Ghastly Awards - November 2012 Update

Horror comics are becoming more and more frequent in our reading culture, and the Ghastly Awards are here to recognize, through peer nominations, those that shine the brightest. As a matter of fact so far this year, this entire list of titles (and some self published books) have already come out. We encourage all Comic Creators to take the time to head over to www.ghastlyawards.com and nominate those who you think are the best so far in your eyes.
    

Creators please remember that you can nominate up to 5 times throughout the year, so make your voice heard! For the month of November 2012 the judges are recommending you take a look at:

The Witch Doctor: Malpractice #1 (Image) - Writer Brandon Seifert and artist Lukas Ketner are bringing back Dr. Vincent Morrow and he is better than ever! Malpractice issue #1 finds the good Doctor doing what he does best.....the extraction of demons because when your a physician of the occult everyday can be a challenge. But, when Dr. Morrow decides to hit up his local pub after a hard day of exercising the paranormal he will soon find out that even this trip could have dire consequences. Brandon's writing is a great mixture of suspense and humor with Ketner's art drawing you into every supernatural adventure with baited breath. All the characters from Dr. Morrow, his assistants Penny Dreadful and Eric to his patient encounters help elevate the story and provide the twists and turns that horror readers love to see and read. This is the kind of series that you will want your local comic store to fill! - Spaced (http://www.facebook.com/NerdGirlsEyeView) 

Hide #1 (Indie): Some are calling it a twist on zombies, but the first time I took a peek I got more of a Children of the Corn, Payback Edition kinda vibe.  Adults of the Corn?  Anyway, when adults start picking off kids with seemingly no rhyme or reason, it's the deadliest game of Hide & Seek ever.  With adults getting homicidal every time they see a kid, this looks like the end of the human race, no?  And I can't help but wonder what will happen as these teenage heroes turn 18....  A worthwhile use of Kickstarter, and a promising new story from Vernon Smith. (Currently only available through Smith's website: http://www.elmacfearsome.com/products.htm) - Denise Dutton (atomicfangirl.com)

Colder #1 (Dark Horse): I'm so fired up (and bordering on horrified) for this new 5-part series written by Paul Tobin. Honestly, as far as plot goes, issue #1 gives us little to go on but it's one of the best set ups for a comic book series I've seen in months. It starts off explosively (literally and metaphorically) and ends on a brutal cliffhanger. There are three subjects of interest: 1.) a nurse (possibly our heroine) who cares for a inexplicable, medical anomaly, 2.) Declan Thomas, said medical anomaly and possibly our protagonist or depending on how things go... our antihero, and 3.) the most sinister, hair-raising character I've met in years, Nimble Jack. Jack walks around unseen for the most part, scaling buildings, perching on ceilings, and grappling every surface, swiftly contorting and slithering around like that chick from The Grudge. He speaks utter nonsense; his most frequently used string of words "Everything is so hungry." I don't know about you, but nonsensical prose gives me the chills. Speaking of chills, because of a run in with Jack back in the 40's, Declan's body temperature drops every day. When it hits zero, he's done for. Tobin has done a magnificent job of setting up a mysterious plot and a good ol' hero/nemesis relationship. Salivating for issue #2. – Bree Ogden (agentbree.wordpress.com)

Criminal Macabre: They Fight By Night (Dark Horse):  Niles and Mitten deliver a violent, hardboiled Cal McD tale mixing timely politics and timeless monsters. Issue collects installments 1 to 4 originally serialized in Dark Horse Presents #10 - #13 published in 2012. – Steve Banes (http://thehorrorsofitall.blogspot.com/)

Lot 13 #1 (DC): First of all, Lot 13 is written by Steve Niles and anything this man writes is worth picking up. Second, it features art from Glenn Fabry and he's turning out some of the best work of his career. Third, I'm a sucker for ghost stories. Color me intrigued boys and girls, this is a spooky one. – Lonnie Nadler (www.Bloody-Disgusting.com)

Dark Shadows #10 (Dynamite): Barnabas Collins adapts to no longer being a vampire thanks to an enchanted necklace while young David Collins is unaware that his missing girlfriend has been turned into one. Meanwhile, ghastly - and for now unseen - things are happening in the basement of the Blue Whale bar. Writer Mike Raicht kicks off a new arc with confidence, handling numerous story threads with the right amount of mystery, suspense and thrills that are never overwhelming for the reader. This series started off a bit shaky but over the last few months has become not only a great Dark Shadows comic, but a damn good horror book period. – Pedro Cabezuelo (http://www.rue-morgue.com/)

Edgar Allen Poe's The Conqueror Worm #1 (Dark Horse): What do you get when one of the best horror artists of all time adapts Poe? You get a book that you MUST OWN! Corben liberally adapts Poe's poem (it's got way more in common with the poem than AIP's film does!) and gives you 21 solid pages of his inimitable artwork. Every page is a delight, even the sickeningly gory ones! Also included are 3 pages of sketches with notes, showing the genesis of the project. Poe's poem is also included so you can read it, enjoy it and see where Corben's imagination took it into new, graphic directions. Keep the Poe coming, Dark Horse! It's a winner!- Mike Howlett (http://eeriepublications.blogspot.com/)

Locke & Key Omega #1 (IDW): NOOO!!!!!! The end is finally here and I don't want it to happen. Rodriguez and Hill bring everything to the table with this issues, as it pulls at your heart strings and turns to head down the road to the end. Dodge is making his final moves to the finish line, so how can the Locke Kids even think about stopping him? I can not get enough of this series, I wish it came out daily. - Decapitated Dan (www.decapitateddan.com)

So we ask all comic book creators, what are you enjoying? Make sure to go over to www.ghastlyawards.com to nominate your favorites for 2012! Curious as to what has come out so far this year? We keep a list of all the amazing horror comics and you can find it here: List of 2012 Horror Comics