Category: Horror

Z-View: The Crow – Pestilence #2

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The Crow: Pestilence #2 is published by IDW.

Writer: Frank Bill

Artist: Drew Moss

Colorist: Oliver Lee Arce

Cover Shown: James O’Barr

Salvador heads to the Midwest to search for the men who murdered his family, only to find them involved in trafficking drugs…and humans. As The Crow watches, guiding him, he begins to exact his revenge. But why is one of the gang members speaking with the police?

 

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The Good

  • J. O’Barr‘s cover.
  • Frank Bill throws in a surprise that I didn’t see coming, although the preview quote above strongly foreshadows it.
  • Salvador blames himself for the death of his wife and child.  This story is shaping up to more than a simple tale of revenge.

The Bad:

  • Some people will be put off by the violence and profanity.
  • The way Salvador, his wife and child were killed and the vow that Salvador’s revenge would be 100 times worse — that’s bad for the killers.
  • What happens if you’re scared and you go to the boss’ house for protection.  Note to self: “Don’t lead a returned-from-the-dead-supernatural-avenger to the boss’ home.”

The Ugly:

  • Pouring a boiling vat of soup on Salvador.
  • When the chainsaws come out.

The Crow: Pestilence #2  is a comic for mature audiences due to violence and language.  

Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Trailer for Constantine: Exorcist, Deomonologist & Master of the Dark Arts

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NBC has released the first teaser trailer for Constantine, a new weekly series based on the DC/Vertigo comic of the same name.

Check out the trailer below and we’ll catch up right after.

I’ve never read the comic so I only have a little knowledge about the Constantine character [other than what I learned from the teaser].

I liked the trailer enough to check out the tv series… but it didn’t inspire me to want to search out the comics.

Perhaps the series will change that.

 

10 All Time Most Baffling Unsolved Mysteries

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Distractify recently posted 10 of the Most Baffling Unsolved Mysteries of All Time.  Here’s are the four that I would love to see solved …

The Disappearance of Amy Lynn Bradley:  Amy (in the red striped shirt) disappeared on March 24, 1998 at the age of 23 from Royal Caribbean International cruise ship Rhapsody of the Seas. She was last seen with a member of the ship’s band, Blue Orchid, known by the alias “Yellow…”

Craig: No family should face the uncertainty of a missing child.  You would think this would be the most solvable of the mysteries listed.

The Roanoke Colony: One of the first settlements in America completely vanished. All evidence of 150 colonists vanished at some point during the Anglo-Spanish war while their mayor was detoured in England retrieving supplies To this day there has been no conclusive evidence as to what happened to the colonists…

Craig: I remember hearing about this colony in elementary school and wondering what happened.  I still wonder.

The Dyatlov Pass Incident: They set out to go on a ski hike, but days later the mysteriously orange-tanned, half-naked bodies of 9 hikers were found near their demolished tent and a note that read: “From now on we know there are snowmen.” Many of the poor souls also had crushing wounds, and it’s been reported that the bodies were slightly radioactive. And, strangely, one woman was missing her tongue…

Craig: The note “From now on we know there are snowmen” is creepy enough, add in the “crushing wounds” and slightly radioactive corpses and we have a real mystery.  I want to know what happened!

The WOW Signal: On August 15, 1977 Jerry R. Ehman on August 15, 1977 quite possibly detected a sign of intelligent life in the universe. The signal came from deep space almost 120 light years away. It lasted for the full 72-second window that Big Ear was able to observe it, but has never been detected again. Scientists say that if the signal came from extraterrestrials, they are likely to be an very advanced civilization because their transmitter would have to be much stronger than any we currently have on earth.

Craig: Discovering intelligent life on another planet [I’ve given up looking on this one] would be THE story of the century.  CNN would probably even stop their round-the-clock coverage of the missing flight to cover it.

Adventures in Pulp: 3 Free Webcomics

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Adventures in Pulp is a cool site where you can find three free web comics:

Dick Ruby and the Little Green Men:  DETECTIVE NOIR MEETS INVASION SCI-FI in “Dick Ruby and the Case of the Little Green Men. It’s New York in the 1940s and private investigator Dick Ruby is on the trail of a missing person. A trail that leads to little green men from outer space.

The Four Horsemen: THE KING IS DEAD, LONG LIVE THE KING! A power-hungry Prince kills his father to steal the crown and kingdom. The only thing that can stop him, the Good Witch of the Dead Lands. Hiding in her place of power, she summons four warriors from across time and space.

Hawk and a Handsaw: ENTER A SUPERHERO INSANE ASYLUM in “Hawk and a Handsaw!” You’d have to be a little crazy to put on a brightly colored costume and fight crime, but how exactly would you know who is the real deal and who has simply latched onto the delusion of being a super powered being?

Brett Harris [writer] and Matthew Childers [artist] are the creative team behind all three strips.  I’ve read [and enjoyed] the first chapter of Dick Ruby and the Little Green Men.  I look forward to future chapters and their other creations.  If you like comics, give ’em a look.

The Crow Pestilence # 1 / Z-View

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The Crow: Pestilence #1 is published by IDW.

Writer: Frank Bill

Artist: Drew Moss

Colorist: Oliver Lee Arce

Cover Shown: James O’Barr

Juarez, Mexico. A young boxer, Salvador, refuses to take a fall, but has no problem taking a vicious drug gang’s pay-off. When they take their lethal revenge on the Salvador and his family, he returns as THE CROW, in search of vengeance…and forgiveness.

 

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The Good

  • J. O’Barr‘s cover.
  • This is Frank [Donneybrook] Bill‘s first job as a comic book writer!
  • I’m a Drew Moss fan and am happy to see his art on this series.
  • This incarnation of The Crow has an iconic back story and cool look.

The Bad:

  • Some people will be put off by the violence and profanity.
  • The story jumps between the present and the past and sometimes it wasn’t quickly clear where we were in the timeline.
  • Because of the [many] Crow incarnations some may find the story too formulaic.  I have faith that Bill Frank is going to put a unique spin on things as we progress through the tale.
  • Naming all the bad guys with “dog names” – Raw Dog, Flash Dog, Mange Hound and War Hound.

The Ugly:

  • What happens to Salvador when he crosses the guys who paid him to take a dive.
  • What happens to the guys who paid Salvador to take a dive when he comes back as the Crow.

The Crow: Pestilence #1  is a comic for mature audiences due to violence and language.  

Rating: 3 out of 5

“Insidious: Chapter 2” / Z-View

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The Pitch: ”Hey, lnsidious was a hit, let’s make another!”

“Let’s do it!”

The Tagline:  “It will take what you love the most!”

The Overview:   *** Beware –  spoilers are found below ***

Renai, Josh Lambert and their three young children survived the first film although it left Elsie Rainer dead.  While the police investigate her mysterious murder, the family moves into Josh’s childhood home with Grandma.

It isn’t long before Josh is acting weird and the strange sounds and happenings begin again.

The Good

  • Leigh Whannell [screenwriter], James Wan [director] along with original cast members Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, and Barbara Hershey pick up right where they left off in the original.
  • If you liked Insidious, you’ll enjoy Insidious 2.
  • There are enough scares and creepy moments to satisfy fans.
  • When figures that shouldn’t be there are silently seen in the background.
  • The ending!

The Bad:

  • The use of humor feels more slapstick in this one.
  • The Black Bride Killer is creepy.
  • The Black Bride Killer’s mom is even scarier!

The Ugly:

  • Did I mention The Black Bride Killer?

Rating: 3 out of 5

Z-View: “Insidious”

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The Pitch: ”Hey, let’s make a really scary haunted house, possessed kid movie without the gore!

“Let’s do it!”

The Tagline:  “It’s not the house that’s haunted!”

The Overview:   *** Beware –  spoilers are found below ***

Renai and Josh Lambert recently moved into a new home with their three young children. Strange noises and happenings begin to occur and their son, Dalton falls into a coma. Doctors at the hospital can find no reason for the coma. Months later Dalton (still in a coma) is moved back home.  When the supernatural events begin to intensify Renai and Josh move the family to a new house.

Almost immediately the strange happenings begin in the new home.  A psychic team is called in and it becomes clear that the house isn’t haunted… Dalton is!

The Good

  • Leigh [Saw] Whannell has created a story that puts a twist on the classic haunted house tale.  There are plenty of creepy moments and a few great scares!
  • Director James [Saw] Wan knows how to scare an audience!
  • Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, and Barbara Hershey do an excellent job as a normal family trying to figure out what is going on.
  • The fact that the family doesn’t wait too long before moving from what they perceive to be a haunted house.
  • There is just the right touch of comedy when the two paranormal researchers show up in the second half of the movie.
  • The ending!

The Bad:

  • How you’d feel moving away from a haunted house only to have the supernatural events continue to intensify in your new home.
  • The second half of the movie isn’t as scary, but is still a lot of fun!

The Ugly:

  • Traveling to the other side.
  • How you sound when you scream out loud at some of the scary parts.

Rating: 4 out of 5

10 Serial Killers That are Still on the Run

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Listverse posted a piece called 10 More Evil Serial Killers That are Still on the Run.

I thought the Vending Machine Killer was creepy…

At least 10 people were killed by the strange series of murders… The killer poisoned dozens of bottles of juice and soda and hid them in vending machines… dispensing chute(s). When someone bought a drink they would end up with two bottles and accept the unexpected drink as a stroke of luck. After a few mouthfuls, nausea would set in. After a day or two, breathing would stop. On top of the 10 dead, at least 35 people were poisoned but survived. Media coverage of the crimes was accused of inspiring copycats, one of whom left poisoned milk in schools…

Then I read about the Daytona Beach Killer.  An uncaught serial killer in my hometown trumps an uncaught serial killer anywhere else.

Jonathan Maberry and his Action/Horror Novels

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If you’re not a fan of Jonathan Maberry, it just means you haven’t read any of his action/horror novels.

The Big Thrill has a nice interview with Jonathan Maberry.  My guess is if you’re already a Maberry fan, you’ll really enjoy it.  If you’re not a fan, there’s a good chance that once you read the interview, you will be.