The Graveyard Examiner #2 by Famous Monsters Of Filmland

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Once again, it is my pleasure to welcome you to another fangtastic issue of The Graveyard Examiner. We give nothing less than our best here at Famous Monsters, and it is our hope that this glorious tome of the paranormal can attest to that. While each section brings you helpful information on all things horror, I would like to direct your attention to our “On Television” section for a moment. Whether you’re a die-hard Walkie (a.k.a. a fan of The Walking Dead) or a true Once Upon A Time fanatic, you’ll find what you’re looking for here as the delightful Andy Greene breaks down some of today’s most popular genre shows. Lastly, you will be happy to hear that The Graveyard’s wellloved “Collectibles” section makes its triumphant return on page 30, so be sure to check it out! That’s all for now, happy reading! 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 ELVIS KUNESH BRANDON MOORE JOHN SCAPPINI INSPIRATION: Forrest J Ackerman

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Let’s PACIF

COME ON IN, THE WATER’s FINE! by Elvis Kunesh Bloody splashes were made throughout the internet today as two international posters surfaced for Dimension Films’ PIRANHA 3DD. The posters were originally showcased on Bloody Disgusting and Zone Fears respectively. “Double the action. Double the terror. Double the D’s” Not to mention double the entendre, these are the tantalizing treats promised by the poster in the follow-up to 2010’s cult hit.

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“There’s something in the water... again. And this time no one is safe from the flesh eating fish as they sink their razor sharp teeth into the visitors of the best summer attraction, The Big Wet Water Park.” Originally scheduled for November 2011, the release was moved to an unspecified date in 2012. As of now there is still no word on the premiere. But as soon as we get the scent of blood in the water, we’ll let you know.

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screenplay by Travis Beacham. “That was an amazing experience,” Melton recalls. “We read the script, and so we went in knowing what the producers and studio wanted us to do; and we went in and met Guillermo, and he started showing us the tests by ILM. They were just mind-blowing.” Going on about the tests at ILM, Melton teases us when we might get our first glimpse: “I think they’ll probably show something at Comic-Con 2012. Because they should be done by then, or close to done by then. I’m telling you, it’s gonna rule Hall H when Guillermo, the king of geeks, comes out and shows some of the stuff he’s shot. People are gonna be blown away.” PACIFIC RIM is currently in production and is scheduled to wrap in April. The film is set to release May 10, 2013.

RECENT HEADLINES MATTEL MAKING “BACK TO THE FUTURE” HOVERBOARDS A REALITY Q&A With “WALKING DEAD” STAR SCOTT WILSON FIRST “INSIDIOUS 2” CASTING NEWS NEW “DARK SHADOWS” IMAGE! GRANT WILSON DEPARTS “GHOST HUNTERS”

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STEVE NILES - PART 2 -

In this second part of our interview, the horror maven discusses his new 30 DAYS OF NIGHT series, his ideal artistic team for CRIMINAL MACABRE, and the joys of writing a character [Cal McDonald] purely for fun. FM. So, 30 DAYS OF NIGHT… What made you decide to go back to it all these years? I don’t want to call it a reboot, because it’s not. It’s sort of a sequel. SN. You know what it was is that after 30 DAYS, I wrote so much. I don’t think people realize… I mean, if I ever did a “complete”, it would be huge. FM. I know. I attempted to keep up with it and I couldn’t.

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SN. All the specials and the backup stories, and this and that. There were so many things that I just burned out. There’s no other way to put it. I burned out on the characters. There’s a series of five novels, too! And it’s pretty funny because the whole reason I created 30 DAYS was because I kind of hated vampires. As you know from reading Cal McDonald… my attitude is his attitude as far as vampires are concerned. [laughs] But I learned to like them, and then I got burned out on them, and to be perfectly honest, it felt like the world didn’t give a [bleep]. Every time I would get out

there and try to do scary vampires, there would be another BUFFY, or ANGEL, or TRUE BLOOD or TWILIGHT. It got really discouraging. So I wound up hating vampires again. [laughs] FM. [laughs] I don’t blame you at all. SN. I’m an idiot. I’m not motivated by money, like I should be. I’m not motivated by fame or competition or whatever… I just got an idea. I finally had enough time off from doing [30 DAYS] that I didn’t have all these aggravating thoughts, and I got the idea for Alice Blood. I like the idea of coming at the whole thing from a different perspective ten years later. I feel like I’ve done as much as I want to do with [the original] characters. And, well, I killed most of them. That’s why when anyone calls it a reboot, I’m like, well… not really. FM. ‘Reboot’ is the wrong word. SN. It’s just more. And I’m having so much fun. I can’t announce it yet, but we have a regular artist. Sam [Kieth] is only in for four issues. I’m going to have a lot of fun with it. I’m trying to take a page from some of my peers and friends like Eric Powell [THE GOON], and moreso, Robert Kirkman [THE WALKING DEAD]. Me and Robert agree on a lot, especially when it comes to creator-owned comics. But he did one thing that I didn’t do, in that he picked three titles and did 80 issues of them, and built this audience. I’ve just been… I’ve got forty different freakin’ collections out. It can’t be a little overwhelming for people. Someone’s like “So, what do you do?” and I’m like “… ehehehe.” [laughs] I can’t just say 30 DAYS OF NIGHT and CRIMINAL MACABRE. FM. You have your own shelf at the comic store. Just thought I’d let you know that. And it’s plenty full. [laughs] SN. Though in this digital age, I’m really seeing the benefits of having a back catalogue. ALEISTER ARCANE, if you haven’t read it, is as fresh today as it was eight years ago. I did

all these little four-issue movies. They’re just graphic novels. FM. And you keep pimping PIECES FOR MOM, which is something I bought on paper eight years ago and loved. SN. Well, that’s my rallying cry against piracy. I loved Andrew [Ritchie]’s artwork so much, and I was so disappointed when the sales came in. I had to call him and go yeah, we can’t do any more, because we’re never going to see a dime. And then to see that upwards of 60,000 copies were pirated… that’s a perfect example of how piracy hurts. Andrew’s not even doing comics anymore. He had to go get a job. And what a shame that is, for comics. He was the most disturbing artist I’d seen since [Ben] Templesmith. That’s the thing with me—I think you need different artists for horror. FM. Well, you need someone who doesn’t look like they’re doing the freakin’ Justice League. As much as I love the Justice League… SN. That’s why I think Ben was so great with 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, because it was actually dark and murky! You were lost in the dark. I mean, I’ve been doing that art style now with CRIMINAL MACABRE. We’re doing it on a regular basis. FM. You’re in DARK HORSE PRESENTS every month, right? SN. Yeah. But I can’t live off eight pages a month. And I feel really bummed that I have to ask fans to spend eight dollars on a bunch of stuff they might not want to get… FM. DHP has a lot of good stuff in it, though! SN. Well, I’m glad that’s the case. People aren’t finding it. People don’t know it’s there… every day I get mail: “When is there going to be more CRIMINAL MACABRE?” The third installment’s out! It’s aggravating.

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FM. Well, I love it, because Cal as a zombie is just… sorry, not a zombie, a ghoul, is just so perfect. When I read that arc about him… I was just like, this is so apropro! I thought it was perfect. SN. Well, that’s the thing… people have been following Cal McDonald since SAVAGE MEMBRANE. Since HAIRBALL. Mo’Lock’s been annoying him the whole time, and more and more the ghouls have been following him… with CRIMINAL MACABRE, I wish I had had this team the whole time, with Chris Mitten, great editors, and then Michelle Madsen doing the colors. I’ve been so happy! We’ve had the same artists now for a while! FM. Well, you know why it works for CRIMINAL MACABRE is that it’s messy. All sorts of sharp angles and misplaced bones… you feel like Cal just looks like that all the time. SN. And that’s what I always wanted! I mean, Cal is supposed to always look like he just got run over by a truck. I was actually talking to Mike Mignola, and we were talking about HELLBOY and about Cal McDonald, and we were cracking up that we both had essentially turned our characters into Wile E. Coyote. We put them through ungodly hell. And now that Cal is among the undead, the punishment’s just going to get worse! FM. Oh, but it’s great. Like when he tries to smoke and it comes out his eyeballs… [laughs] SN. My favorite part of the whole thing was when he finally got to pick up a couch and hit Mo’Lock with it! It was just so much fun. I think it’s really obvious how much fun I’m having. FM. That’s what’s always been so great about CRIMINAL MACABRE as a series—it strikes me as you just having fun with the character. He’s the kind of character you can go back to again and again and never get sick of. SN. Well, I made him up, and I wrote the original short stories and gave them to my bandmates because it made them laugh. And once I realized that I could make them laugh, it grew into this thing. Now I get such a kick out of just playing with people. And now, with 30 DAYS OF NIGHT and CRIMINAL MACABRE, with these teams that work, I have stuff I can concentrate on while I have a lot of new things lined up that I’m trying

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to do. For the past few years I’ve really been having fun. And I really gotta say it— at the end of the day, I am more on the side of Marvel and DC than not, but we all get caught up in our little microcosm. We’re in a very small industry. We’re all in the same lifeboat, and half of us are trying to knock the others out. I’m not! That’s the funniest thing. Anybody who’s competing with me is racing against somebody who’s not in the race. I’m not competing, you know? To me, somebody else doing good in comics is a good thing. And I will always cheer that on. But there’s a lot of ugliness in this industry. I like staying out of all that to just concentrate on telling stories. I’m a little bit broker for it, but I’m having a lot more fun. FM. Telling stories and having fun is THE thing. Or it should be. SN. If the money comes, the money comes. I’ve been doing this for almost 30 years… I’ve had up times, down times, times I’ve had money, times when I don’t. I’m always the happiest when I’m just doing the things I want, getting decent reviews, and have some readers. I’m very simple that way. I went through a very brief period when I think I was TOO popular, and I really didn’t like it. FM. [laughs] popular” for me.

Define

“too

SN. Um… just getting a lot of attention. Getting a lot of offers from everywhere. Getting pulled at. Some people wanted me to do nothing but write screenplays. People started appearing in my life who weren’t there before. I suddenly went to being alone in my room writing to having fifteen people around me. And… I really just like being in my room writing. [laughs]

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ALCATRAZ until he casually rolls a land mine in her direction. Pretty cool way to cut to commercial and an effective escape technique!

Air Date: Feb. 13th, 2012

“PAXTON PETTY” Review by Andy Greene

Now settling into a decent groove, this week’s ALCATRAZ gives us a more dynamic glimpse into Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) than previously beheld, and some more Tommy Madsen puzzlers. While last week’s stellar effort showcased the excellent Robert Forster as “Uncle” (or Uncle) Ray Archer, the show finally properly utilizes its other most veteran and recognized actor in Neill. Until this week, he was merely grunting out cryptic orders. In “Paxton Petty,” we get some much needed insight into his past and Neill actually does something interesting on screen. The action begins in the past, with Paxton Petty (James Pizzinato), this week’s ball of crazy, being shepherded to the Rock by Young Emerson Hauser (Greyston Holt). Paxton Petty is a former soldier with a fondness for land mines. Three of them struck San Francisco, but another remains and it is Lucy Banerjee (or Dr. San Gupta in the past, both played by Parminder Nagra) and Dr. Milton’s (Leon Rippy) job to find out where the final landmines are hidden through any means necessary. As Young Emerson Hauser glides away in a boat, it’s clear he’s smitten with Lucy (as luck would have it he has the hots for a woman who mysteriously never ages). Flash forward to today, and Paxton Petty is back wreaking havoc in present day, giving Emerson a second chance to finally close the case, as the fourth land mine was never found. While Emerson tries to find the final mine through Lucy’s old notes and Paxton’s clues, Rebecca (Sarah Jones) and “civilian authority” Dr. Soto (Jorge Garcia) track our killer on foot. At the scene of the first crime Rebecca almost catches him,

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Sarah is, of course, miraculously unharmed, and we meet a bomb technician right out of HURT LOCKER in Mehcad Brooks’ (of TRUE BLOOD and DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES fame) Matt Tanner who helps in their investigation. Rebecca knows him from past cases, and clearly there’s a spark between them. Speaking of sparks, Dr. Soto tries to create them with a cute, Sandman shirt-wearing coroner named Nikki (Jeananne Goossen) to awkward effect. I would love if Dr. Soto got a love interest. Back in the past, both Dr. Milton and Lucy battle it out to get information from Paxton on the whereabouts of the final mine. While Dr. Milton is using good, old-fashioned American interrogation techniques, Lucy prefers more “civilized” ways to get information, which apparently means shock therapy and actually talking with your patient. We learn that Paxton was the only one out of his squadron who didn’t receive a medal for his bravery in the war finding enemy mines, and that has led to the current bloodbath. Pretty fickle guy. Lucy struggles to crack the code but is making progress to Dr. Milton’s chagrin and the Warden’s (Jonny Coyne) delight. She brings in Tommy Madsen (David Hoflin) for help due to his experience in the war. Tommy promises his help if she can figure out why he’s constantly in the hospital ward giving blood if he’s not sick (hmm… ). A deal is made, and soon Lucy is parsing through song lyrics (songs were used to reveal locations of mines in the battlefield) at the behest of Tommy to uncover the location of the land mines. All the while, she manages to go on a date with Young Emerson. While the procedural aspect is again ho-hum for the most part, the third act has great suspense as Emerson takes matter into his own hands, er feet. But really, what we learn about Emerson and Lucy’s past is the reason for watching this week, and the ending promises for some sort of change in Lucy’s condition and hopefully some insight into why she nor Dr. Milton have aged since 1963. Like another of Abrams’ Bad Robot creations (LOST), ALCATRAZ’s success will be based on how they tease out these clues and answer our questions, but unfortunately, unlike LOST, to this point, the bulk of the episode and its characters leave me nonplussed week to week.

BEING HUMAN

terrors, with the help of the pure-blooded blondies Connor (Jon Cor) and Brynn (Tracy Spiridakos). Nora (Kristen Hager) doesn’t take it seriously, and while it’s clear she’s upset about something else entirely, it’s hard not to agree with her. Josh might be a smart guy with a medical background, but finding a cure for werewolf-ism seems farfetched, even with Connor and Brynn’s money and help. But Josh is in the periphery this episode as the spotlight belongs to Nora. With the full moon looming, Nora’s desires and abilities excite her and the possibility of a cure frightens her. She wants to explore this new side of her, and Connor and Brynn (the pair are like the demons on the other shoulder to both Nora and Josh) are there to help her. Adding to the mess is the arrival of Will (Sebastien Roberts), her evil ex that gave her the ugly scar on her stomach.

“ADDICTED TO LOVE”

Aidan continues to explore his dark side and past with Suren (Dichen Lachman), feeding on live blood to the point of drunkenness, having sex and basically blowing off all other responsibilities that comes with taking care of Boston and its vampires. This comes to the attention of Mother (Deena Aziz), who comes to make threats and whatnot. The best parts of this episode concern Aidan’s past with Suren, Henry (Kyle Schmid) and Mother. We learn what gruesome act put Suren into a grave for so long, what happened to Henry and Suren’s relationship, and that Witwer could totally play a 70s cop with the mustache he sports. DOLLHOUSE fans will be happy to know that this episode has a big chunk of Suren, as she’s become an integral character this season.

On a fast track to becoming SyFy’s second best show ever after BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, we get another satisfying installment in this week’s “Addicted to Love.” While the show is at its best when Josh, Sally and Aidan are all together, the show does a commendable job balancing each monster subplot with equal panache, while still tying them and the characters together when necessary.

As Sally falls deeper and deeper into Janet’s body, she finds it harder and harder to get out, and discovers the horrifying effect she has on the poor woman. We also get more glimpses of the dark shadow of the reaper that haunts her. Meaghan gets to wear different clothes for once as Sally, and it’s clear she relishes the opportunity. When in trouble, she has to find Josh and Aidan in the hospital, still as Janet, which leads to a delightfully awkward encounter with Dr. Forrest.

At the end of last week’s episode, Sally (Meaghan Rath) possessed Janet’s (Amber Goldfarb) body to feel something. In particular, she wanted to feel Dr. Tim Forrest’s (Martin Thibaudeau) thing. As learned a few weeks back, possession for a ghost is addictive, and leads to hangovers and a rough looking Sally when she leaves their body. This week, despite Aidan (Sam Witwer) and Josh’s (Sam Huntington) warnings, she keeps coming back to Janet and Dr. Forrest, unable to refuse temptation and the feeling of being alive again. While it’s clearly morally wrong, Sally’s actions are believable. Who wouldn’t want to have sex again after death? Josh is still focused on finding a cure for his monthly

When Nora became a werewolf in this season’s premiere, one assumed that’d mean that Josh and Nora would get closer, but by the end of this episode, the gap between Nora and Josh has never been larger. At first I didn’t really like the addition of the werewolf twins (they’re annoying), but they sure stir up the pot beautifully and I’d be interested in seeing more of their pack. It’s fun to see Aidan engorge a bit, and exciting to ponder the upcoming battle with the orphans and Mother. With the reaper lurking ever closer to Sally, and a blast from the past resurfacing at the end to muddy Aidan and Suren’s present, there’s a lot to look forward to in the coming weeks on BEING HUMAN.

Air Date: Feb. 13th, 2012 Review by Andy Greene

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SPARTACUS

Air Date: Feb. 17th, 2012

“EMPTY HANDS” Review by Andy Greene

Last week’s episode ended with Crixus (studly Manu Bennett) sacrificing himself for Naevia’s safety and rescue by what was left of Spartacus (Liam McIntyre) and his gladiators. Were they really going to kill Crixus the moment they find Naevia? As Naevia (with Cynthia Addai-Robinson sliding into the role, a far less publicized casting change) herself says, Crixus has “survived worse.” Instead of death (the show can ill afford to lose him just yet), Crixus and a couple other gladiators are escorted back to Capua and make their less than triumphant return to the house of Batiatus, reuniting with a dour, loveless Oenomaus (Peter Mensah). Let’s say their days look numbered, and at least one of the enslaved gladiators won’t live to see next week’s episode. Lucretia (Lucy Lawless) had promised the head of Spartacus by going to the mines, and the crop that returns is less than what Glaber (Craig Parker) had hoped for, bringing more criticism from his stepfather Albinius (Kevin J. Wilson) and rivals Varinius (Brett Tucker) and Seppius (Tom Hobbs). This, coupled with his refusal to bring his men into the arena in last week’s episode, puts Glaber on shaky ground politically. More for her gain than her husband’s, Ilithyia (Viva Bianca), to the chagrin of Glaber, suggests an oldfashioned orgy/party to celebrate the imminent capture of Spartacus and to pay tribute to Varinius. Clearly, she wants to do more than pay tribute to the man, and her machinations to get what she wants while fighting off Seppia (Hanna Mangan Lawrence) is a treat to watch.

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Meanwhile, Ashur (Loki the trickster reincarnate, with Nick Tarabay chewing scenery like candy) and the rest of the Romans track Spartacus, Naevia, Mira (Katrina Law), Nasir the Syrian (Pana Hema-Taylor), mutinous gladiator of the week Liscus (Joe Naufahu) and a few others through the forest. Liscus wants to abandon Naevia and head straight to Agron (Daniel Feuerriegel) and their people on Vesuvius. But, Spartacus refuses to leave anyone behind and return to Agron empty handed, which leads to dwindling numbers for their pack, as Ashur is quick upon their heels for a cripple. The highlight of this episode, and this season thus far, however, is the back and forth between Lucretia and Ilithyia for power and men. Ilithyia has become the menacing vixen that Lucretia used to be, while Lucretia’s motives and memories are suspect, making her all the more mysterious and interesting. They plot, play nice, backstab, sleep around and nearly murder each other all in one satisfying hour this week, and their rivalry is going to be the most interesting subplot going forward. During the party, Glaber and Varinius engage in classic Roman one-upmanship fashion, in a pissing contest to appease the Gods and win the favor of Albinius. Glaber wants to shed the blood of Crixus and company in the halls of Batiatus for sport, but when Varinius refuses and calls for these gladiators to fall in the arena, I couldn’t help but cheer along with the drunk and horny Romans. More than anything else, this show has missed the arena, and the promise of a hopelessly angry Oenomaus and a love-motivated Crixus shedding blood against other gladiators shamefully raised my blood level. You may notice I didn’t even mention Andy Whitfield (RIP) once when describing the episode, and that’s because the show, now four weeks in, has gotten on firm ground, and grown beyond Andy. Obviously he was the heart and soul of this show, and Liam (perhaps unfairly) can’t hope to compete with him (I still find him shrimpy in action scenes), but with Manu Bennett’s Crixus picking up the slack in the hero department, and Ashur, Lucretia and Ilithyia more than doing their part to inject life and villainy into every scene they’re in, SPARTACUS: VENGEANCE has not been left with empty hands and found its purpose.

these questions, and Peter, Walter and Olivia will finally figure out why she’s been having her migraines and their source, inevitably landing at Nina (Blair Brown) and Massive Dynamic’s doorstep.

FRINGE

Air Date: Feb. 17th, 2012

“A BETTER HUMAN BEING” Review by Andy Greene Ever since FRINGE got itself a villain with the return of Jared Harris’ devious David Jones in “Enemy of My Enemy,” FRINGE has returned to top form and been one of the best shows on television once again. Directly following last week’s TWILIGHT ZONE-esque encounter in Westfield where Olivia (Anna Torv) gained memories of Peter (Joshua Jackson) and our original timeline that was capped off with a smooch that got shippers swooning, a conflicted Peter tries to figure out what’s wrong, while the crew also chases killers operating through what resembles a Hive mind. Olivia obviously becomes embarrassed by the kiss, especially when Peter acts so concerned and hot and bothered, and declines his help and just wants to rest, with another migraine coming on. The next day, however, Peter insists on bringing her into the lab and enlisting Walter (John Noble) to figure out what’s going on. As it’s clear that she has memories of both universes, and flashes back to when she first met Peter and Walter, the question is if it is merely a residual effect from the memory warped Westfield or is there something else at play here? Walter accuses Peter of causing the change, accidental or not, and isn’t happy with him. FRINGE watchers will already know the answer to

This week’s fringe event concerns a young mental patient diagnosed with schizophrenia named Sean (Harrison Thomas), who has a violent seizure while relating all the details of a murder in real-time. Turns out, the victim was a reporter doing a story on in vitro fertilization and Dr. Owen Frank’s (John Aylward) work. Our team meets Sean at the mental hospital to go over his story and figure out his connection with the killers. Sean has heard voices all of his life and volunteered to enter the facility, and Walter asks him to go off his meds in order to catch the killers. Quickly, Walter discovers that Sean and all of the killers were all born in vitro with the same father, the Hitler/Dr. Frankenstein-esque Dr. Owen Frank, and with his genetic manipulation, has created a telepathic link between their brains, and they are merely fighting for their survival. While solving the case, the stronger moments come during Walter’s interactions with Sean and the mental hospital. Due to his obvious history with mental institutions and his unique ball of crazy, Walter forges an immediate connection with Sean and his anger toward the boy’s treatment and misdiagnosis shows how far Walter has come since Peter’s arrival (not to mention the fact that he no longer hesitates at field work). There’s also the requisite sweet and tender moment between the best babysitter/ Mom in the world, Astrid (Jasika Nicole), and poor Sean. While the Hive mind procedural is interesting, it’s merely a distraction from what’s going on with Olivia, and what that means for her and Peter, and even the other/our Olivia. Peter has already fallen for the wrong Olivia once, and can’t go through that again. Either way, it’s clear that every single universe’s Olivia is fated to be with Peter, or at least wants to be. This obviously sucks for poor Lincoln (Seth Gabel). This episode also rewards long time viewers by referencing John Scott and events from way back in the pilot and first season when our gang first got together. It’s been so long and the show has changed so much it almost felt like they were talking about a different universe…and of course they were. As Peter, Lincoln and Walter find out the root cause of Olivia’s expanded memory and her migraines, we’re left with a cliffhanger that is sure to intensify the battle between both worlds and David Harris, and a promise that FRINGE, in every way, is back.

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THE WALKING DEAD

Yeun) bicker about moving on, which Glenn is ready to do. This could mean goodbye to Maggie, which obviously upsets her. Meanwhile, Carol goes out for a dirty romp in the woods to work out her grief, which leads to one of the finer, more intimate moments we’ve seen from Shane. The guy isn’t always a prick, he’s a wonderfully complex character thanks to Jon Bernthal and WD’s team of writers.

Air Date: Feb. 12th, 2012

“NEBRASKA”

Review by Andy Greene Picking up right after the explosive smoking barrel ending of the midseason finale, Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and company are forced to deal with the awful reality of Sophia’s death and what it means in their post-apocalyptic present. Carol (Melissa McBride) and Herschel (the excellently withered Scott Wilson) are broken at the tragedy; while Carol has just found out about her daughter, Herschel had believed that his wife and stepson were merely “sick.” Beth (Emily Kinney), Herschel’s daughter, rushes to her dead zombified mother, frantic. Turns out, she isn’t so dead, and nearly makes a meal of her daughter before Andrea (Laurie Holden) silences her forever, another signal that Andrea’s time as a victim is over, and that THE WALKING DEAD is finally back from hiatus enriching our Sunday evenings with blood, guts and soap operatic arguments. Speaking of… After a typically loud argument between Shane and Rick about their future, they work to bury their loved ones and pile the rest for a good old-fashioned bonfire. Shane wants to leave and Rick still wants to make Herschel’s farm home, even if Herschel is no longer keen on their company after their bloody display. In fact, he wants them out, now. Shane calls Rick as delusional about their predicament as Herschel, and the man has a point. Cue Rick questioning his leadership with Lori, timing like a metronome. Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Glenn (Steven

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When Beth collapses in shock and ends up in a comalike state and with Herschel nowhere to be found, Rick and Glenn predictably volunteer their services in bringing him back. Apparently a big boozer until the day Maggie was born, they figure out that Herschel’s headed toward the bar in town. I don’t blame the guy. After Daryl (Norman Reedus) rebuffs Lori’s entreaties to go after them (I don’t blame him. Lori calls him “selfish,” a guy who nearly killed himself trying to find Sophia, a corpse), Lori takes matters into her own hands and goes off herself (uh oh). At the bar, Rick and Glenn try to talk a hammered Herschel off the ledge. Herschel admits that Rick’s gang was right about the walkers. The man has lost all hope; in fact, he believes there “is no hope” and surprisingly, Rick agrees. But Woodrow Wils--Rick argues that that merely puts the onus on them to protect their family and friends that much more, to shield them from this horrific world. Soon, their drunken therapy session is interrupted by Dave (TRUE BLOOD and TERRIERS’ fantastic Michael Raymond-James) and Tony, two strangers in from the cold who join them for the most awkward, tension-filled drink ever. Aside from what happens to Lori and one of the most badass moments of the series so far in the bar, not a lot happens in this episode besides a lot of talk and bickering. The group, and maybe even the show, has become a little stagnant on the farm. Shane and Glenn sense it’s time to move on, and I think the viewers do too. That said, I love WD for its characters, and we still were given a helluva lot to chew on between them this week, and it’s just good to see them again. But don’t get me wrong, I’m ready for it to come to a boil already. I’m also ready for Michonne.

ONCE UPON A TIME

Air Date: Feb. 12th, 2012

“SKIN DEEP” Review by Andy Greene Just in time for Valentine’s Day comes OUAT’s spin on Beauty and the Beast. The beauty is LOST’s Emilie de Ravin as Belle, and the beast is, our favorite, Mr. Rumpelstiltskin (Robert Carlyle). We open with a group of royalty in another castle in another faraway realm that is under attack from ogres with no help from survival (I guess there’s no Fellowship). When characters are exhausted of hope in this world, they routinely call upon Rumpelstiltskin. To save their castle, their city and its people, Rumpelstiltskin merely wants one thing from Sir Maurice (Eric Keenleyside): his daughter (the aforementioned Belle), for oh… ever. Sir Gaston (Sage Brocklebank, what a name) and the King obviously tell him to bugger off. But Belle, to be brave and heroic, agrees to spend the rest of her days with Rumpelstiltskin. Cue mad cackle and to the dungeon Belle goes as his life servant, and cut to our world and quaint Storybrooke, Maine. At the diner, Ashley (Jessy Schram, our Cinderella) in flustered by new motherhood. Waitress Ruby (Meghan Ory, our Red Riding Hood) suggests a girl’s night out for Valentine’s Day to

clear their heads. Horrified by the sound of a romantic comedy she’s probably already starred in, Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) hesitates due to the unstable Facebook relationship status she has with David (Mr. Charming to you). Emma obviously hates the idea too, but since this is TV and ABC (home of COUGAR TOWN and HAPPY ENDINGS), we’ll be seeing all of them pound drinks soon enough. Later, Emma arrives at Mr. Gold’s pawnshop after a robbery. Mr. Gold wants her out of the investigation, because he knows who the thief was, what was taken, and prefers to deal with it himself. Clearly, as sheriff, Emma can’t stand for that. Mr. Gold reluctantly admits that Moe is the culprit. While never going into any specifics, it’s clear that Moe let her daughter get away and she’s never coming back, paralleling the land of make believe. Speaking of Fairy Tale Land, Belle quite literally brightens the place up at Rumpelstiltskin’s lair. With no points for subtlety, when Belle tears down the curtains around his home, we quickly see light come into Rumpelstiltskin’s life, and the Beast softens. While she dusts and cleans up around the house, objects and characters from the classic Disney movie are sprinkled about. In fact, Belle accidentally drops a teacup, chipping it. She fears his retribution, but Rumpel calmly says it’s merely a Chip. Soon, it’s clear the pair are falling for each other. Belle wants to get to know him, because he’s the only person she’ll ever see, and we learn that Rumpelstiltskin has lost his son since he’s gone evil and gained power. There’s a hilarious moment later in the episode when Gaston comes to rescue Belle and is quickly “dispatched.” In our world, Mr. Gold has kidnapped Moe and tied him up in a cabin in the woods. Until this moment, Mr. Gold had merely seemed sketchy and treacherous, but not an outright villain. Bondage changes that (I hear it’s frowned upon). In Beauty and the Beast land, Rumpel sends Belle off to the market for hay, knowing full well she could escape if she wants. Belle considers it until she meets the Queen in the forest. Upon hearing of her plight and the evil that surrounds the Beast, the Queen tells her that true love’s kiss can lift any curse (presumably what will/should fuse our two worlds and end our show). Excited and flush with love, Belle hurries back to the Rumpelstiltskin’s castle, but the massive smuck that happens between them doesn’t end in the way she or the audience hopes, and provides a glimpse into what has shaped Rumpelstiltskin’s immense unhappiness.

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RETREAT

MAGNET FILMS 90 Minutes, Rated R Review by Brandon Moore

claims is littering the mainland with bodies. The couple, without a boat to escape the island and a CB radio with no signal, is given little choice but to play along. Bell’s wide-eyed intensity gained him acclaim and sympathy in BILLY ELLIOT, but here it serves a deeper, darker purpose. Although it is evident that there is more to the virus story than Jack lets on, Bell’s panicked yet assertive demeanor sheds enough disbelief that it is not immediately clear whether he is lying to further his own agenda or genuinely attempting to protect himself and his housemates from the virus outside. The audience only learns new information as it is presented to Martin and Kate, and as a result places us right in their shoes. Although the film belongs to Bell’s performance, Newton and Murphy play their characters with enough subtle depth to suggest there was once a true bond of love connecting the two of them together, and through their collective fear the reemergence of this passion is both believable and endearing. Murphy, showing the same brooding intensity he played up in 28 DAYS LATER, is the more grounded of the two, allowing Newton to handle the more impassioned scenes. She can scream and cry with the best of them, and this is easily her strongest performance since CRASH.

Characters isolated in a remote setting and threatened by a force outside of their control has been a staple of the thriller genre since Agatha Christie first penned AND THEN THERE WERE NONE in 1939. In the years since, the locations have evolved (summer camps, the ocean, space ships), but the threat often remains the same: an individual or collective entity picking the characters off one by one. It is an ideal archetype for preying on our fears; what could be scarier than inhabiting a location in which we don’t belong, stalked by someone or something we don’t understand? RETREAT, the debut film of writer/director Carl Tibbetts, turns the prototype on its head, characterizing the threat with several layers and potentially erasing the option of a safer alternative to the protagonists’ isolation.

Though the run time is only 90 minutes, the film does begin to drag. The escape formula, in which Martin and Kate attempt to seize control from the armed Jack is repetitive—there are several examples of the couple attempting to use their wits to take Jack down, only to end up cowering with guns in their faces. Also, going by the standard law of Chekhov’s gun, many of the plot points are predictable; any twists are saved for the last act. The final twenty minutes, while necessary to the story’s trajectory, erase the feeling of claustrophobia that preceded it, causing a jarring adjustment in tone. One of the film’s strongest selling points is the ending, which will likely catch audience members off guard, though it is reminiscent of an earlier classic that will undoubtedly cross their minds once the end credits begin to roll.

The threat, shipwrecked soldier Jack (played with ranged intensity by Jamie Bell), initially seems to fit the mold of the genre’s usual psychopaths. Shown hospitality by Martin and Kate, Jack nonetheless takes immediate control of the cabin, ordering it barricaded against a highly contagious and fatal disease that he

Overall, the film is a timely update of a standard horror/thriller trope. Playing upon the world’s dread of widespread panic in the footsteps of 9/11 and the 2009 swine flu, RETREAT is a well-acted, tightly plotted thriller that may not reinvent the genre, but accounts for a breath of fresh air.

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BENEATH THE DARKNESS

The issue comes in when the movie really starts and we meet our protagonists: a group of teens including Abby (Aimee Teegarden) and Travis (Tony Oller), whom despite different backgrounds are reunited as friends for being in high school long into their twenties. The gang goes on a ghost hunt at old Ely’s place... but we already know that Ely’s nuts and kills people. There’s no tension in the lead-up to Quaid’s arrival as villain and we’re not surprised when he kills one of the kids. (We are surprised at how easily he’s able to trick to police into taking his side and thinking it was an accident, but then again this is Texas.) The movie contains a few bits of intrigue, but does itself a disservice by presenting the answers to the mystery immediately. Is Quaid really crazy? Yes, he is. Is there really a dead body? Oh, yes, there’s Quaid dancing with her. What happened to the teacher’s missing husband--- oh wait, he was the guy that got killed in the first scene. Hm.

IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT 96 Minutes Review by Elvis Kunesh

It feels as if the filmmakers recognized the tone they had wasn’t working and latched onto Quaid’s performance, and built as many scenes around him as possible. Which works as a double edged sword. By showcasing more of the villain all of the suspense is sapped out of the teenager’s plot but Quaid’s hammy acting is the highlight of the picture. He’s a good villain because I wanted to smash his face in with a shovel (an opportunity which the heroes often overlooked) and he’s still fun to watch. He doesn’t succeed in being scary, though. And that’s the big problem with the film, the characters don’t feel grounded in reality which makes the stakes seem superfluous. The movie picks up when it embraces its schlockier, sillier nature; which it does increasingly toward the end as the climax feels like a Scooby Doo-style caper.

BENEATH THE DARKNESS opens with a quirky scene with a man walking his dog is accosted by goofy town mortician Vaughn Ely (Dennis Quaid) who drags him to the local cemetery and buries him alive. The scene grabs your attention, and Dennis Quaid’s wily eyed psychotic grin is fun. I was personally wondering what happening to the dog, but overall I’m going with it.

In regards to the Blu-ray, the picture and sound quality are crisp and clear. The film is technically proficient and the disc captures that. There’s something left to be desired with the extra features, which includes a 3 minute behind-the-scenes B-Roll featurette and the trailer. Overall when the film gets through to the zanier horror it’s enjoyable, but it might have been scarier if we didn’t know what was BENEATH THE DARKNESS.

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BATMAN #6

DC COMICS Story: Scott Snyder Art: Greg Capullo Review by Holly Interlandi

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You’ve probably heard about how awesome Scott Snyder’s run on BATMAN has been, and well… it’s true. I concede. I don’t even like Batman all that much, and I can’t wait to read this book every month. That being said, the sixth issue had a lot to live up to. BATMAN #5 all but upended the mainstream comics game and featured upside-down panels of our goth superhero going completely insane and hysterically insisting that a secret society, The Court of Owls, could not “steal his story.” Shivers, people. Shivers. It may not sound like a positive thing, but this issue is chock full of disturbing imagery. Little owl claws crawling all over Batman’s body. Bloodshot eyes—crazy eyes. Cries for inhuman punishment, for the murder of the main character. There is lots of blood, here. Everyone takes a pummeling. It’s gladiator-style brutality between Batman and the Owls’ assassin, the Talon. You can feel the exhaustion. And since Greg Capullo’s art so brilliantly depicts what is happening in Batman’s mind, Batman grows fangs. He turns into a gnashing-toothed killer, because it is the only desperation he has left. For a comic franchise that is not generally considered ‘horror’, the events in this issue are damned well horrifying, and the highest praise I can give it is that in a rare instance, I was actually worried about a superhero’s survival. I was saying to myself, come on, dude. You can do it. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a testament to its power.

However you might feel about the Hellboy franchise, you’ve got to admit that its Bureau of Paranormal Investigations (B.P.R.D.) has made for an intriguing collection of supernatural spin-offs featuring the peripheral characters of the series. The platform of their organization allows for the kind of wide range in storytelling that makes shows like DOCTOR WHO so successful—you can really tell any kind of monster story you want.

B.P.R.D.

HELL ON EARTH: THE LONG DEATH #1

This week has brought yet another new B.P.R.D. miniseries, THE LONG DEATH, starring my personal favorite character, Johann Kraus. A distilled personality in a containment suit is just the stuff of legend. And if you like your comics bizarre, well, this one begins with said bottled being sitting down to lunch in a cafeteria before being invaded by what appears to be a mass of bulging flesh, teeth, and eyeballs. But oh—it was only a dream! Luckily, storybook cliché is avoided by the unusual nature of Kraus’s consciousness: he doesn’t usually dream. Hmm. What follows is a typical summoning of the Bureau to a remote location in British Columbia to investigate a series of disappearances that seem to be linked to Ape Sapien’s near-deadly encounter with a hellish creature. My only complaint about this sequence is the obvious emotional manipulation at work with the introduction of a solider’s infant child. (Seriously?) We end up getting lots and lots of gory dismemberment, a predictable moment of glory, and a giant explosion. A fitting ending to an issue that is worth its weight in beastly theatrics. I, for one, am entertained.

DARK HORSE Story: Mike Mignola & John Arcudi Art: James Harre Review by Holly Interlandi

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ROAD RAGE #1

There are so many amazing names involved in ROAD RAGE that it’s easy to get confused as to who exactly contributed what to the final product. It turns out that the IDW comic run is actually going to be a combination of projects—the first being an adaptation of Stephen King and Joe Hill’s story in honor of Richard Matheson, “Throttle”, and the second a visual version of Matheson’s own classic short story, “Duel”. You might even say that ROAD RAGE is the third in a long generation of interpretations. This first issue tells the tale of “Throttle”, in which the anonymity of “Duel” has been expanded upon, giving us an actual biker gang called The Tribe in place of a lone salesperson riding along the highway. Ryall’s interpretation and Daniel’s art bring human faces into a frenzy of drug deals that serve as the backdrop for a deadly chase scene. ROAD RAGE may not boast any supernatural monsters, but the source of terror—a faceless, menacing semi truck—looms like a monolith over the horizon, as intimidating as any Godzilla or Goliath could be.

IDW Story: Stephen King, Joe Hill, Richard Matheson & Chris Ryall Art: Nelson Daniel Review by Holly Interlandi

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I can’t decide if the expanded story from “Throttle” impedes or advances the simplicity of the original. But then… Stephen King [AMERICAN VAMPIRE], Joe Hill [LOCKE & KEY], and Richard Matheson [THE TWILIGHT ZONE] are the sources here. When confronted with these names, who cares? It’s like a carnival of timeless horror souls all convening to tell the same story around a campfire. And if said story should suffer from being passed down through the filters of hearsay, we as comic book fans are none the wiser

One of the best things about FOOTPRINTS is its premise. Put Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, a Chupacabra, a Megalodon, and the Jersey Devil into a room. Have them solve the murder mystery of Bigfoot’s brother, Yeti. Add Motheresa, the famed ‘Mothman’(or woman, in this case), some genetic engineering, and an arctic government base. Ready, set… go. How can you lose?

FOOTPRINTS (PREVIEW)

The cast of characters is, of course, half the fun. Bigfoot makes a worthy detective. His ‘gang’ is a nicely rounded lineup of personalities that happen to coincide with conspiracy theories. And despite this inherent uncertainty, it all makes sense. To quote the comic itself: “Who better to find the unfound than those that hid under the noses of humans for centuries?” FOOTPRINTS is positively, insufferably noir. It’s like watching BLAST OF SILENCE with cryptids as the protagonists. The story even harbors the classic twist of a side character’s assumed betrayal and ultimate redemption. All the elements of a classic crime hunt are here. Joey Esposito certainly did his homework. My only complaint is that the art, while shadowy enough, seems vague and over-pencilled at times, almost as if Jonathan Moore isn’t sure of what he’s drawing or what it’s supposed to look like. Fortunately, the story itself is tight enough to warrant slightly murky paneling. In the end, the reasons to check out FOOTPRINTS abound: a solid story, an original take on familiar figures, historical relevance, and genuine excitement!

215 INK Story: Joey Esposito Art: Jonathan Moore Review by Holly Interlandi

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GENESIS OF EVIL by Nile J. Limbaugh Samhain Publishing Review by John Scappini

GENESIS OF EVIL starts promisingly enough: the remains of someone who had been dropped from a height of 20 or 30 stories is found in the middle of a construction project that is only 2 stories tall. No one has any idea how they got there, but surely we’re about to find out, right? Nope. Backstory after backstory follows, sort of like the dream within a dream within a dream in Inception,

taken to the hundredth degree. Character after character is paraded before us with loose—if any—connections to the previous vignette. After the sixth or seventh backstory, I think I saw Cobb while I was lost in limbo. Characters tend to bounce around like pinballs, being born to trust fund babies one page, and then married to a police on the next. Fifteen pages are devoted to one character, who we are made to believe is critical to the plot, only to cut away to further explanation and backstory. I found it rather hard to invest in any of the characters, usually because they would either be killed or dropped like a sack of potatoes within a page or two, and we’d be on to their mother or father or their daughter or whomever the next fresh face was. At one point, within the span of only four sentences, a 12-year old boy is embarrassed at camp by being made to play a crass game, contemplates suicide, earns a college degree, moves to Florida, and sells houses for another dozen years. You may be wondering: what the hell is the plot of this book? Well, our story begins in a sleepy Florida community mall… which just happens to be haunted! Upon discovering said hauntedness, the town’s sheriff, a telekinetic handicapped person, and a Hydrox Ghostbusters team assemble to try and combat the evil force infecting the hapless mall patrons. While the concept of the book is interesting—a haunted mall—GENESIS OF EVIL doesn’t manage to make full use of its potential… and doesn’t quite have enough of the blood and guts that would make up for it. THE GRAVEYARD EXAMINER

MORTAL KOMBAT: KOMPLETE EDITION WARNER BROS.

Available to buy on February 28th, the KOMPLETE EDITION takes the franchise’s previous DLC-only characters - Skarlet, Kenshi, Rain, and FREDDY KRUEGER - and brings them to consoles along with 15 skins and three original fatalities for fan-favorites Scorpion, SubZero, and Reptile. As if the epic gaming experience wasn’t enough, this Edition also comes with digital versions of the MORTAL KOMBAT: SONGS INSPIRED BY THE WARRIORS and 1995’s MORTAL KOMBAT film!!

ASURA’S WRATH CAPCOM

With relentless action and original storylines, CAPCOM delivers a new type of action game with ASURA’S WRATH. Fusing together Adia mythology with pure science-fiction-awesomeness, ASURA’S WRATH takes the player on an episodic journey through unique environments, pitting them against vicious enemies and gargantuan bosses. Step into the shoes of the titular Asura, a demigod with a grudge against a group of traitors responsible for killing those he loved. Unleashing Asura’s Burst Gauge will engage a series of mindblowing attacks as he takes his rage out upon those unfortunate enough to get in his way. A fresh form of action gaming in an intriguing setting with a revenge plot reminiscent of Julius Caesar... on crack!

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DIAMOND SELECT’S UNI

Once again we must take a moment to celebrate this fantastic line of Universal Monster collectibles, brought to us by the toymasters over at Diamond Select Toys.

The Mummy is a good an impressive 8 inche Imhotep action figure sarcophagus - complet allowing you to contain With four incredibly detailed models of if things start getting to the world’s greatest and most recognizable monsters, these action figures are a must have Frankenstein’s Monste for any collector - or any true monster fan for sarcophagus, but it doe articulation, allowing y that matter! the Monster’s iconic po

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IVERSAL MONSTER TOYS

place to start. Standing es tall, this remarkable e includes a full-sized te with removable lid, n the resurrected Prince oo rowdy. er may not have its own es have several points of you to lift his arms into ose.

Dracula and the Creature of the Black Lagoon are the most impressive of the group. Highly detailed, more mobile than the others, and equipped with a themed companion (a wolf for Dracula and a femme fatale for Creature), these two figures are the crème de la crème of monster toys. For more information, check out... THE GREATEST TOY REVIEW YOU’LL EVER READ!!

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Home Video

Robot Chicken Star Wars: 1-3

Transformers Prime: Season 1

The Haunting In Connecticut

Monty Puthon & the Holy Grail

Masters of Terror V.3.

Game of Thrones: Season 1

Immortals 3D

Rabies

Wolftown

The Fades: Season 1

Raven Calls

Books

Dragon Strike

Batman vs. Bane

Star Wars: Red Harvest THE GRAVEYARD EXAMINER

Comics

Godzilla Legends #4

Kirby Genesis Dragonsbane #2

Darkness #100

Last Zombie Neverland #1

Dark Shadows #5

Salems Daughter Haunting #5

Vampirella vs. Dracula #2

Collectibles

Bullet Bill Plush 34

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Thor Bottle Opener

Green Goblin Action Figure

Angel and Faith #7

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