The return of the horror comic - The Nail issue one
The 1950's saw blood and gore run freely in comic book stores. OK, while actually murders involving chain saws and screaming virgins in the 50's equivalent of Forbidden Planet were rare, the pulpy pages on the shelves had found new depths of debauchery and terror. Riding this wave of the macabre Entertainment (or EC) comics hit the headlines with its range of notorious series including ‘Tales from the Crypt’ and ‘Vault of Horror’
Ironically for a comic company which began by publishing illustrated bible stories, EC now thrived on kids who loved to be scared witless while reading ghoulish stories under the bed covers.
However, a hidden threat hovered ominously on the horizon. Appalled by the blood-thirsty nature of these penny dreadfuls, psychiatrist, Dr. Frederic Wertham, published ‘Seduction Of The Innocent’, accusing comic books of corrupting youth and provoking juvenile delinquency. The furore it generated had the government lunging for the jugular. The head of EC, William Gaines volunteered to testify to a US Senate subcommittee but found himself facing one of his more recent covers, displaying a lurid depiction of an axe-wielding maniac offering a woman’s severed head. The hearing didn’t go well, and led to the 1955 creation of the Comics Code. With EC seen as too visceral for the Code, Tales From The Crypt et all were dropped by distributors. The time of the horror comic had crumbled in the cold, harsh light of day.
Over the following decades horror comics came and went, but, as with Marvel’s ‘Tomb of Dracula’, were a watered down and safe form of terror. The vampire had lost its teeth. That is until 2002.
Out of nowhere a new horror book arrived on the shelf from IDW Publishing, scribed by horror writer Steve Niles. ‘30 Days of Night’ told of a remote Alaska town which, due to its icy, geographical location is plunged into total darkness for a month each year. And when the sun went down, the undead arrived for an all you can eat buffet. Two years later and IDW is releasing the second sequel to the original saga and a Hollywood film is in pre-production.
Meanwhile, the horror comic, full of guts and gore is back with a vengeance. Dark Horse had totally revitalised its horror line, with the help of Niles once again, IDW is one of the most successful independent comic publishers in the states.
This month sees Niles’ latest project published by Dark Horse, a team-up with rock-star, horror director and writer, Rob Zombie. When ‘The Nail’ was first announced there were some critics who displayed concern. While his work is often vicious in content, Niles is known clever dialogue and subtle plot twists, while Zombie’s own material is often ram-packed with extreme violence and many bouncing female bazookas. These critics were, in my opinion, completely and utterly wrong. Yes, I have to admit that The Nail isn’t for the squeamish or the prudes of this world, but the first issue is funny and extremely well written, performing the miracle of making a loutish and OTT pro-wrestler a sympathetic character while also scaring the willies out of you. In common parlance – IT ROCKS!
But be warned, the last panel in this battle of wrestler versus demon-bikers from hell is sure to cause you a few sleepless night.
Which is exactly what a horror comic should do. Lets raise a glass of Type AB positive to Mr Niles. Thank you for bringing back the chills.
Ironically for a comic company which began by publishing illustrated bible stories, EC now thrived on kids who loved to be scared witless while reading ghoulish stories under the bed covers.
However, a hidden threat hovered ominously on the horizon. Appalled by the blood-thirsty nature of these penny dreadfuls, psychiatrist, Dr. Frederic Wertham, published ‘Seduction Of The Innocent’, accusing comic books of corrupting youth and provoking juvenile delinquency. The furore it generated had the government lunging for the jugular. The head of EC, William Gaines volunteered to testify to a US Senate subcommittee but found himself facing one of his more recent covers, displaying a lurid depiction of an axe-wielding maniac offering a woman’s severed head. The hearing didn’t go well, and led to the 1955 creation of the Comics Code. With EC seen as too visceral for the Code, Tales From The Crypt et all were dropped by distributors. The time of the horror comic had crumbled in the cold, harsh light of day.
Over the following decades horror comics came and went, but, as with Marvel’s ‘Tomb of Dracula’, were a watered down and safe form of terror. The vampire had lost its teeth. That is until 2002.
Out of nowhere a new horror book arrived on the shelf from IDW Publishing, scribed by horror writer Steve Niles. ‘30 Days of Night’ told of a remote Alaska town which, due to its icy, geographical location is plunged into total darkness for a month each year. And when the sun went down, the undead arrived for an all you can eat buffet. Two years later and IDW is releasing the second sequel to the original saga and a Hollywood film is in pre-production.
Meanwhile, the horror comic, full of guts and gore is back with a vengeance. Dark Horse had totally revitalised its horror line, with the help of Niles once again, IDW is one of the most successful independent comic publishers in the states.
This month sees Niles’ latest project published by Dark Horse, a team-up with rock-star, horror director and writer, Rob Zombie. When ‘The Nail’ was first announced there were some critics who displayed concern. While his work is often vicious in content, Niles is known clever dialogue and subtle plot twists, while Zombie’s own material is often ram-packed with extreme violence and many bouncing female bazookas. These critics were, in my opinion, completely and utterly wrong. Yes, I have to admit that The Nail isn’t for the squeamish or the prudes of this world, but the first issue is funny and extremely well written, performing the miracle of making a loutish and OTT pro-wrestler a sympathetic character while also scaring the willies out of you. In common parlance – IT ROCKS!
But be warned, the last panel in this battle of wrestler versus demon-bikers from hell is sure to cause you a few sleepless night.
Which is exactly what a horror comic should do. Lets raise a glass of Type AB positive to Mr Niles. Thank you for bringing back the chills.
posted by Cavan Scott at
1:10 pm
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