Now this is a week that has some serious gusto. The man, the myth, the legend Robert Kirkman is debuting his new horror series, Outcast, with art by the always magnificent Paul Azaceta and they are treading into possession territory with zeal. We also get a highly entertaining issue of Chew, the introductory issues of Clive Barker’s Nightbreed, and a solid entry of Revival.
Written by Robert Kirkman
Art by Paul Azaceta
Published by Image Comics
This title has been long anticipated and you can bet that has a lot to do with the name on the cover page. Kirkman is a non-stop dynamo with heavy hitter titles like The Walking Dead and Invincible under his belt, not just writing but creating the popular series. When it was announced he would be tackling a new horror title, anticipation was high. And damn was the wait worth it. Outcast is a comic that is introducing you into a whole new world head-first, it’s not going to tip toe you through the origins of the main character and general plot, it just plunges in and hits the ground running. And you keep up because it’s damn good. Like always, Kirkman does an excellent job at building real characters with realistic personalities and forty-four pages we have a demonic plot and a cast of characters we already know and sympathize for. It’s like reading a fantastic horror movie, where we get the bright sunny day exposition and then on a dime we get the gritty, terrifying plot threads. Azaceta is a perfect fit for the title, creating smoky, grainy characters that fit into the world that’s being created. Outcast is a pull list must.
Written by John Layman
Art by Rob Guillory
Published by Image Comics
If you haven’t read Chew before, this is not a jumping on point in the series. It is knee-deep in the weird food-obsessed world that Guillory has created. But if you have, this one hell of a fun romp. Chu meets up with some characters that are whacky even for Chewniverse standards (yeah I made that word up) while his partner is caught up in the most offbeat wedding I’ve ever read. It’s a really wild issue that has a lot of fun, like most do, and introduces a whole new locale for the crew but still furthers the overarching plot. It’s a one-shot within an existing plot thread but nowhere near open enough to invite in new readers although highly entertaining for up-to-date fans.
Written by Tim Seeley
Art by Mike Norton
It’s really impressive what Seeley and Norton have done with Revival. They have this story that interweaves with it’s interconnected characters and now they have moved it outside of its safe zone and into the busy streets of New York. The story is just always so interesting, introducing us to new and weirder things, such as a giant octopus and a man burned alive in a constant state of regeneration. But the whole time, a feeling of dread is always lurking around the corner. Characters that once relied so heavily upon each other for plot movement are now carrying their own stories and more strange and crazy events are unfolding on top of that. If you haven’t read Revival, go out and buy it. This story is addicting.
Written by Marc Andreyko
Art by Piotr Kowalski
Published by Boom! Studios
If you haven’t seen Nightbreed, you should. It’s an underappreciated Clive Barker gem that tells the story of Aaron Boone who finds refuge in a funeral dubbed “Midian” with a tribe of outcasts and monsters. The comic seemingly sets itself up as a prequel to the movie, exploring the lives of two different Nightbreeds in the early 1900s and their introduction to Midian. It’s a quick and fun read, with lots of gore and intrigue, and the end of issue two sets up for a change in pace of the already enjoyable series. It’s a total grindhouse fun fest, with tons of blood, sex, and backwoods country folk. While the art sometimes seems rushed, and the writing at times a bit too breezy, it’s worth a read if you love Barker or the movie.
