, maybe like the second) layer of chemistry (what chemistry?) to our fateful crew. Dr. Soto and Rebecca finally found out that she’s one of the missing 63’s, and that she knew Hauser in the past. Their timeless love would be dreamy if it wasn’t so wooden and nonexistent. Sam Neill mailed this one in, not that I blame him. He wasn’t given much to do.

In the first hour, we meet Garrett Stillman, a MENSA with a penchant for robbing armored cars, who now plays chess on the Rock. The Warden, however, has different plans for him. He invites Stillman to the hearing for the early release of Harlan Summons (a prisoner we met in a previous episode who took over the business of distributing contraband). Harlan’s denied when his extracurricular activities are revealed by the Deputy Warden. Due to his meticulous plotting and gift of theft, the Warden wants Stillman to steal the papers and swap out the contents with an acceptance letter. In present day San Francisco, Rebecca and Soto follow Stillman’s machinations to steal something from what turns out to be Harlan’s company. Rather interestingly, Harlan became a gazillionaire after escaping Alcatraz, with some indeterminate help by the Warden. This could’ve been a great and interesting subplot all season long, but Harlan was never even given his own spotlight episode, and was never mentioned as being alive in the present day until this week. You’d think a former Alcatraz inmate with his background and now immense fame would be a logical person to visit during an ongoing investigation. But even when he’s brought up, we never see him. We find out that Stillman’s following Tommy Madsen’s orders, and that they’re after the third and final key. Coincidentally, Hauser has finally found the Warden’s door, and needs precisely that key for entry...

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DARK SHADOWS: THE COMPLETE ORIGINAL SERIES

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This limited edition boxed set contains every eerie episode of the original Gothic suspense series DARK SHADOWS (19661971) plus a wealth of bonus interviews with the stars and creative members that made the supernatural thriller a cult favorite and an enduring television classic. Box Features: 131 DVDs with all 1,225 Complete Episodes Commemorative large Coffin package (housing 22 amarays) Deluxe booklet with episode summaries & photographs Special Bloopers, Treasures & Behind The Scenes DVD s Over 120 Bonus Cast & Crew Video Interviews Autographed Postcard by Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins) Limited Numbered Edition Other features include nickel hinges, white ribbon to hold the lid when open, matte and foil coating Box dimensions: (Coffin), 13 ½ L x 11 ¼ W (at widest) x 5 ¾ D. Shipping carton dimensions, 16.5” x 8.5” x 14”

TORCHWOOD MIRACLE DAY

(Pullman) miraculously survives his own execution, the footage holds America transfixed. And then everyone realizes that nobody is dying. All across the world, nobody dies. And then the next day, and the next, and the next. People keep aging -- they get hurt and sick -- but they never die. The result: a population boom, overnight.

With all the extra people, resources are finite. It’s said that in four month’s time, the human race will cease to be viable. But this can’t be a natural event – someone’s got to be behind it. It’s a race against time as CIA agent Rex Matheson (Phifer) investigates a secret British institution named Torchwood that seems to hold the answers, and finds only two surviving members: Gwen Cooper (Myles), who has retreated to a remote Welsh hideaway with her new family, and the mysterious, brilliant John Barrowman (Doctor Who, Desperate Captain Jack Harkness (Barrowman). But soon Housewives) and Eve Myles (Doctor Who, Little they all find themselves in the same fight against Dorrit) are joined by stars Mekhi Phifer (ER, the greatest threat humanity has ever known – Lie to Me) and Bill Pullman (While You Were humanity itself. Sleeping, Independence Day) for a new heartpounding season of Torchwood. When convicted child killer Oswald Danes

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CREEPY #8

Monster kids the world over rejoiced when Dark Horse picked up the rights to the archives of Warren Publishing’s original horror magazine, CREEPY. The classic black and white shorts featured a star roster of writers and artists during its original two decade run (1964 to 1983), and they were always introduced by their mascot Uncle Creepy, who was often on hand to deliver a pun-laden ‘moral to the story’ in each comic’s final panel. Now we have new pages to add to the CREEPY archives, thanks to Dark Horse’s relaunch of the magazine a few years ago. Issue #8 kicks off with a noir-tinged episode that appears awfully familiar until the true intention of its main character is introduced. Although the story itself sort of slides away without a snap, Colleen Coover’s minimal, comic strip-style artwork makes the plot material more jarring. We then move to a tale of Lovecraft, no stranger to horror comics, although this particular story stars the writer himself as he finds himself haunted by his own creations. Rick Geary’s “The Mausoleum” is a bit of a satire painted to look like a classic indie comic. It’s not unnerving so much as adorably tragic (didn’t think that combo was possible, did you?). Dan Braun and Kyle Baker then treat us to a graphic history of ‘horror music’, from Black Sabbath to Marilyn Manson. Creepies would do well to take their musical recommendations.

Dark Horse Story: Jeff Parker, Dough Moench, Rick Geary, Dan Braun, Bruce Jones Art: Colleen Coover, Kelley Jones, Rick Geary, Kyle Baker, Bernie Wrightson Review by Holly Interlandi

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We’re used to the shorts in CREEPY being clever, snarky, and closed with a sneer, and all of these new forays into the horror world are just that. But if you want to be genuinely disturbed, look no further than the Bruce Jones & Bernie Wrightson reprint that closes out this issue. “Jenifer” is bizarre and nightmarish and has even been adapted into a MASTERS OF HORROR episode by Dario Argento since its initial publication in 1974. It’s also the best entry in the issue, proving that the new class of horror talent are really going to have to step up to the plate to match their predecessors. I’d say they’re up for the challenge. The kind editors at Dark Horse have even used the intro page to announce that EERIE magazine will also be relaunching this year. Huzzah! Something about black and white horror comics never gets old…

When a writer and an artist have been working together on the same book for long enough, they reach a stride that leaves a reader without fear of awkwardness or artistic missteps. On CRIMINAL MACABRE, Steve Niles and Chris Mitten have reached that stride. It’s almost impossible to imagine Cal McDonald’s rash jokes and disbelief without Mitten’s jarring, pieced-out pen to accompany them. Though I generally review without spoilers, there is one I will warn for here, because it’s kind of necessary. Just prior to this story, Cal McDonald, monster detective extraordinaire, became a member of the undead. Luckily, CRIMINAL MACABRE would not be what it is without its sardonic sense of humor, and the effects (at least during this story) are less tragic and more ridiculous—as when the notoriously substance-laden Cal attempts to smoke, only to have it come out his eyeballs. And ears. And mouth. And nose. His fellow ghoul friend Mo’Lock acts as a buffer to all the snark. The juxtaposition is more enjoyable than I can possibly explain. There is also a plot, of sorts, involving an attempted execution by vampires and a small pink girlmonster in a womb-like alcove who gives premonitions of a great “war”. But really, this issue is all about Cal dealing with his newfound deadness, and the results are hilarious. I can’t imagine many scenarios in which it is appropriate to use the sound effect ‘SPLORK’.

CRIMINAL MACABRE: DIE, DIE, MY DARLING! (ONE SHOT)

Dark Horse Story: Steve Niles Art: Christopher Mitten Review by Holly Interlandi

I must also emphasize that even if you own all three issues of DARK HORSE PRESENTS in which this story originally ran, you should still buy the collected version, for two major reasons. One: it feels more cohesive. Two: every expletive-laced complaint that Cal makes is fully spelled out without the ‘scribbles’ required for the unrated general audience. And trust me—when it’s Cal McDonald, every expletive counts.

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What I really enjoy about Ronald Malfi’s fiction is his sense of description of where the stories are taking place. He has an uncanny ability to put the reader in the middle of the story and the action. In his latest book from DarkFuse, “After The Fade”, the story takes place in The Fulcrum, a local watering hole. It is populated with a few employees, a few regulars and a couple out of towners. A local girl staggers into the bar and dies but what they find attached to the back of her head is what really sets the story in motion.

AFTER THE FADE by Ronald Malfi DarkFuse Review by Peter Schwotzer It was a typical evening at a local Annapolis tavern, until a girl walked in, collapsed and died. The cause of her death was anything but natural. Something had latched itself to the base of her skull. Some type of creature unlike anything seen before. And it didn’t arrive alone. Now, the patrons of The Fulcrum are trapped, held prisoner within the tavern’s walls by monstrous things that flit across the night sky, trying to find their way in.

Though the story is short, it still packs quite a wallop as the patrons and employees work to figure out what is going on. There is a palpable sense of dread, tension and fright throughout the tale. His characters are fully realized and three dimensional. Even though it is a novella, I was still able to become emotionally involved with the characters and what they were going through. The best part of the book for me was the ending. Simply superb and actually quite stunning, as I was prepared for a different ending and Ron just totally through me for a loop. DarkFuse and Ronald Malfi have come up with another winner and I highly recommend it.

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KINECT STAR WARS LucasArts

Feel the Force. You are the Controller. KINECT STAR WARS brings Star Wars to life like never before. Harnessing the controller-free power of Kinect for Xbox 360, “Kinect Star Wars” allows fans to physically hone their Jedi skills, wield the power of the Force in their hands, pilot iconic ships and vehicles, rampage as a vicious Rancor monster or even dance with iconic Star Wars characters. Using full body motions, players can live out the ultimate Star Wars fantasy to use the Force, battle with a Lightsaber and more -- no controller required. True to the Star Wars you know and love, “Kinect Star Wars” brings to life the “galaxy far, far away” with stunning visuals, complete with iconic characters, vehicles, ships, and Droids! Experience the breadth of the Star Wars Universe as you wield a Lightsaber, train to be a Jedi Master, soar in command of a speeder bike, become a champion Podracer, wreak havoc as a rampaging Rancor, battle the Dark Side in one-on-one duels, dance for Jabba the Hutt, and much more.

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Dark Arts Gallery BRING HOME THE FIRST TWO VOLUMES OF FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLANDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DARK ARTS COLLECTION. FM is pleased to bring you the DARK ARTS, a celebration of some of the best HORROR, sci-fi, and FANTASY artists in the business today. Along with the high-quality, Full color ghoulish galleries, each section will include an interview with the artist, providing insight into just what inspires these maddeningly macabre masters.

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Home Video

ENTER NOWHERE

THE AFFLICTED

THE MIDNIGHT DISEASE

DEMONS 2

THE DARKEST HOUR

THE TERROR EXPERIMENT

HIDDEN

ALIEN OPPONANT

Books

DEATHWATCH: THE JEROCHO

TIASSA

WICKED CITY

REACH

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Comics

30 DAYS OF NIGHT #6

AGE OF APOCALYPSE #2

AMERICAN VAMPIRE #25

BRODY’S GHOST BOOK 3

SARK SHADOWS RETURN TO COLLINWOOD

FANBOYS VS. ZOMBIES #1

FATALE #4

FERALS #4

GRIMM FAIRY TALES #71

LADY DEATH #16

Collectibles

C-3PO KENNER ACTION FIGURE 30

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RAVEN: ANGEL OF AZARATH

RAVEN: DEMON DAUGHTER

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