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The 2014 Ghastly Award Nominees

The Ghastly Award Judges are proud to announce the 2014 Ghastly Award Nominees. The Nominees, chosen by the Ghastly Award Judges, reflect the wide range of Horror material being published in print and web comic form today. All Nominees were selected from work that was submitted by Comic Publishers and Creators throughout the year for Ghastly Award consideration.

Named after acclaimed comics creator “Ghastly” Graham Ingels, the awards are now in their 4th year.

Fan and Creator Voting will be open from February 9, 2015 until February 22, 2015 at www.ghastlyawards.com. You may only vote once for the 2014 Nominees, and Fans will decide the winner of the Best Horror Comic Cover Award. Winners will be announced on March 1, 2015.

We thank everyone who took the time to submit their work for this year's awards.

The 2014 Nominees are:

Best Ongoing Title:
Afterlife with Archie (Archie Comics)
Crossed: Badlands (Avatar Press)
Nailbiter (Image Comics)
Outcast (Image Comics)
Rachel Rising (Abstract Studios)

Best Limited Series:
‘68: Homefront (Image Comics)
Caliban (Avatar Press)
Deadworld: Restoration (IDW Publishing)
The Strain: The Fall (Dark Horse Comics)
Wraith: Welcome to Christmasland (IDW Publishing)

Best One-Shot:

Crossed: Special 2014 (Avatar Press)
Dismal Incantation (Herman Inclusus)
Edgar Allan Poe’s Morella and the Murders in the Rue Morgue (Dark Horse Comics)
Edgar Allan Poe’s The Premature Burial (Dark Horse Comics)
Killogy: Halloween Special (IDW Publishing)

Best Anthology:

Bloke’s Terrible Tomb Of Terror #10 (Indy)
God Is Dead: The Book of Acts - Alpha (Avatar Press)
Hellraiser: Bestiary (BOOM! Studios)
In the Dark (Tiny Behemoth Press / IDW Publishing)
Monstrosity Vol. 2 (Alterna Comics)

Best Short Story in an Anthology:
Beneath the Surface (Blokes Terrible Tomb of Terror #10)
Grandeur and Monstrosity (God Is Dead: The Book of Acts Alpha)
Not All There (In The Dark)
Red World (Grimm Tales of Terror #4)
Trial by Cauldron (Canaan Cult Revival)

Best OGN:
Carbon (Caliber Comics)
Monsters & Other Stories (Dark Horse Comics)
The Absence (Titan Comics)
The Curse Of Ragdoll (Mike Wolfer Entertainment)
The Shadows of Salamanca (Humanoids Inc.)

Best Archival Collection:
Collection of previously released material / Historical Book on Horror Comics
28 Days Later Omnibus (BOOM! Studios)
EC Archives:The Vault of Horror Volume 3 (Dark Horse Comics)
Serenity Rose: 10 Awkward Years (SLG Publishing)
Swampmen: Muck-Monsters and Their Makers (TwoMorrows Publishing)
The Chilling Archives of Horror Comics: The Worst of Eerie Publications (IDW Publishing/Yoe Books)

Best Writer:

Alex de Campi (Grindhouse: Doors Open at Midnight)
Joe Hill (Wraith: Welcome to Christmasland)
Joshua Williamson (Nailbiter, Ghosted)
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Afterlife with Archie, Sabrina)
Terry Moore (Rachel Rising)

Best Artist:
Ben Templesmith (Squidder)
Francesco Francavilla (Afterlife with Archie)
Herman Inclusus (Dismal Incantation)
Leonardo Manco (John Carpenter's Asylum)
Menton3 (Memory Collectors, Nosferatu Wars)

Best Inker:
Christian DiBari (Cutter)
John Bivens (Dark Engine)
Martin Stiff (The Absence)
Mike Wolfer/Dan Parsons (The Curse of Ragdoll)
Terry Moore (Rachel Rising)

Best Letterer:
Herman Inclusus (Dismal Incantation)
Jack Morelli (Afterlife With Archie)
Rachel Deering (In the Dark, Creepy, Sabrina)
Terry Moore (Rachel Rising)
Tyler & Ma’at Crook (Bad Blood)

Best Colorist:
Elizabeth Breitweiser (Outcast)
Francesco Francavilla (Afterlife with Archie)
Jay Fotos ('68 Rule of War, '68 Homefront, Wraith: Welcome to Christmasland)
Kelly Fitzpatrick (Dark Engine)
Tyler Crook (Bad Blood)

Best Web Comic:
Disenchanted (http://www.disenchantedcomic.com/)
Graveyard Gang (http://www.thegraveyardgang.com)
Karma Springs (http://karmasprings.tumblr.com/)
Split Lip (http://splitlipcomic.com/)
Wart (http://www.wartcomic.com/)

Best Horror Comic Cover:
Fan voting will determine the Winner
'68 Rule of War #1 (Nat Jones)
'68 Rule of War #3 Cover B (Tim Vigil & Jay Fotos)
Afterlife with Archie #6 (Francesco Francavilla)
Caliban #1 Terror (Facundo Percio, Sebastian Cabrol & Hernan Cabrera)
Hellraiser: Bestiary #04 Cover B (Daniele Serra)
Memory Collectors #3 Sub. Variant (David Stoupakis)
Nosferatu Wars (Menton3)

Hall of Fame Inductees:
Al Hewetson
Jack Davis

Normanton Award Honoree:
Presented for their commitment to carrying on the legacy of Horror Comics for generations to come.
Peter Normanton

The Ghastly Awards congratulate all of the Nominees for what they bring to the comic reading community. To be nominated by the Ghastly Award Judges is an honor and the Ghastly Awards are here to celebrate these achievements.

Posted by Decapitated Dan |

Ghastly Awards Update - July/August 2014

Posted by Decapitated Dan |

Ghastly Awards - June 2014 Update

Horror comics are becoming more and more frequent in our reading culture, and the Ghastly Awards are here to recognize those that shine the brightest. We encourage all Comic Creators and Publishers to take the time to head over to www.ghastlyawards.com and submit your work for 2014 Ghastly Award Nomination consideration.

Creators please remember that you can submit your Horror Comic work throughout the entire calendar year! For the month of June 2014 the Judges are recommending you go back and take a look at:

Hack/Slash: Son of Samhain (Umage) - Still dealing with the death of Vlad, Cassie Hack’s life is coming apart more than it ever has before. Leaving Georgia and losing their child to the system Cassie becomes a bounty hunter, but bringing down non-slasher bad guys won’t be as easy as she thought. During a bounty collection Cassie is interrupted by Delroy, a bounty hunter, but of a different kind. Delroy knows Cassie and her past and offers her a chance to return to her old life. But, will Cassie go back to slasher slaying or is the hope of a normal life still a driving force for her? The reins of Hack/Slash have been handed over to Michael Moreci and he has done an excellent job of capturing Cassie in a way that still harnesses her original origins but gives her his own mature spin. This isn’t a reinvention of Cassie, but rather a continuation of her story and it’s told with no loss of any of the humor or the horror of Hack/Slash. Steve Seeley’s art is spot on with the action continuously flowing throughout the comic with the dialogue being smart, catchy and fun. This is a great opening start to a new chapter in Cassie’s life that I know will be filled with some bloody gory fun. - Spaced

LIBRETTO Volume One: Vampirism (IDW / 44Flood) (IDW) - The insanely talented men behind LUST partnered with IDW to produce an intense art book / comic book / and artist biography (via interviews with and conducted by the contributing artists). This massive, 200+ page tome runs on a theme of vampirism, as the press release states, “...vampirism, being the misuse of power, as well as the objectification and exploitation of others.” Each contributor explores this concept with their unique style of art, be it painting, digital art, sculpture, photography, etc. With each interview, we delve into the dark minds of our favorite artists and their motivations for creating the gorgeous pieces of dark art that we’ve all come to love so much. The care and time that went into making this volume is evident and it’s clear that each artist has a deep knowledge of and passion for the theme itself. The commentary within the pages of LIBRETTO is deep and the takeaway is resounding. – Bree Ogden

Morella and the Murders in the Rue Morgue (Dark Horse) - Richard Corben adapts two classic Edgar Allan Poe terror tales with seriously fun and sometimes frightening results in this one-shot from Dark Horse Comics. As with most Corben projects, the art is a visual, unique feast for the eyes, sinister, sexy, gruesome, and 100% like no other Poe version you’ve ever seen before. - Steve Banes

Rise of the Blood Queen #1 (Bloody Gore Comix) - I freaking LOVE Zombie Commandos from Hell books. They have this feel of the late 80s and early 90s, that just bring me back to everything I love about horror. The story by Steph Dumais is fantastic. Like I mentioned, it has this 80s vibe to it, it’s post apocalyptic and retro at the same time. It’s disturbing and troubling, and this is all just a build to explain where the Blood Queen came from. The artwork is GORE-Geous! Dumais split up art duties between himself, Mike Bauman, Adam Geyer, Walter Sablotny, Mark K Allen and Croc Dave. Each artist has their own style, yet it came together so well here. Personally I’ve not hear of Mike Bauman before, but he is on my radar now. This was a great read from start to finish. I do highly suggest that if you pick this one up, you buy yourself all 3 of the covers. Look it up, you’ll see why. - Decapitated Dan

Creators and Publishers please make sure to go over to www.ghastlyawards.com to submit your books for 2014 Nomination consideration! More information on how the submission process works can be found here http://www.ghastlyawards.com/2010/10/submit-your-horror-comic-to-be.html

* Please note that none of the books reviewed are guaranteed to be nominated. These are just books that the Judges enjoyed and want you to know about.

Posted by Decapitated Dan |

Ghastly Awards - May 2014 Update

Horror comics are becoming more and more frequent in our reading culture, and the Ghastly Awards are here to recognize those that shine the brightest. We encourage all Comic Creators to take the time to head over to www.ghastlyawards.com and submit your work for 2014 Ghastly Award Nomination consideration.

Creators please remember that you can submit your Horror Comic work throughout the entire calendar year! For the month of May 2014 the Judges are recommending you take a look at:

Mercy Sparx #1 (Devils Due) - Born in Sheol, a place between Heaven, Hell and Purgatory, Mercy Sparx is a devlin, who was sent to earth to do Heaven’s dirty work by taking out rogue Angels. Issue 5 finds Mercy and her friend Hank stuck in Nephilim, a brothel that caters to all fantasies human and supernatural. But, when Mercy is forced to be part of the brothel staff her mission of rescuing 2 rogue Angels becomes a whole lot harder. I have enjoyed Mercy since I read about her when she teamed up with Cassie Hack in HACK/SLASH. This comic is solid and I have really enjoyed all the previous issues and this one is no exception. The pace is steady and the humor keeps the story interesting and fun. The art is gorgeous and Josh Blaylock has done a great job making Mercy Sparx a hell of a fun ride. - Spaced (http://youknowyourcertifiable.blogspot.com/)

Nailbiter #1 (Image) - I like a comic book that’s going to make me think. And creep me out. Possibly make me a little sick to my stomach. Josh Williamson’s Nailbiter delivers on all fronts. In his new series about serial killers and the place that gives birth to them—an unprecedented town in Oregon called Buckaroo, which has bred sixteen of the nation’s most notorious serial killers—we get a glimpse of Williamson’s infatuation and genuine knowledge of this particular brand of horror. Nailbiter sets out to explore what makes a serial killer, which is a unique take on the genre. It’s clear that this book will be as complex and expository as it is horrific and entertaining. – Bree Ogden (agentbree.wordpress.com)

Afterlife with Archie #5 (Archie Comics) - Afterlife with Archie is one of the best comics on shelves today. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s love for horror shines through every issue, and it is only outmatched by his love for the characters in Riverdale. Issue #5 marks the concluding chapter for the first arc, and there are no punches pulled. While many would have been tempted to hold back on killing off central Archie Comics characters, Aguirre-Sacasa is merciless. However, every death holds emotional weight, for the other characters and for the audience. With every issue, he pulls Archie and the gang out of the frying pan and into the fire. I cannot wait to see where this goes in the next arc. On top of the brilliant pop-culture induced storytelling is Francesco Francavilla’s brilliant art. Clearly inspired by horror master Dario Argento, Francavilla’s coloring adds a whole new dimension to the book that few horror stories have. There’s a good reason this series took home a few Ghastly Awards in 2013. – Lonnie Nadler (www.Bloody-Disgusting.com)

Loving Dead (Humanoids) - Stefano Raffaele’s touching and gory zombie romance story was originally published in France in 2005 as Fragile, then re-released a few times, even in an English translation as Fragile: Love Never Dies. The time is ripe for another release to cash in on America’s Zombie Craze and here it is. I had missed it before so I’m glad I get to read it and admire the extraordinary artwork but the zombie genre, like me, is getting old and worn. Had I read this 9 years ago when it first came out, I would have adored it! It was fresh and groundbreaking! Sadly, so much stuff has ripped off the concept since (the film Warm Bodies comes to mind) that it weakens my love of the book (and indeed all zombie-culture) now.

But don’t listen to an old fuck like me who complains about everything. This book collects all three volumes of Fragile in a nicely priced set that looks great. Raffaele’s story-telling and artwork is top shelf. If you haven’t read it and the Zombie Phenomena hasn’t worn out its welcome for you, dig in and enjoy! - Mike Howlett (http://eeriepublications.blogspot.com/)

Crossed 2014 Annual (Avatar Press) - Crossed is so strong right now, and it’s taking over all things Horror Survival. Spurrier and Ortiz have come together to craft one hell of a classic tale with this 2014 Annual. I loved the break down on the cast, and how it was presented through back stories that are presented as these small prose pages. Then how it all comes into play at the end, with how a boy makes the stories work to fit into his world. I was cheering for him, cheering for granny and just loving every minute of this issue. It’s a great looking stand alone tale, that could just be your jumping on point if you have been missing out on what is going on in the world of the Crossed. - Decapitated Dan (www.decapitateddan.com)

Creators and Publishers please make sure to go over to www.ghastlyawards.com to submit your books for 2014 Nomination consideration! More information on how the submission process works can be found here http://www.ghastlyawards.com/2010/10/submit-your-horror-comic-to-be.html

* Please note that none of the books reviewed are guaranteed to be nominated. These are just books that the Judges enjoyed and want you to know about.

Posted by Decapitated Dan |

Ghastly Awards - April 2014 Update

Horror comics are becoming more and more frequent in our reading culture, and the Ghastly Awards are here to recognize those that shine the brightest. We encourage all Comic Creators to take the time to head over to www.ghastlyawards.com and submit your work for 2014 Ghastly Award Nomination consideration.

Creators please remember that you can submit your Horror Comic work throughout the entire calendar year! For the month of April 2014 the Judges are recommending you take a look at:

Nosferatu Wars #1 (Dark Horse) - Originally published in Dark Horse Presents, Nosferatu Wars is set in the era of the Black Death and tells the story of vampires Tarquin and Moria, who have a love that is undying and unquestionable, but when Moria is taken from him her return may unleash the greatest war of all time. Written by Steve Niles this Gothic love story is absolutely engrossing and Menton3’s art is beyond exquisite and will draw you in like most horror comics only wish they could. The pace of the comic makes the reader feel the love these characters have for each other, which make you more vested in their future. The art throughout the comic will have you feeling as though you are not only a reader of this adventure, but actually on the journey with Tarquin and Moria. This is the kinda of comic you rage war for! - Spaced (http://youknowyourcertifiable.blogspot.com/)

V Wars #1 (IDW) - Once again, Jonathan Maberry has flipped the vampire genre on its head to give us a wild new take on the lore. In V WARS #1, the vampirism gene is in everyone. It lies dormant, but it’s there. And when the Ice Virus triggers it, you become a vampire... a violent one. The world is in an all out war, the V War, between those who want to kill the vampires and those who want to cure them. It’s a battle caused by ignorance and fear, a battle that can be won by calm and rational thinking. As with all Maberry books, there is intense heart and intelligence in his writing. He builds a world full of hate, but there are strong elements of love and compassion. But this comic isn’t just a political message masquerading around in a vampire costume, it’s bloody, gory, and full of all the horrors you could hope for in a vampire comic. It’s a little bit Walking Dead and a little bit True Blood, but it’s all Maberry and his unique brand of storytelling that haunts your conscience. – Bree Ogden (agentbree.wordpress.com)

Zombie Sub-920 #2 (Mitchell Comics) - New England native Michael Mitchell is a one-man comic creating madman! His new series Zombie Sub-920 is a mixture of humor, horror, adventure and fun. The premier issue came out in late 2013 and the second installment has recently been released. This comic is written, drawn, colored and everything’d by Mitchell and his love of comics shows in every panel. His creation is pure old school... static page layouts filled with action, zombies, apes and underwater melodrama. I picked out some nods to the DC mystery comics and Mitchell assured has me that I’m not seeing things. My only complaint is that these comics are very slim... Mitchell produces them and cuts the issue off where he sees a chapter end, saving the continuing story for the next issue. (#2 has a quick-paced 10 story pages). I want a 52-page GIANT!!! Oh well, I’ll wait until #3, which is already in the works. Like I said, the man is a machine! This colorful comic creation can be found at any convention lucky enough to have the Mitchell crew in attendance (he and his family dress as the Captain, Nurse and zombies!) or through his blog page... http://mitchellcomics.blogspot.com/ - Mike Howlett (http://eeriepublications.blogspot.com/)

Creepy #16 (Dark Horse) - Dark Horse Comic’s Creepy sweet 16 issue couldn’t get any sweeter with another excellent ensemble of horror hits from Hell, this time covering: Lovecraft cats, the invention of embalming, web viruses, bad parenting, and necrophilia. The art and writing throughout is perfectly spooky and nicely varied in themes and styles, (DH seems to be finding some real winners contributing to Creepy lately), with the top notch entry here being the deadly duo of Rachel Deering and Vanessa Del Rey’s and their unsettling and highly atmospheric “Like Clockwork” tale (I’d love to see more of this character’s previous romantic interludes!) – Steve Banes (http://thehorrorsofitall.blogspot.com/)

Caliban #1 (Avatar Press) - GOD DAMN THAT WAS GOOD! I mean, HOLY S#!^ THAT WAS A FREAKING GORE-GEOUS COMIC! Growing up as a kid of the late 80’s and early 90’s nothing terrified me more than a movie where there was no hope at all. Movies like Alien and Event Horizon take place in deep space, and even if you win, you still loose because you got nowhere to go. The atmosphere is just dark from the get go, and add to the mix this low lit, huge metal machine that is lugging your ass through space, it’s terrifying. - Decapitated Dan (www.decapitateddan.com)

Creators and Publishers please make sure to go over to www.ghastlyawards.com to submit your books for 2014 Nomination consideration! More informaiton on how the submission process works can be found here http://www.ghastlyawards.com/2010/10/submit-your-horror-comic-to-be.html

Posted by Decapitated Dan |

Ghastly Awards - March 2014 Update

Horror comics are becoming more and more frequent in our reading culture, and the Ghastly Awards are here to recognize, through Horror Comic submissions, those that shine the brightest. We encourage all Comic Creators to take the time to head over to www.ghastlyawards.com and submit your work for 2014 Ghastly Award Nomination consideration.

Creators please remember that you can submit your Horror Comic work through out the calendar year! For the month of March 2014 the Judges are recommending you take a look at:

Curse #1 (BOOM!) - Laney Griffin is a normal loving father who would do anything to save his dying son, but with the medical bills piling up and his sister in law threatening to take his child away. He is forced to extreme measures which includes trekking into the woods to catch the creature that has mutilated and devoured 5 people in order to claim the bounty on it. But, when Laney actually comes across the creature this encounter will leave him anything but normal again. Writers Michael Moreci and Tim Daniel really hit this first issue out of the park. As a girl who is always searching for a great creature feature comic this one certainly fits the bill. The writing is spot on and fast paced and Riley Rossmo and Colin Lorimer artwork is so beatuiful and compelling you can feel yourself being pulled into the story. Issue #2 has already hit shelves and I am already hearing great things about it and I am not surprised this is the comic that is a must have on your pull list. - Spaced (http://youknowyourcertifiable.blogspot.com/)

Revenge #2 (Image Comics) - This comic is insane. I’d love to be more eloquent in my description but it doesn’t require an iota of eloquence because it’s INSANE. Writer Jonathan Ross swings full-throttle with sex, drugs, violence, and gore which Ian Churchill dutifully backs up with graphically gruesome art. The plot--a washed-up actor in his 70’s tries to hold onto his fame with an experimental skin replacement surgery and winds up in a horrifying state of awareness during the monstrous process--is absolutely relentless. The unique use of flashbacks is not only a great storytelling tool, but also a great way to build the sickening atmosphere. The flashbacks are so flawlessly trippy that the reader feels like they are hallucinating right along with our main character. This isn’t the average revenge plot. It’s detailed and deep. It sets the stage and players perfectly through a series of non linear events meant to throw us all for a loop. Fine entertainment, indeed--if not a bit gaggy at times. – Bree Ogden (agentbree.wordpress.com)

The EC Archives: The Vault of Horror, Volume 3 (Dark Horse) This is Dark Horse’s first entry into the Vault of Horror EC archives and they have come at a very very good time. This volume collects VoH #24 through #29, and the title is hitting it’s stride within. Every issue has Johnny Craig, Jack Davis and “Ghastly” Graham Ingels in every issue and the fourth slot is rounded out by greats like Jack Kamen, George Evans, and other legends. Scripts by Craig, Ray Bradbury, Al Feldstein... this is really the cream of the crop. For anyone who hasn’t read the EC comics before, this is a no brainer and really, not a bad place to start. Strong story-telling and the best art to ever grace a comic book, horror or otherwise, bar none. This isn’t just my opinion... it is a FACT! We owe Dark Horse a huge debt of gratitude for picking up the pieces and continuing the EC Archive series. - Mike Howlett (http://eeriepublications.blogspot.com/)

Monsters! & Other Stories (Dark Horse) - After reading this book and then writing this review, I’ve come to one conclusion. I need to read this book again and again and…again! This book has Award winner written all over it, and it’s only the start of 2014. I mean come on, I’ve read a lot Horror Comics, but this one is up there in that top tier. It’s screaming at me, “TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW ABOUT ME! I’M THAT DAMN GOOD!” It’s going to be hard when December rolls around for this book to not be my Best OGN of 2014. So just go read it already…stop reading this…SERIOUSLY STOP…now go read this book!- Decapitated Dan (www.decapitateddan.com)

Creators and Publishers please make sure to go over to www.ghastlyawards.com to submit your books for 2014 Nomination consideration! More informaiton on how the submission process works can be found here http://www.ghastlyawards.com/2010/10/submit-your-horror-comic-to-be.html

Posted by Decapitated Dan |

The 2013 Ghastly Award Winners!

The 2013 Ghastly Award Winners

The Ghastly Award Judges are proud to announce the Winners of the 2013 Ghastly Awards. The Ghastly Award Judges chose the nominees from the books submitted by Comic Creators and Publishers throughout 2013. Winners were chosen by the Judges, Comic Book Creators and the Fans. The Ghastly Judicial Panel congratulates all 2013 Winners and Nominees. It is an honor to be recognized by your fellow professionals for such outstanding work in horror comics.

The 2013 Winners are:

Best Ongoing Title:

Afterlife with Archie (Archie Comics)

Best Mini-Series:
Locke & Key: Omega (IDW Publishing)

Best One-Shot:

Edgar Allan Poe: The Raven & The Red Death (Dark Horse)

Best New Series (Fan Voting Decided the Winner):
Afterlife with Archie (Archie Comics)

Best Anthology:
Bloke's Terrible Tomb of Terror (Independent)

Best OGN:
Hellboy: The Midnight Circus (Dark Horse)

Best Archival Collection:
Steve Ditko Monsters Vol. 1: Gorgo (IDW Publishing/Yoe Books)

Best Writer:

Joe Hill (Locke & Key: Omega)

Best Artist:
Richard Corben (Edgar Allan Poe's: The Raven and the Red Death)

Best Inker:
Terry Moore (Rachel Rising)

Best Letterer:
Clem Robins (B.P.R.D., Baltimore, Hellboy in Hell, The Strain)

Best Colorist:
Francesco Francavilla (Afterlife with Archie)

Best Web Comic:
The Last Halloween (www.last-halloween.com)

Hall of Fame Inductees:
Gene Colan
Archie Goodwin

____________________________________

Named for acclaimed comics creator "Ghastly" Graham Ingels, the Awards are in their 4th year. Created to honor excellence in Horror Comics, Comic Creators and Publishers can submit their books for nomination consideration throughout the calendar year. The top five nominees in each category will be chosen by the Judges, and will then be voted on by the Judges, Creators and Fans to decide the winners.

We thank everyone who took the time to vote in the 2013 Awards. The submission process is now open for the 2014 Awards!

We congratulate all of the Winners and Nominees for what they bring to the comic reading community. To be nominated by your comic book creating peers is a big honor and the Ghastly Awards are here to celebrate your achievements.

For more information on the Ghastly Awards, or to submit your horror comics for the 2014 Award season please go to www.ghastlyawards.com.

Posted by Decapitated Dan |

2013 Ghastly Award Nominees

The 2013 Ghastly Award Nominees

The Ghastly Award Judges are proud to announce the 2013 Ghastly Award Nominees. The nominees, chosen by the Ghastly Award Judges, reflect the wide range of horror material being published in print and web comic form today. All Nominees were selected from work that was submitted by comic Publishers and Creators throughout the year for Ghastly Award consideration.

Named after acclaimed comics creator “Ghastly” Graham Ingels, the awards are now in their 3rd year.

Fan and Creator Voting will be open from January 10, 2014 until January 24, 2014 at www.ghastlyawards.com. You may only vote once for the 2013 Nominees, and Fans will decide the winner of the Best New Series Award. Winners will be announced in January 31, 2014.

We thank everyone who took the time to submit their work for this years awards.

The 2013 Nominees are:

Best Ongoing Title:
Afterlife with Archie (Archie Comics)
B.P.R.D. (Dark Horse)
Coffin Hill (Vertigo)
John Carpenter's Asylum (Storm King Comics)

Rachel Rising (Abstract Studios)

Best Mini-Series:
Colder (Dark Horse)
Five Ghosts: The Haunting of Fabian Gray (Image Comics)
Killogy (IDW Publishing)
Locke & Key: Omega (IDW Publishing)
Lot 13 (DC Comics)

Best One-Shot:

'68: Hallowed Ground (Image Comics)
Baltimore: The Widow and The Tank (Dark Horse)
Edgar Allan Poe: The Raven & The Red Death (Dark Horse)
Fubar: Free Comic Book Day (Alterna Comics/Fubar Press)
The Living Corpse: Haunted (Dynamite Entertainment)

Best New Series (Fans Will Decide the Winner):
Abe Sapien (Dark Horse)
Afterlife with Archie (Archie Comics)
Coffin Hill (Vertigo)
Ghosted (Image Comics)
Ten Grand (Image Comics)

Best Anthology:
American Vampire Anthology (Vertigo)
Bela Lugosi's Tales From the Grave (Monsterverse Entertainment)
Bloke's Terrible Tomb of Terror (Independent)
The Witching Hour (Vertigo)
Twisted Dark (T Publications)

Best OGN:
Aliens: Inhuman Condition (Dark Horse)
Eldritch (SLG)
Flesh & Blood Vol. 3 (Monsterverse Entertainment)
Hellboy: The Midnight Circus (Dark Horse)
The Shadow Out of Time (SelfMadeHero)

Best Archival Collection:
B.P.R.D. 1948 (Dark Horse)
Creepy Archives Vol. 17 (Dark Horse)
The Chilling Archives of Horror Comics: Haunted Horror (IDW Publishing/Yoe Books)
The Human Gargoyles (Bleeding Moon Comics)
Steve Ditko Monsters Vol. 1: Gorgo (IDW Publishing/Yoe Books)

Best Writer:

John Arcudi (Abe Sapien, B.P.R.D.)
Cullen Bunn (Helheim, Sixth Gun)
Joe Hill (Locke & Key: Omega)
Terry Moore (Rachel Rising)
Paul Tobin (Colder)

Best Artist:
Richard Corben (Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher, The Raven and the Red Death)
Glenn Fabry (Lot 13)
Juan Ferreyra (Colder, Kiss Me Satan)
Francesco Francavilla (Afterlife with Archie)
Gabriel Rodriguez (Locke & Key: Omega)

Best Inker:
Terry Moore (Rachel Rising)
Jason Paulos (EEEK!)
Drew Rausch (Eldritch, My Blacks Don't Match)
Emma Rios (Pretty Deadly)
Rob Sacchetto (Rob Sacchetto's Cape Fear)

Best Letterer:
Jack Morelli (Afterlife with Archie)
Nate Piekos (Billy the Kid's Old Timey Oddities, Colder, Kiss Me Satan, To Hell You Ride)
Robbie Robbins (Locke & Key, X-Files)
Clem Robins (B.P.R.D., Baltimore, Hellboy in Hell, The Strain)
Rus Wooton (Ghosted, The Walking Dead)

Best Colorist:
Jordie Bellaire (Pretty Deadly, The X-Files)
Jay Fotos ('68, Locke & Key: Omega)
Francesco Francavilla (Afterlife with Archie)
Miroslav Mrva (Ghosted)
Dave Stewart (Abe Sapien, B.P.R.D., Hellboy: The Midnight Circus)

Best Web Comic:
Chopping Block (choppingblock.keenspot.com)
Crossed: Wish You Were Here (crossedcomic.com)

Last Halloween (last-halloween.com)
My Blacks Don't Match (drewrausch.com/comic/its-alive)

The Eighth Seal (thrillbent.com/comics/the-eighth-seal)

Hall of Fame Inductees:
Gene Colan
Archie Goodwin

We congratulate all of the Nominees for what they bring to the comic reading community. To be nominated by the Ghastly Award Judges is a big honor and the Ghastly Awards are here to celebrate your achievements.

Posted by Decapitated Dan |

Ghastly Awards - November 2013 Update

Creators please remember that you can submit your Horror Comic work through out the calendar year! For the month of November 2013 the judges are recommending you take a look at:

Army of Darkness vs. Hack/Slash issue #3 (Dynamite) - Army of Darkness vs. Hack/Slash isAsh and Cassie are still on the trail of the person selling pages of the Necronomicon, but when Ash decides to take a detour to sight see at an old west town Cassie and Ash are in for more than just a bad tour, assassins are on their way and there just might be a showdown in the wild west tonight. I am happy to see Cassie and Ash are still going strong in this series. Their personalities blend well together and they play off each other quite well. I was afraid that I would see the character's personalities deviate, but they continue to stay on point and move the story along at a great pace. This comic is a killer combination of great characters, humor, horror, blood and deadite takedowns, which makes tracking down the pages of the Necronomicon a wild ride. - Spaced (http://youknowyourcertifiable.blogspot.com/)

Coffin Hill #2 (Vertigo) - Picking up where Coffin Hill #1 left off, issue #2 focuses on Eve Coffin, ex-punker, ex-socialite, and newly ex-cop, as she goes looking for a missing couple in the Coffin Hill Woods. These are the same woods from issue #1 where Eve and her friends played witchcraft years earlier with a disastrous outcome. It appears that history may be repeating itself and Eve is hell-bent on stopping that. Issue #2 gives us a deeper look into Eve’s backstory, as well as introduces us to one of Eve’s old acquaintances, Nate, a cop and THE perfect foil for Eve. She knows that the couple’s disappearance is supernatural; a curse from her past, but Nate won’t hear it. Eve sees the black magic all around her, haunting her, reminding her of her past while Nate provides obstacles at every turn. Writer Caitlin Kittredge does a phenomenal job of building up that “I hate you” type sexual tension that’s so subtle you don’t even realize it until you’ve finished reading the issue. The non-linear timeline, so brilliantly played, is intricately instrumental to the tension and horror of the storyline. Coffin Hill isn’t your typical “I see dead people” Cop vs. “ya can’t argue with science” Cop. With every page, the reader is left wondering who’s crazy here and what, if any, supernatural elements are at play. The tension is set high which makes for a thrilling read. – Bree Ogden (agentbree.wordpress.com)

Wraith #1 (IDW) - Fans of Locke & Key will be interested to know that Joe Hill's sick new series, Wraith, is finally out --being a sort of prequel of partially derived material cut from his 2013 novel NOS4A2-- and judging from this first issue it's going to be one dark, and very weird 'n wild ride! It's still a bit too early to tell really, and though some pages and panels might look a bit cramped and overly wordy, there's definitely something seriously sinister and messed-up, yet completely captivating in the chunk of frightening flashback story telling and set-up we're being handed here. It's a time spanning, nightmarish, eerily epic yarn loaded with mean spirited characters and brutal, bloody bursts of disturbing, ugly ultra violence. Yes, it may take us a few issues to fully know what the fuck is going on with creepy old Charlie Manx, his children, and his phantasmagorical Rolls Royce road trip to Christmasland, but that's what's so dreadfully fascinating and surreal about it all in the first place. Fans of Al Columbia are encouraged to hop in and buckle up for the ride too. – Steve Banes (http://thehorrorsofitall.blogspot.com/)

Blokes Terrible Tomb of Terror #8 (Self published)- Jason "Bloke" Crawley gets it; he understands how to write short form horror and his Warren-inspired Terrible Tomb of Terror always delivers the goods. The eighth issue of this anthology is another good one. Crawley's partner for this project is Mike Hoffman, who starts this issue off with a Frazetta-inspired cover and the first story, "Tapped Out" (which he also wrote). Hoffman is an excellent artist, though I feel he rushes some of his work for this title. Still, a rushed Hoffman is better than most artists anyway! The rest of the artwork in the issue is top-shelf; the tag team of Rock Baker and Scott Shriver continually deliver excellent work to Blokes... and the guest writers are also up to the task. This book keeps going from strength to strength and the Bloke/ Hoffman team get these out regularly... something the "big boys" haven't ever figured out! Give the small press guys a chance and discover some great stuff... done in the style of the masters of yore. You know, back when horror comics didn't suck. Grab a handful of mags and prints and pdfs at Bloke's Etsy shop... http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlokesTomb?ref=l2-shopheader-name - Mike Howlett (http://eeriepublications.blogspot.com/)

Drumhellar #1 (Image) - In Drumhellar, Riley Rossmo and Alex Link manage to combine horror, crime, comedy, drama, romance, and fantasy flawlessly. The story follows a supernatural investigator of sorts who uses psychedelic drugs to help in understand the world of the paranormal. Unfortunately, those drugs go missing. There is a certain air of surrealism present throughout the entire issue, yet the story is completely cohesive. The mystery is as intriguing as Rossmo's gorgeous, dreamlike art and I know that things will only get weirder as the book continues. Drumhellar is one of those rare books that feels like it takes complete advantage of the comics medium and I can't wait to see what wild places these two take us. Oh, and there's a bisexual werewolf, a ghost cat, and a bog man. – Lonnie Nadler (www.Bloody-Disgusting.com)

Baltimore: The Infernal Train #3 (Dark Horse) -Fighting atop the speeding eponymous infernal locomotive in the rain? Check. Bloody vampire eyeballs popping from their sockets? Check. Giant talking bat priests? Double check. Religious jibber-jabber? Yep, it's all here, and all within the first few pages! Oh yeah, and my least favorite character in the series is now a werewolf! This issue is a total score! I don't want to give away too much, but the end of this issue strongly suggests that Baltimore will FINALLY meet up with Haigus in the next series, Chapel of Bones. Doesn't seem that will be the end of Baltimore, though, as we now have the Red King storyline to look forward to. I am so totally beyond stoked for what's to come! - Rachel Deering (https://twitter.com/racheldeering)

Wilder #1 (Monsterverse) - What? NO!!! Nope, no way. You can not be serious Kidwell and Mangum, this needs to be a mini-series or an on-going, but no… not just a ONE SHOT!!! ARGH!!!!!!!! I don’t know what I want to gush about more first artwork or story, story or artwork… it was all so good. The story here is so damn good, and is left so wide open and screaming “I HAVE MORE TO TELL YOU!”, that I can not believe this is just a one shot. Now don’t get me wrong, this issue does everything right. It builds to this big payoff and is totally complete, but after you read it you will say the same thing… I want more! And seriously can Kidwell not tell a good war/horror story? The artwork is so MOTHER Fµ©%!ñ¶ GORE-GEOUS! My favorite visual thing, and yeah it might be silly, was that the female werewolves had 6 tits. Now why do I point that out? Because they are part dog people! I’ve read a lot of werewolf stories, but I don’t ever recall seeing someone throw that in. This book really has it all, and I mean that. The story is solid, the artwork is perfect… so guess what… it’s a PERFECT BOOK! Now lets all harass these creators to give us more! - Decapitated Dan (www.decapitateddan.com)

Creators and Publishers the Submission Deadline is December 14! Please make sure to go over to www.ghastlyawards.com to submit your books for 2013 Nomination consideration! More informaiton on how the submission process works can be found here http://ghastlys.blogspot.com/2010/10/submit-your-horror-comic-to-be.html

Posted by Decapitated Dan |

Ghastly Awards - October 2013 Update

Creators please remember that you can submit your Horror Comic work through out the calendar year! For the month of October 2013 the judges are recommending you take a look at:

Hellraiser: The Dark Watch #9 (BOOM! Studios) - IIn this issue Tiffany has rescused Kristy from her mental prison that D’Amour had trapped her in, but a threat is still arising. The war in Hell with the Cenobites and Leviathan’s Damned rages on and Kristy and Tiffany intend on battling in it .This series has a lot of different twists and turns to the story line with some striking visual art. I enjoy the journey Kristy is on and how she deals with being the High Priestess of Hell.The issue was a fun read and had a nice twist that will appeal to any Hellraiser fan. - Spaced (http://youknowyourcertifiable.blogspot.com/)

The Memory Collectors #1 (IDW/44Flood) - “If you’re looking for some hero’s tale, you’re not going to find that here...” Says Edith, our fetish model turned protector of all things dark and dangerous. So... I have my bachelors degree in philosophy, and I’ve read it all friends. I’ve studied it all, pondered it all. And this, I can honestly say, is one of the most philosophical comic books I’ve ever read. Probably ever produced. We (all horror comic fans) were expecting a lot from The Memory Collectors. How could we not? With Menton3’s daringly dark and creamy art, passion for high fashion and buxom vixens, and unique take on the human form... We were ready for greatness. But then add to that the fact that Menton3 also penned The Memory Collectors, expectations were sky high. And not only did this meet my expectations, it took a grenade to them and blew em’ up. I must have read the first 4 pages nearly seven times before I could continue. I couldn’t decide whether or not it was a comic or a manual on how to properly view the world (and its inhabitants) around you. Immediately drawn into the comic from the first sentence, “It is said the best place to hide something is in plain sight...” The world blacked out around me and I was a part of The Memory Collectors. That’s something Menton3 excels at, making you an intimate part of his art. Art that’s so unique, you wonder if you’re even looking at it or dreaming it. Something I’m almost hesitant to say but feel it’s too true to ignore, is that Menton’s writing is almost biblical. The way he takes us on a first account journey and the tone he utilizes, feels so important and epic, it’s not to be dismissed--it’s to be archived for generations to come. The mix of comic and prose is an absolute delight. I wasn’t expecting that, and it made the comic a genuinely fascinating experience to read. One last thought before I give the whole story away, The Memory Collectors utilizes very subtle meta elements that I must applaud Menton3 for... meta elements are my absolute favorite and they are very hard to pull off without tearing the reader right out of the story. And he pulled it off beautifully. Now go forth and read. And enjoy all the bonus features in the back of the comic! – Bree Ogden (agentbree.wordpress.com)

Afterlife with Archie #1 (Archie) - A childhood fave takes a wild leap into adult terror-tory in this excellent new alt-universe spin-off series from Archie Comic Publications. Leave it to Sabrina to trigger an undead apocalypse of epic proportions after she helps Jughead with his awful pet problem! Of all the zombie comics in recent years, this one stands tall by erupting from the grave with an superb first issue, and it’s obvious Riverdale will never be the same after writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and artist Francesco Francavilla get done with us because NO ONE is safe! Smart, sexy, gruesome and violent, this could easily be the sleeper creeper hit of 2013 for many fans of horror and the Archie’s. WARNING: NOT FOR THE KIDDIES!!

ALSO RECOMMENDED: Spongebob Comics #25 (Bongo/United Plankton Pictures), these are for the kiddies! --fun spooky tales from under the sea featuring all the lovable doofuses vs. living jack o’lanterns, zombies, sea creatures (of course), and a super stand-out Flying Dutchman story illustrated by Mr. Monster’s Michael T. Gilbert! Chillies and sillies abound, matey! – Steve Banes (http://thehorrorsofitall.blogspot.com/)

Red Run (Alterna) - This new One Shot, written by Brandon Barrows and illustrated by Joel Cotejar, fits nicely into the “family struggling with supernatural forces” sub-genre, which has brought us films like Insidious and Poltergeist. Cotejar’s artwork is solid throughout and Barrows certainly goes the extra mile to give the family some personality with believable dialog (though the husband calls his wife “babe” as a pet name, something which I detest and makes me bristle... but that’s just me). This is a brisk 30 pages and my only quibble is that very little time is spent on the actual horror situations, which is a shame because Cotejar has some fun with the few pages of flaming specters that he’s allowed. Still, this is worth a look to see some horror that isn’t all up in your face and bombastic, but is inevitably uplifting. Available as a digital comic on Comixology. - Mike Howlett (http://eeriepublications.blogspot.com/)

Baltimore: The Infernal Train #2 (Dark Horse) -“FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!” That seems to be the theme of this issue. Baltimore and Judge Duvic fend off the vampiric fiends who swarm them in a hotel lobby, all the while having a pleasant little chat about Duvic’s unrelenting drive to “purify” Baltimore, and Baltimore’s inability to see eye to eye with that plan. After the scuffle, we are treated to some of the lore within Baltimore’s world and how the higher order of vampires tie into the whole story. Aside from one very Bond-Villainesque revelation of plans, this issue was absolutely fantastic! I cannot wait for the conclusion. - Rachel Deering (https://twitter.com/racheldeering)

Who Needs the Moon #1 (Todd McCullough/Digital) - Who needs the moon? I sure do! Wow what a find this book is going to be when you all stop reading this review and go read this book! First of all, McCullough will grab you right from the start as two people are running from something, and then… fade to black. That is the only spoiler you get people. This issue has a great mystery to it, I mean we know it’s a werewolf, but there is still so much more to learn about. The story is only half of this book though, so now allow me to tell you about the how GORE-Geous the artwork is. I can’t barley even sum up into words how great it is. I love the use of color in certain scenes, but then keeping things in black and white in others. I think that the Todd’s style is refreshing, and so needed to make this book all that much more special. Look I really don’t want to give anything away, but I really do want you to go out and get this book. You just have to trust your old pal Decap, this is a must read! - Decapitated Dan (www.decapitateddan.com)

Creators and Publishers please make sure to go over to www.ghastlyawards.com to submit your books for 2013 Nomination consideration! More informaiton on how the submission process works can be found here http://ghastlys.blogspot.com/2010/10/submit-your-horror-comic-to-be.html

Posted by Decapitated Dan |

Ghastly Awards - September 2013 Update

Creators please remember that you can submit your Horror Comic work through out the calendar year! For the month of September 2013 the judges are recommending you take a look at:

The Walking Dead #114 (Image Comics) - In this issue we once again find Rick at the mercy of Negan and his men, but this time some surprising allys end up lending a helping hand. Although we have see Kirkman put Rick and Negan together in similar scenarios Kirkman still always manages to add those extra elements in the setting that make each interaction between these two characters suspense filled. Negan is a well crafted S.O.B that you don't know whether to cheer him on or hope he gets sniped from a bell tower and that my friends is what a good comic is all about. - Spaced (http://youknowyourcertifiable.blogspot.com/)

Dinosaurs Attack! #2 (IDW) - After a rather talky first issue the dinosaurs finally attack - and it's well worth the wait. There's plenty of carnage on display here as human bodies are torn, ripped, chewed, dismembered, trampled and crushed in gruesome detail. The story - what there is of it - lacks the wit and involvement of sister title Mars Attacks!, primarily because it's a bit harder to make the dinosaurs as gleefully kooky as the martians. Still, a bit more effort could be made to make the humans a bit more compelling. Nevertheless, the true selling point of the book is the dinosaur mayhem and in this respect it definitely does not disappoint. – Pedro Cabezuelo (http://www.rue-morgue.com/)

Grimm Fairy Tales presents Zombies The Cursed #3 (Zenoscope) - I haven’t been a fan of the GFT series. Too much unnecessary, stupid and pointless upskirts/slutty outfits/boob explosions. Yeah, there’s a market for that in this genre, but seriously. Gimme slutty, barely there outfits when the characters call for it, not just because a character happens to have a cootch. But with Zombies the Cursed, the bimbo has been dialed way back, letting the story take front and center. It’s a pity this was only a three part series, though this issue promises more of zombie hunter Elijah in the Unleashed storyline. Loved the cuts between “present day” and Elijah’s first meeting with Samantha and company. 3martstudio does well with coloring both worlds, keeping readers focused on story, and not trying to figure out where the action is. Good work. I’m hoping for more. - Denise Dutton (atomicfangirl.com)

Criminal Macabre: The Eyes of Frankenstein #1 (Dark Horse) - Well if you're not totally convinced within the first five pages of this comic that it deserves a lot of praise for being absolutely ghastly, you shouldn't be reading horror comics. As if pregnancy isn't terrifying enough for women, Steve Niles and Christopher Mitten (reunited and it feeeeels so goooood!) have just seriously raised the bar. Move over, the film GRACE. Move way, way over. It's quite unreal and if you miss out on it then you're just wasting everyone's time. SFX: BOOM! Haha. Couldn't resist. Okay moving on. It's always nice to see Mo and Cal back together with their Odd Couple-type relationship. Mo is obliviously stoic and Cal is his typical jackass self. But the brotherhood between them almost outweighs the horror. Well maybe not outweighs it, that's ridiculous. But it adds a silver lining. As with most first issues of a comic book series, this is a set-up issue and we don't see much meat of the plot. But also... true to form with a Niles and Mitten comic book series, we got a whole lot of EVERYTHING from the first issue. There are a few central themes going on here. 1.) something is up with Cal, not saying anything else there. 2.) Niles has pretty much killed whatever he can so what else can a comic creator kill when everything else is dead? 3.) The title. It comes into play in the most unexpected way possible. This is a game changer in Cal's life on several levels. Niles has unapologetically put Cal through hell over the years, which the dialogue and Cal's inner narration really reflect--in a good way. It's very comfortable, it's funny, it's emotional, it hits the mark, and it's just so damn true to the character. The art is truly phenomenal. There are pages that need nothing more than a SFX and Mitten to stoke a blazing fire of emotion. There's a strong sense of familiarity in this issue. Reminiscent of some of the very first Criminal Macabre issues. It felt like coming home. But I guess only a true horror junky would call this place home... Anyway, go forth and read. It's brutally awesome. – Bree Ogden (agentbree.wordpress.com)

Simpsons Treehouse of Horror #19 (Bongo) - October must be coming, as Bongo Comics delivers three glorious anthology style tales under one cover starring everyone's favorite freaky yellow family from Springfield-- The Simpsons! Zombies, aliens, mad science, and even Apu as a werewolf-- plus the spectacular stand-out story of the bunch written by Len Wein featuring the gorgeous painted art of Dan "Nocturnals" Brerenton is seriously one epic H. P. Lovecraft / Simpsons fan's wet dream-- aye, carumba! – Steve Banes (http://thehorrorsofitall.blogspot.com/)

Kiss Me Satan #1 (Dark Horse) - I do love me a good New Orleans spook tale, and Victor Gischler is cooking up a mighty hot one with "Kiss Me, Satan". The backdrop of New Orleans is not uncommon for horror stories given the supernatural history of the place, but it's hard to capture that environment properly. The first issue of "Kiss Me, Satan" manages to show what New Orleans has to offer with a fallen angel, werewolves, and plenty of supernatural magic. While seeing otherworldly creatures fighting each other is not the most novel of concepts, Gischler manages to pull it off with some unique characters and his own mythos. Juan Ferreyra’s artwork is top notch, as always. Not only does he draw a mean werewolf, but he also captures the Crescent City in all its glory. This is shaping up to be a big, action-packed horror series, something we haven't seen since the likes of the first Underworld film. – Lonnie Nadler (www.Bloody-Disgusting.com)

The MAD Life and Fantastic Art of Al Feldstein by Grant Geissman (IDW) - EC historian Geissman has taken a long overdue look at one of the industry's most important figures (and a personal hero of mine) with this full color, 400+ page, luxurious tome. Many many never-before-seen photographs and the whole story of Feldstein's life make this the ultimate look at the man, but it is the artwork within that makes this a must-have! Though Feldstein himself doesn't think of himself a great artist, Geissman's selections throughout this book prove otherwise. From the gorgeous black brushstrokes in his comic work to the fine art that he does in his Golden Years, this book collects it all. Feldstein's iconic horror art might not be the reason that he is a Ghastly Awards Hall-of-Famer, but leafing through this book shows that had he not written, edited and created the best line of horror comics ever, his artwork alone would have gotten him in anyway! A pricey acquisition, this book is worth every penny... about $30 on Amazon, and that price is worth it just for the picture on page 389 of my left arm, tattooed with Feldstein art! - Mike Howlett (http://eeriepublications.blogspot.com/)

Locke & Key: Alpha #1 (IDW) -This is it, folks! The clash of the titans, so to speak! This is the main event that we’ve all been waiting for. Cliché villain exposition moment aside, we are treated to a very well-paced battle that will keep you white-knuckled until the end. Careful not to wrinkle those pages as you clench your fists! When things finally begin to wind down, you’ll find yourself deep in bleak reflection. I am anxious to see how the last half of this finale will tie everything up into a tidy little bundle of comic gold! - Rachel Deering (https://twitter.com/racheldeering)

John Carpenter's Asylum #2 (Storm King Comics) - Oh mama, where has this book been hiding! I could start with the art by Leo Manco and just say GORE-Geous! Then I could jump to the story by Bruce Jones and just say AGHH-Mazing! And like that the review could be over, however I need to say more, I need to tell you dear reader, that if you missed #1, you need to go find it and buy this issue too. I need to tell you that reading this book is like having the comic gods present you with all that you will ever need in a horror comic. I need to tell you that after reading this issue you will probably go around punching things in anticipation for issue #3 to come out. So why do I need to tell you all of that? Simple, this book is just that damn good! GO BUY THIS BOOK! - Decapitated Dan (www.decapitateddan.com)

Posted by Decapitated Dan |

Ghastly Awards - August 2013 Update

Creators please remember that you can submit your Horror Comic work through out the calendar year! For the month of August 2013 the judges are recommending you take a look at:

The Final Plague #2 (Action Lab) - When you put animals in a comic you get my attention, when you put animals in a comic that are rabid and eat people then you really have my attention! This comic is in the vein of 28 Days Later in terms of spreading an infection from animal to human. Issue #2 seamlessly picks up where issue #1 left off and for those that haven't had a chance to read issue #1 I say do it now! I had such a fun time reading this comic.The writing was on point, engaging and the art really fit with all the various elements that were happening in the comic to create a really great cohesive story and I for one am chomping at the bit for issue #3! - Spaced (www.twitter.com/Spaced4SimonPeg)

Bedlam #8 (Image) -I admit when I first read the first issue of this series I thought of it as little more than a strange pastiche of the Batman/Joker relationship. But Bedlam has proven to be much, much more. While there is definitely some influence from the Caped Crusader, Bedlam has managed to create its own world filled with complex and grotesque characters. The latest arc introduces a terrifying new villain able to seemingly control people from a distance and have them unwittingly commit acts of mass violence, such as public bombings, or more personal attacks - such as those witnessed on the genuinely disturbing final page. Along the way we peel another layer from the mystery surrounding Fillmore Press - the former serial killer Madder Red - and a surprising revelation about super hero The First. – Pedro Cabezuelo (http://www.rue-morgue.com/)

Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #2 (IDW) - I love me some kaiju. So to see Godzilla get the A+ treatment in a new comic book series makes me all sorts of happy inside. Especially when lettering is so remarkably on-point -- can a drawing be onomonopoeic? Because with Shawn Lee's gorgeous work, it sure is. I'm loving the Godzilla vs. a brand new ‘Zilla (picture the T-Rex mutant from 1998’s Godzilla) face off in Honolulu. Honolulu may lose that fight, but readers win y'all! Chris Mowry and Matt Frank definitely deliver the goods here, and even with aliens in the final pages (too much of a good thing, maybe?), I'm in this series for the long haul. You should be too. - Denise Dutton (atomicfangirl.com)

The End Of The Fucking World [TEOTFW] (Fantagraphics) - TEOTFW is one of those graphic novels that reminds you how simplicity (done well) can really tug at your emotions. Sometimes more so than really intricately illustrated and worded graphic novels. TEOTFW is not about a world apocalypse, but rather an apocalypse of the mind. I tend toward more esoteric horror than the type of horror that's so in-your-face. TEOTFW is just that: a kind of avant-garde, esoteric horror that lingers on your mind for days. It's really daring...it's brutally simple while remaining unexplainably complicated. It takes the most common fears that we are taught to avoid or feel icky about and adds those to simple line drawings and copious amounts of black and white space. The combination is fascinating and dreadfully terrifying. TEOTFW utilizes our innate fear of things like strangers, sexual predators, bullies, murder, loneliness, feeling lost, dying alone, feeling out of control of your own life--like you might do something that you cannot control, and the "feeling of nothingness" to evoke a sense of dread and wonder. In fact, there's a strong feeling of dread throughout the entire graphic novel. If it's the realistic, hard up nature of life that terrifies you, read this graphic novel. If it's not...read it anyway, you'll still feel the exhilarating panic. – Bree Ogden (agentbree.wordpress.com)

Kitaro by Shigeru Mizuki (Drawn Quarterly - Drawn & Quarterly introduces the western world to Japan's coolest, creepiest kid hero character of all time--Kitaro! Created over half a century ago by manga mastermind Shigeru Mizuki, Kitaro is a kid with an arsenal of supernatural abilities, yokai (ghost) friends, and an eyeball for a father! He assists humans and horrors alike in keeping the balance between good and evil, with clever, inventive writing and a superb illustration style that can be fun, funny, scary, and downright horrific all within the same panel. Kitaro is a pop culture phenomenon in his own country, on par with Astro Boy and Ultra Man-- do yourself a favor and check out this collection immediately! – Steve Banes (http://thehorrorsofitall.blogspot.com/)

Five Ghosts #5 (Image) - Every Sunday night my Twitter feed floods with posts ejaculating over how amazing Breaking Bad is (which is warranted), but I wish the same thing happened in comics because Five Ghosts reaches the same levels of insanity. Issue #5 concludes the first arc of the series, and what an wild, bat-shit crazy ride it has been. This comic has everything from horror to mythic fantasy, and the artwork is nothing short of gorgeous. Frank J Barbiere and Chris Mooneyham are just getting started, and you'd be nuts not to embark on this journey with them. – Lonnie Nadler (www.Bloody-Disgusting.com)

Dead House #1 (Self Published) - It's not all about the established comic book companies and their product! There are plenty of young, hungry creators out there trying to break in and show the world what they have. A great place to find these people is at Comic Cons. I ran into artist Brian Flint at the Boston Comic Con and picked up a copy of his and writer Mike Spera's Dead House #1, a horror comic whose colorful cover caught my eye. Flint is a very unassuming guy ("the artwork gets better as the story goes on") who is clearly a fan of the genre. Dead House is about a reality show (called Dead House, naturally) which is like Survivor with zombie attacks. While this idea isn't exactly brand new (aren't there at least two television shows with that premise out or in the works?), the comic gets points for a bevy of interesting characters, though most can't get fleshed out in the scant 26 pages. But this is horror and it delivers what it should... gore and zombies! The artwork is pretty solid throughout, with bold blacks and lovingly detailed zombie-rot. There are eyes poppin', flesh fallin' and zombies being mangled, exactly what we want in a zombie comic. There were a few frustrating things in the print comic I bought; some misspellings and a page getting printed twice, but Flint informs me that those errors have since been corrected. The only other thing I can pick on is the varying lettering. A silly thing for me to mention but it managed to distract me a bit. But Dead House is worth a look for zombie fans and this should whet their appetite and hold them over while Flint works on the Graphic Novel, which should flesh out those characters and bring us more horror and gore! This is available as a digital copy at Lulu. (http://www.lulu.com/shop/brian-flint-and-mike-spera/dead-house/ebook/product-21168531.html) - Mike Howlett (http://eeriepublications.blogspot.com/)

Ghosted #2 (Image) - Ghosted #2 continues the slow burn pace of the series, established in the first issue. We are given further background information on the heist team as well as the Trask family through flashback scenes, but we still don't know much about the operation at hand, or what dangers might lay ahead. There are a few scenes of supernatural activity, but they are short lived and don't really create any tension. Just when things are starting to heat up, the team leaves the house, safe and sound. Here's hoping they're trapped after sundown within the next few issues. - Rachel Deering (https://twitter.com/racheldeering)

Rob Sacchetto's Cape Fear OGN (Zombie Portrait Productins) - Where on Earth has the artwork of Sacchetto been all of my life? To say that this book is GORE-Geous is seriously an understatement, because panel after panel it left my jaw on the floor. It reminded me of Dave Cooper’s style from the Aircel days, with it’s detail in a fun animated style. The werewolf in this is by far one of the most solid monsters I have ever seen on a page and man I could not get enough of it. The lettering done is what really pushed this book to get the score that it did though. The sound effects jump off the page, and add that little extra touch to make this a book not to be missed. As if the artwork was not enough to pick up this book, I have to mention the story. At first I was not sure where this one was going, but as the chapters played out, and it all came together, I was hooked. The concept of a realm where fear is something that one being controls, and that privilege is fought over is very interesting. Add into that the mix of having Earth totems and how the monsters and people interact, and you have one compelling story. Do not read this review and think this is a book you should pass on, instead read this and know this is a book you need to check out. It delivers on all levels and will not let you down for even one second. This is what we call a hidden gem, so lets all work together to make sure it is hidden no more. Pick this one up!!!. - Decapitated Dan (www.decapitateddan.com)

The 2014 Ghastly Award Nominees

The 2014 Ghastly Award Nominees

The 2014 Nominees are:

Ghastly Awards Update - July/August 2014

Ghastly Awards - June 2014 Update

Ghastly Awards - May 2014 Update

Ghastly Awards - April 2014 Update

Ghastly Awards - March 2014 Update

The 2013 Ghastly Award Winners!

The 2013 Ghastly Award Winners

2013 Ghastly Award Nominees

The 2013 Ghastly Award Nominees

The 2013 Nominees are:

Ghastly Awards - November 2013 Update

Ghastly Awards - October 2013 Update

Ghastly Awards - September 2013 Update

Ghastly Awards - August 2013 Update

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