This week, Creepshow returns to comic shops with a brand new first issue for a second volume of horror tales. The anthology format has worked splendidly with a nice sprinkle of humor from the Creepshow host, so it’s exciting to see a batch of tales right in time for Halloween. After reading the first volume of Creepshow, it’s obvious Skybound is giving some of comics’ best creators a chance to spin their own horror classics, and for the most part, the first issue continues that trend.
“Make Your Choice” is the first story written by Garth Ennis and drawn by Becky Cloonan. This story has all the edge you’d expect from Ennis, who tells a tale about a man who did a very bad thing. There’s some rather disturbing imagery of dead fetuses and dead babies, so fair warning going in. The horror begins with the man seeing things no one else can, and by the end, there’s quite a twist you won’t see coming. One might see some social commentary in this story, but it’s more about a terrible thing our main character did.
Cloonan captures the horror with disturbing imagery as dead fetuses pile up at one point. The tale ends with a nice barb from Creep, our always-laughing host, with an incredible panel of him twisted into a fetus. His little joke is certainly darkly comedic.
What did he see?! Read the comic to find out.
Credit: Skybound
Phil Hester writes and draws “Fossil Record” with Eric Gapstur on inks and Mike Spicer on colors. This story has an edge due to a man’s obsession with something found on a fossil. This tale has some B-Movie sci-fi vibes, especially in the last third. As things escalate for a man who is sure a predator walked the Earth, the violence gets amplified with some great bits of gore. The story gets a little too verbose in the middle with too much exposition, but the story makes up for that in the final few pages.
Visually, this story is great, with Hester and Gapstur continuing their epic duo that suits a dark horror like this one. There’s a unique take on the undead monsters that rise up that harkens to other monsters but feels entirely fresh. The final panel is a showstopper, especially paired with a well-timed joke from the Creep.
Pat Brosseau letters both stories giving the entire issue a bit of synergy. Brosseau adds a lot to the first story with letters that are creepy and unnerving.
Creepshow returns for its second run of anthology horror tales and is largely a success. It’s a good mix of tales, with a sci-fi story with epic proportions and a domestic tale that disturbs.
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