#BookReview ‘Creepshow Volume 1’

About the book…

What’s that lurking in the dark?

Who’s that walking up behind you?

And why does it sound like death is slowly creeping this way?

Why, it’s CREEPSHOW!

‘Creepshow’, a new star-studded five-issue comic book anthology based on the hit Shudder TV series and advancing the worldwide phenomenon that began with George A. Romero and Stephen King’s iconic 1982 film and has continued with the Greg Nicotero-helmed genre anthology series entering its fourth season on Shudder and produced by Cartel Entertainment

Creepshow comes to comics packed with bone chilling stories from the biggest names in comics that will SCARE YOU TO DEATH!

The superstar roster includes Chris Burnham (Die! Die! Die!), Paul Dini ( The Animated Series), John McCrea (Hitman), David & Maria Lapham(Stray Bullets), Erica Henderson (Assassin Nation, Dracula, Motherf**ker), and Francesco Francavilla (Night of the Ghoul, Detective Comics) and L Marlow Francavilla and more….

I was so excited for this bind up of the first 5 Creepshow comics, and I was not disappointed.

From the retro vibe of the cover which reflects the long history of this movie, it feels like things have come full circle with it now being an actual comic book!
I have the graphic novel of the original movie which is super cool, but this volume features all new stories interspersed with gorgeous endpapers, and intros by the Creep, the only thing it is missing is adverts for fake products but that’s just a minor note.

10 stories in all, across 128 pages is good value in my humble opinion, spreading across a wide variety of writers and illiustrators who manage to bring their own unique twist to a very 1950’s style of comic writing and framing.

They are-‘Take One‘ by Chris Burnham,Color by Adriano Lucas

‘Shingo‘ by Paul Dini , art and colour by John McCrea and Mike Spicer

‘The Gomorragh Tree‘ by David Lapham and Maria Lapham, art by David Lapham,colour by Trish Mulvihill

‘Creator’s Rites‘ by Steve Fox and art by Erica Henderson

‘ Hair‘ by L.Marlow Francavilla , art and writing by Francesco Franavilla

‘ The Bridge‘ by Ariela Kristantina, art by Jorge Corona and colour by Jean-Francois Beaulieu

   ‘Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are’ by Kyle Starks and art by Frank Galan

‘ La Mascara De La Muerte’ by Henry Barajas, art by Dani and colour by Brad Simpson

             ‘Thirst Trap’  by Steve Orlando, art by Marianna Ignazzi and colour by Fabiana Mascolo

‘Husk‘  by Clay McLeod Chapman , art by Anwita Citriya and colour by Jordie Bellaire

The colours and the blocking of the pages are fab, I recently read some New 52 Swamp Thing titles and it was so dark it was difficult to work out what was going on, or the art changed direction mid story.

This has consistency to the Creepshow brand whilst giving the artists a big enough sandbox to play around in.

The tales have a moral centre that exposes and attacks ‘American Values’ such as the way outsiders are treated, the feeling of alienation and failure, the sense of what a family unit is, rather than what it should be.

It’s a patchwork quilt, a little uneven in places as with every reader, some tales hit harder depending on their lived experience.

I felt that it remained true to the over arching Creepshow universe, showcasing all that is good, hitting off with a Halloween trick or treat tale with a VERY nasty sting in the tale (typo intended!) and then going forth through how not to hire a birthday party mascot,exploring whether art belongs to the creator or the public who adore them.

Cultural appropriation through a modern lens, takes a vicious swerve on holding people accountable , immortality as a blessing or a curse, and the vagaries of childhood needs to fit in are all dealt with in a off kilter manner that is both truthful and vicious. These stories pull now punches!
If I had *one* criticism it would be that the tales are very short, and whilst each is fully thought out and well rounded, I am being a bit greedy asking for longer ones and acknowledge that. I like big books and lengthy tales and I cannot lie!

All that aside, you do not need to be knee deep in the Creephow-verse in order to pick up this graphic novel, you get a lovely intro by Greg Nicotero and plunge straight in, fully cognisant of what this is all about. And it 100% leaves you wanting more!!