Recently I went to a comic book store I’d never been into before, and the horror section was littered with lots of independent efforts I wasn’t even aware existed. “Littered” is appropriate, because they were pretty awful in execution — I’d pick one up, thumb through it, be appalled at its lack of quality, and put it right back.
THE ASYLUM OF HORRORS #1 is not one of them. In fact, it’s one of the better ones in terms of four-color fright, regardless of publisher. Asylum Press makes quite a splash right out of the gate with this new title, making it a 96-page trade paperback for the low price of $4.95.
This one’s an anthology, and the wraparound story has a Dr. Frankenstein-esque madman injecting an unwilling subject with a “meth-based cocktail,” prompting hallucinations. Those hallucinations are the stories that play out on the following pages, scripted and illustrated by various writers and artists, most of whom are wildly talented.
Aaron Rintoul’s “Black Milk” is a photorealistic piece that recalls the work of Dave McKean. It involves octopus tentacles, but its meaning is lost on me; it’s more visually captivating than lucid. It’s probably intended more as mood … or perhaps I was distracted by several misspellings: “to” instead of “too,” “your” instead of “you’re.” (Rintoul also offers the creepy “The Dollhouse” later in the volume.)
Szymon Kudranski’s “My Diary: Love or Obsession” is a chilling narrative about a man so infatuated with his girlfriend that he wishes to “crush” her with his love. He can’t stand anyone so much as looking her, so you know her OB/GYN appointment can’t go well at all.
With a buxom babe investigating an evil house that leads to another dimension, Billy George’s black-and-white “Ruined Earth” reminded me of the work Richard Corbin used to do for Warren Publishing, while Marcin Ponomarew ventures into the wilds of the Amazon — and there be demons — in “Baazumatuu.”
Speaking of demons, a woman gives herself completely to one — sexually speaking — in Kevin Colden’s “Caveat Emptor …,” something she may regret. Some would be horrified by its twist end, but they’re probably not the type of people who’d be reading ASYLUM OF HORRORS, anyway. And another devil is summoned in Riste Sekuloski’s “The Parts,” which plays in the style of old horror comics, but is marred by rather ugly lettering.
Several one-pagers are scattered throughout, most with a humorous bent, which helps with pacing and levity. Visiting the ASYLUM is fun, with all the inmates in charge, and few missteps made. I look forward to the second issue, even though I already wish its page count weren’t smaller than this debut. —Rod Lott
Buy it at Amazon or Asylum Press.
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- Horrors Beyond 2: Stories of Strange Creations
- Gene Simmons House of Horrors
- The Museum of Horrors
- Hook House and Other Horrors
- Warlash: Dark Noir #1 / #2
