Meet Marco Finnegan’s Undead Detective

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cover of Calavera, P.I. Cartoonist Marco Finnegan’s love of film noir and pulps led him to creating Calavera, P.I., about an undead murdered detective who comes back on Dia de los Muertos. Not only will Detective Juan Calavera have to solve a new crime, he also needs to find out who killed him. Finnegan spoke with Cemetery Dance about the use of Mexican folklore in the graphic novel, his horror influences, and what he would like people to take away from his newest work.Continue Reading

Review: Leviathan Volume 1 by Shiro Kuroi

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cover of Leviathan Volume 1Leviathan Volume 1 by Shiro Kuroi
Abrams Comic Arts (October 29, 2024)
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

Shiro Kuroi is a rising star manga author who lives in Toyko, Japan. Leviathan is his first international serialized work, which has been published simultaneously in France and Japan. Highly praised for his character writing and illustration, Leviathan went on to become one of the top 10 bestselling new manga titles in France, and he has already received international attention online from manga fans hoping for an English release of his work. Fortunately, the wait is over, as Leviathan, Volume 1 has finally arrived. Continue Reading

Comics legends Matt Wagner and Kelley Jones resurrect Dracula

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cover of Dracula: Book II --- The BridesDracula: Book II — The Brides by writer Matt Wagner and artist Kelley Jones is the sequel to Dracula: Book I — The Impaler, and is currently on KickstarterGrendel writer Wagner and Jones had been meaning to work together for a while, and finally found an opportunity with the world’s most famous vampire. Cemetery Dance spoke to Wagner and Jones about what went into this comic, how it builds on the first book, and their process for working together.Continue Reading

It’s Judgement Day for….Archie Comics?

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Since 2015, the iconic Archie Comics has delved deep into a dark new world with Archie Horror, including with their premium event Archie Comics: Judgment Day. Cemetery Dance spoke with editor Jamie Rotante about Judgment Day, how Archie works in the world of horror, and the character archetypes that allow them to be in different scenarios.Continue Reading

Exclusive Preview: Archie Comics Gets Dark with CURSED LIBRARY #2

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cover of Cursed Library #2
Cover illustration by Craig Cermak

In recent years Archie Comics has dipped its toes into creating horror stories around the iconic characters. Cemetery Dance is getting an exclusive sneak peek at the next issue of Archie’s Cursed Library mini-series by Eliot Rahal and Magdalene Visaggio, including the public’s very first look at demonic Reggie.

Artist  Craig Cermak said, “Drawing the monstrous versions of each character might be the most enjoyable part of working on Cursed Library! I can get weirder and more expressive, much more freeing than the standard versions, though they’re fun, too!”Continue Reading

Cullen Bunn Reigns Over THE AUTUMN KINGDOM

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cover of The Autumn Kingdom #1
Cover by Daniel Vega

After The Sixth Gun and Invasive, Cullen Bunn is back with another horror comic. This time around it’s The Autumn Kingdom, which mixes horror and fantasy. The first issue drops on September 4 thanks to Oni Press, and Bunn spoke to Cemetery Dance about his similarities with the author in the comic, his combination of horror and fantasy, and what he enjoyed most about writing it.Continue Reading

Review: Hide: The Graphic Novel by Scott Peterson and Kiersten White

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cover of Hide: The Graphic NovelHide: The Graphic Novel by Scott Peterson and Kiersten White
Ten Speed Graphic (September 2023)
240 pages; $24.95 paperback
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

Kiersten White is the New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning, and critically acclaimed author of many books, including The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein, the And I Darken trilogy, the Slayer series, the Camelot Rising trilogy, and her adult debut, Hide. Kiersten lives with her family in San Diego, where they obsessively care for their deeply ambivalent tortoise, Kimberly. Her novel, Hide, was recently adapted to graphic novel format by Scott Peterson. Continue Reading

Steven S. DeKnight drives a Hard Bargain

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cover of Hard BargainSteven S. DeKnight, whose credentials include writing for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel,  is coming out with his own comic Hard Bargain, with art from Leno Carvalho. Hard Bargain, which follows Frank Harding, P.I. and mixes noir with monsters, has been described by DeKnight as a dream thirty years in the making. DeKnight spoke to Cemetery Dance about his influences, how the dream came to fruition, and how writing comics compares to writing for TV. Continue Reading

Hunter Gorinson brings EC Comics back to life

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cover of Epitaphs of the AbyssThe famous and infamous EC Comics — known for horror classics like Tales from the Crypt and Vault of Horror — is being revived by Oni Press in an alliance with William M. Gaines Agent, Inc. Oni Press Publisher Hunter Gorinson spoke to Cemetery Dance about the publisher’s new lineup with Epitaphs from the Abyss (July 2024) and Cruel Universe (August 2024), how Oni is bringing EC Comics into the 21st century, and what other comics they have that would interest Cemetery Dance readers. Continue Reading

Review: The Werewolf at Dusk and Other Stories by David Small

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cover of The Werewolf at Dusk and Other StoriesThe Werewolf at Dusk and Other Stories by David Small
Liveright (March 2024)
192 pages
Reviewed by Danica Davidson

The Werewolf at Dusk and Other Stories is a haunting triptych of tales about “the dread of things internal.” Done in an illustrated format, it’s kind of like a picture book for adults, and it shows the depth and artistic aesthetics possible in graphic storytelling. This is a book to stay with readers long after they’ve finished the last page, and I’ve never seen anything else quite like it.Continue Reading

David Small and The Werewolf at Dusk

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Author and illustrator David Small’s latest book, The Werewolf at Dusk and Other Stories, contains three yarns — “The Werewolf at Dusk,” “A Walk in the Old City,” and “The Tiger in Vogue” — all connected by the theme “the dread of things internal.” Two are based on short prose stories by other authors, and one is largely based on a dream Small had. Small spoke to Cemetery Dance about how the stories came together, his approach in writing and illustrating The Werewolf at Dusk, and what he would like readers to take away from the book.Continue Reading

Derek Charm’s Toxic Summer

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cover of Toxic Summer #1Eisner Award-winning cartoonist Derek Charm is mixing horror with humor in his new comic, Toxic Summer, and its first issue drops on May 1 from Oni Press. High school graduates and friends Ben and Leo are expecting a great summer as lifeguards, but things go from bad to worse when there’s a toxic spill. Charm spoke to Cemetery Dance about his influences, the extremes of horror and humor, and what he hopes readers take away from his newest work. Continue Reading

Kang Tae-kyung on Webtoons and The Bequeathed

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Kang Tae-kyung is the pen name for two creators, Kang and Tae-kyung, who have published multiple webtoons, including their horror title The Bequeathed. Webtoons are comics from South Korea that can be read digitally, and they’re becoming more popular globally and in America. The live-action show The Bequeathed, from award-winning writer and director Yeon Sang-ho, is currently on Netflix, and he worked with Kang Tae-kyung to also make a webtoon version of this creepy story about murder and secrets. Cemetery Dance spoke to Kang Tae-kyung about their background, why they think webtoons are good at conveying horror stories, and how they approach getting horror across. Continue Reading

Exclusive Excerpt: The Harrowing by Rye Hickman and Kristen Kiesling

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cover of The HarrowingOn April 16, Abrams Fanfare will publish the genre-bending graphic novel thriller The Harrowing by illustrator Rye Hickman and writer Kristen Kiesling. This stylish, surprising, suspenseful, and unsettling book follows a psychic teen who hunts potential killers — until she discovers the boy she loves is her next target.

Abrams Fanfare has supplied Cemetery Dance with the following exclusive excerpt. Before you dive in, the comic’s creators offer some insight about this part of the story.

“It’s a vision time warp,” said Kiesling. “Up to this point, Rowan believes the serum will prevent her from losing her mind. We learn in this scene that like many of the medications currently on the market, the unintended side effects are useful. It’s not a diabetic drug used for weight loss but it does possess unexpected, yet beneficial side effects. Rowan’s mother discovered the medication protects Harrows’ minds but also grants them the ability to manipulate their visions. Having this opportunity sets up Jackie’s motives.”

Hickman adds: “There’s actually a delightful amount of synchronicity here in what Rowan is learning how to do (move through time inside the killer’s spree) and what the art must do in order to take the reader along on the ride. Anchors, in comics, are objects and people that appear consistently from panel to panel in order to help the reader understand movement in space. But here in The Harrowing, movement/space is secondary to time, so the people and objects on the train are performing a slightly different little trick.”

Enjoy the excerpt, and order your copy of The Harrowing today!Continue Reading

Review: Thirsty for Love by Carmen Pizarro and David Ocampo

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cover of Thirsty for LoveThirsty for Love by Carmen Pizarro and David Ocampo
Independently Published (2022)
48 pages; $15.00 perfect bound collector’s edition of 100
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

Thirsty for Love is a clever monster graphic novel written by David Ocampo and illustrated by Carmen Pizarro. When Emily goes missing, her friend Josie thinks she knows what happens. She’s aware of the new girl, Charlotte Smith, and suspects she’s responsible for Emily’s disappearance. When she confronts Charlotte, Josie discovers that her suspicions are not only wrong, but that the truth is far worse than she could ever imagine. Continue Reading