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Graphic Novel Review: Mississippi Zombie by Bradley Golden, Alex Barranco, Joe Wight, Marcus H. Roberts, et al.

Mississippi Zombie: A Horror Anthology by Bradley Golden, Alex Barranco, Joe Wight, Marcus H. Roberts, et al.

Caliber Comics, 2020

ISBN-13: 9781643377131

Available: Paperback, Kindle, comiXology

 

Caliber Comics brings us Mississippi Zombie: A Horror Anthology, a series of walking dead tales set in rural Mississippi. In “Mississippi Crossing Part 1”, Private John Hilliard of the 1st Battalion, 155th Infantry tells the story of his fight against the incoming zombie horde from the north. “Mississippi Crossing Part 2” presents two rednecks in a bar arguing over whether the zombie threat on the news is real, part of a government conspiracy, or if the town psychic was right, and it’s the beginning of the Apocalypse. The conspiracy theorist gets fed up and leaves the bar in a huff, only to discover the truth for himself. “Mississippi Crossing Part 3”, begins on a football field, where zombies break into the arena to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting public. One player fights his way free, only to board the wrong school bus. In “Grave Times”, Theodore and Angela Brown are newlyweds when the unthinkable happens. Angela succumbs to a mysterious illness and turns. Her devoted husband keeps her chained and locked in their basement. He delivers a freshly robbed corpse to her, but it isn’t warm enough for her refined palate. “Zombie Attack on Horn Island”, told around a campfire, includes hapless settlers, a vengeful witch, and bloodthirsty zombies. In “It’s All About Commerce”, four friends are trying to get to Commerce, Mississippi for safety to find something potentially much worse than the living dead. “Planet Z” gives us a science fiction take on the zombie story. It’s Christmastime in an industrial colony in Jackson, Mississippi. Unfortunately, the zombies didn’t get the memo about peace on Earth and good will to men.

I thoroughly enjoyed the stories in this anthology. They are short, sweet, and full of zombies. I want to focus on the artwork for a bit. Phil Williams provides chaotic, intense art for the “Mississippi Crossing” segments, especially when the zombies attack. It’s very well executed. The art for “Grave Times” by Antonio Acevedo is highly detailed and has some great shadowy effects. Shaun Barbour’s art in “Zombie Attack on Horn Island” and Harrison Wood’s art in “It’s All About Commerce both feel close to what you would see in Eerie or Creepy. Rod Espinosa has a slick art style that is great for a sci-fi horror comic. It would be great to see him do art for a Warhammer 40K comic.

I would recommend this for anyone who wants to support independent, well-done horror comics. I think it is important for libraries to find ways to hold these in their collections as well. Highly recommended.

Contains: blood, gore, zombies

 

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on March 28, 2020 by , Reply

Excerpt: “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe, from Poems to See By illustrated by Julian Peters

I am so delighted to be able to share this with you, not ust because it ties in so well to National Poetry Month, which is right around the corner, but because I do love Edgar Allan Poe, not just for his short stories but for his poetry, which sends chills down my spine. My daughter points out that this is more the product of an obsessive and frankly disturbed mind than a romantic heart, and she’s 100% right, but I still love “Annabel Lee” and its doomed, fairytale quality.

Thus when this excerpt from the soon-to-be published Poems to See By: A Comic Artist Interprets Great Poetry by Julian Peters was sent my way,  I felt I had to share it. There are just too many people (and too many middle-schoolers and teens, for sure) who are ready to write off poetry entirely, and this is a wonderful way to draw them in. The book is a collection of 24 classic poems, not all (or even most) of them dark, but I was given permission to share with you all the pages illustrating “Annabel Lee”.

 

Annabel Lee page1

Annabel Lee page 3

Annabel Lee page3

Annabel Lee page4

Annabel Lee page5

Annabel Lee page6

Posted on March 26, 2020 by , Reply

Graphic Novel Review: Neil Gaiman’s Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Colleen Doran

Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Colleen Doran

Dark Horse, 2019

ISBN-13: 9781506709796

Available: Hardcover, Kindle edition, comiXology

 

Adapted from Gaiman’s short story in the collection titled Smoke and Mirrors, Snow, Glass, Apples is a dark fairy tale version of Snow White. The Queen, terrified of her monstrous stepdaughter, has her heart set on saving her kingdom from a creature hell bent on devouring everyone in her path. This is not the Snow White tale we are familiar with. While the young girl appears innocent and sweet, she harbors a thirst for blood, and no one is safe from her appetite. Even her father, the King, is not safe from his own flesh and blood.

The most interesting part of Gaiman’s story is his take on who and what the Queen is and how she can scry. She is an enigma herself, but she is certainly not the evil queen we are familiar with in various media. She’s complicated, to put it mildly. As mentioned above, Snow is not the softhearted young lady depicted in stories and film. She is cold, calculating, devious. She’s also a seductress as see when the Queen asks her mirror about what is attacking the Forest Folk.

The artwork in this book is beautiful. It’s easy to get lost in the highly detailed panels. Doran’s work is reminiscent of Harry Clarke’s artwork. In fact, there is a nod to one of the artist’s famous pieces in the 1923 edition of Poe’s Tales of Mystery and Imagination. She writes about his influence in her artwork in the sketchbook included in this volume.

This is a fairy tale not meant for children. Adult themes are found throughout the story. It is heavy on sexual content, and there is implied incest between Snow and the King, her father. While it is an uncomfortable subject, it helps illustrate how hedonistic and animalistic this version of Snow White is. I would recommend this to readers who like alternative versions of fairy tales, with the understanding that, despite the bright colours Doran uses in her artwork, the content is far darker than expected. Recommended

Contains: blood, gore, implied incest, nudity, sexual content

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

 

Editor’s note:  Neil Gaiman’s Snow, Glass, Apples was nominated to the final ballot of the 2019 Bram Stoker Award in the category of Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel.

Posted on March 23, 2020 by , Reply
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