I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of video nasties. Not only does the name sound like a rejected Public Image Ltd. single, but the idea of a moral panic leading to the outright ban of numerous genre pictures immediately conjures a kind of rebel pride in having seen many of the films that made the list. Much like the Satanic Panic of the ’80s led to many a D&D sesh being held in secret, the very act of watching a flick like The Evil Dead became undeniably punk rock.
This first issue of The Nasty introduces us to Thumper, a misfit young adult who’s dealt with the hard knocks of life by turning to slasher movie escapism. As a result, this Scottish kid also adopts Red Ennis, the main killer from his favorite slasher series as his imaginary best friend. To save his favorite video store and keep his friend group intact, Thumper hatches a plan to shoot their own low budget splatterfest. Things get complicated, however, when a cursed VHS tape blurs the line between fantasy and reality.
The Nasty comes to us from John Lees, George Kimbadais, Adam Cahoon, and Jim Campbell, and I’m already hooked by this first issue. If you grew up in the ’80s or ’90s with an affinity for underground entertainment and nonconformity, this book from is going to hit some sweet spots for you, regardless of whether or not the Video Recordings Act impacted your choice of entertainment.
The characters are fleshed out nicely in this first issue, giving even the members of the supporting cast a one-liner or two that is sure to leave an impression. Readers will immediately pick up on their familiarity and kinship with one another. Even if they seem to squabble and pick on each other constantly, they’re all joined by their outsider status and love of shot-on-video trash cinema. There’s a scrappy “let’s go, gang” mentality here that appealed to me immediately, and I’m already invested in their journeys.
This issue takes its time setting up its tone and its lead character, taking us through several years of Thumper’s life as he weathers the gauntlet of puberty with his hulking imaginary friend at his side. The artwork captures each character’s mood perfectly, with expressive acting during tense and humorous moments. The book leans into the juxtaposition of this monster being present at everyday events, even showing us how Thumper has come into his own in surprising ways. One of my favorite panels in the issue shows Red Ennis respectfully chilling off to the side, giving Thumper room to bond with his new friends at a birthday party.
When it’s time to lean harder into the horror imagery later in the book, Kambadais and Cahoon don’t hold back. When it gets messy, the color palette and page layouts change accordingly, setting things at a slight Dutch angle or otherwise casting everything in an approximation of the eerie, dusty glow of a worn-out grind house film reel. Jim Campbell also hops on the opportunity to change up the lettering here and there, further illustrating the emotional state of the characters or giving some dialogue a more cinematic flair.
The Nasty sets up a compelling cast of characters and ends on a fun twist. I’m not sure how dark this trip down memory lane is going to get, but I’m definitely along for the whole bloody ride.
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