Cutter #1 (Image Comics) is the first issue in a 4-issue series, with all issues scheduled for release in October, just in time for Halloween. It revisits an old concept with enough spooky fun to make it feel new all over again.

The issue begins with a horrifying scene of a man tied to a large tree with rope. A haunted-looking woman approaches him with an abnormally large pair of hedge trimmers, which she uses to mutilate him. The story flashes back to one week earlier, where Jeremy Samuels, an ordinary man, is spending time with his very pregnant wife. He leaves for work and is frightened by random noises, including his next-door neighbor trimming bushes. At work, he is greeted by two detectives who inform him that two of his childhood friends have been found mutilated. And, the mystery begins.

Jeremy has a hunch, based on the grotesque manner in which his friends were killed and nightmares he has had, that Emily Higgins is responsible for the murders and possibly coming after him and others, as well. The only problem is Emily is dead and has been for several years. But, Jeremy can’t shake the thought, and he sets out to solve the mystery, and possibly save his own life.

Cutter #1 is written by Seamus Kevin Fahey and Robert Place Narton. Fahey is a television writer known to fans who follow Battlestar Galactica and The Following, while Narton’s comic credits include Son of Merlin. Even though ghost (maybe demon?) revenge stories have been done before, I found this comic hard to put down, and when it ended, I needed to read more. The sheer wickedness and frights of The Following are easily found within the pages of Cutter #1. The writing is seamless as it flows from character to character and even runs simultaneous panels from different scenes without breaking the flow. The art (from horror artist Christian Dibari) is haunting, with frightful facial expressions that translate the fear from page to reader. Black and white always seems to be a bit scarier than color, and Dibari delivers in this aspect.

It will be interesting to see what direction the creators take the comic in the upcoming issues, and it’s nice to know that readers only have to wait one week between issues. If you’re looking for a fun, new take on an old horror favorite, Cutter is the way to go for your October.