Horror anthologies are all the rage, and Image Comics has released the first issue of its newest volume of Creepshow just in time for the spooky season. An extension of the Shudder TV show, this first issue has two stories that proves Creepshow is still the most fun you’ll ever have being scared.
Current Batman writer Chip Zdarsky presents to us a story called “Let ‘er Trip.” Uptight Jane Miller has trouble relating to her daughter, Mary. When Mary gets older, she runs away, prompting Jane to go and look for her. Mary finds her living with a cult, but is captured and dosed with some magic mushrooms, opening her mind up to new possibilities. Zdarsky’s story takes us on an adventure that starts off as your typical rescue story, but quickly turns sinister. Kagan McLeod’s art and Pat Brosseau’s lettering makes this a trip worth taking, even if it’s a little too short. They are perfectly in sync, especially when Jane Miller’s been dosed and starts to see things from a new perspective.
The second story, “Scrimshaw,” tells of a reporter who finds a fisherman sharing a story about finding a severed arm while catching lobsters. Upon inspection, he finds an inscription written on the bones protruding from it. After not being able to shake the ending of the story, the reporter searches for the source and finds something bigger than he expected. James Stokoe is a triple threat as writer, artist, and letterer, producing a horror story for the ages. The fisherman’s descent into madness checks all the boxes, but its twist is worth it. There’s a lot of story pressed into the pages that would otherwise get lost if the art wasn’t so interesting. It’s full sail ahead for scares in this second story.
The choice of these stories pair well together despite being so different in themes, and their colors truly make them shine. The palette is vast in a genre known for being dark which really sets this book apart from the other anthologies out there. If short horror is your thing, run to your comic store and get this book.
Creative Team: Chip Zdarsky (writer), Kagan McLeod (artist),) Pat Brosseau (letterer), James Stokoe (Writer, Artist, Letterer)
Publisher: Image Comics
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