This excellent comics horror anthology continues to delivery wonderfully diverse and engaging horror stories, these are some of the stories to be found behind the enticing cover by Gabe Ostley.
The Revenge of John Jones. Victor Cardogi (Writer), Adam Markicwicz (Art), Marc Lewis (Colours), Brant W. Fowler (Letters), is a clever revenge story that is darkly, sharply humorous. Adam Markicwicz’s catchts the transitions in the story with deft skill and detail, Marc Lewis’ colours amplify the shifting moods with subtle strength. Brant W. Fowlers lettering is a joy, it takes the rhyming scheme of the words and makes them dance with graceful precision.
The Bra of Doom, Gabe Ostley (Writer, Pencils), Walter Ostlie (Inks, Colours) is as light as a feather, delivered with such care and skill that it work a treat. The ferocious art give the set up a tremendous force which the pay really needs. Gabe Ostley proves that there are no rules for talent, a fragment that should fall flat, soars instead. The washed out colours Walter Ostlie sell the idea completely to the reader.
I Dig Your Grave. Eric Palicki (Writer), J. Christopher Greulich (Art), Kyle Parker (Colours), a man in a graveyard digs up a grave and meets a ghost with happily unexpected results. A clever story that has a smart idea and a new look at a very old idea. J. Christopher Greulich’s art is strongly expressive, the members of the cast are full of personality. The tension is nicely created with very strong use of panels to control the pace and impact of the story. Kyle Parker’s quietly glowing colours make the night time setting a strong backdrop and bring out the details of the art.
Rebellious Shadow. Alessio Caruso (Writer), Lucilla Grimoldi (Art), Chris Allen (Letters), is a gem, a tense, dense story of closed in fear and terror as a man in an apartment is hunted by his shadow. The story pacing is perfect and the disintegration of the lead character is gripping and horrifying. Lucilla Grimoldi’s grey, black and white art is a visual feat and delight, it wrings every nuance out of the story and amplifies the atmosphere to the maximum Chris Allen’s letters quietly capture the internal struggle and make it clear.
The Replacements. JoJo King (Writer) Rahil Mohsin (Art), Nikki Sherman (Letters) takes paranoia and dials it up to 11 as a man fears that his wife and son have been replaced and he has had to kill them. Rahil Mohsin’s three colour , black, white and red, audacious art gives the strong writing a sledgehammer impact. Highly stylised and full of controlled energy it simply amazing. Nikki Sherman has made a difficult task look easy, there is a lot of text that never feels intrusive or slows down the story.
The Other Side of Me. Bryan Hoover (Writer), David Faught (Art), Kim Roberts (Colours), Nikki Sherman (Letters), quietly unfurls in increasing horror and finds a clever way to bring it to a biting finish. A woman in a suburban house at Halloween finds herself engaged in a horrifying treasure hunt that is leading somewhere unexpected. David Faught’s art balances the context with the action perfectly so that the increasing pressure of the story is always carefully contained and delivered. Kim Roberts colours are suitably suburban and domestic, they create the sharp context for the very nasty action. Nikki Sherman’s letters are natural and easy, the sound effects ares just the soundtrack the story deserves.
Chronicles of Terror’s diversity and imaginative story selection make this anthology a celebration of comics and a source of delicious shivers.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly sent by Kim Roberts, to purchase a copy of Chronicles of Terror 6 which you should do to revel in astounding talent and superb comics, it is available from http://www.wpcomicsltd.com/
