Comics
Review: ‘The Spider’ #6
A new arc begins in issue #6 of The Spider from Dynamite Entertainment. Unfortunately, it doesn’t manage to quite live up to the precedent established in its first five issues. The Spider’s trademark humor is largely absent, the art is uneven, and the villain is, well, less than intimidating. That said, there are some bright spots as well; new characters are introduced into the world of “The Spider” and there’s an interesting backstory to one of them. But it’s not enough to save this disappointing issue.
WRITER: David Liss
ARTIST: Colton Worley
PUBLISHER: Dynamite Entertainment
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: November 21st, 2012
There are a number of flaws with “The Spider” #6, but perhaps the most irksome is the art. In man instances, it’s excellent. But in many others, there’s a lot to be desired. See, the style artist Colton Worley uses is a unique style with a heavily digital aesthetic. When it works, it works well, but if it’s even slightly off it distracts from the story being told. Characters sometimes seem vacant and lifeless, taking away from the impact of the script. The action scenes also, at times, feel claustrophobic and hard to follow.
There are also a number of issues with the David Liss’ plot. One of the best aspects of “The Spider” is the wit of Richard Wentworth. Unfortunately, aside from a minor quip in the men’s bathroom, that wit is conspicuously absent in the issue. In general, what makes “The Spider” an original book is absent, with one notable exception. This issue introduces us to Jackson, a former soldier who fought in Iraq with Wentworth, and who is attempting to atone for his past sins as a soldier in serving The Spider. It’s an interesting subplot and one that will hopefully be developed in the forthcoming issues.
Wingman is The Spider’s newest foil, and commits dastardly crimes with the help of his mind-controlled pigeons. Yes, pigeons. He’s not the most intimidating villain, to say the least. His identity – revealed at the issue’s end – has some interesting implications, but it’s not enough to overcome the fact that he has the ability to get pigeons to peck people to death.
This was a misstep in an otherwise fine series, so there’s not much to be concerned about. And while this issue has plenty of faults, it sets up future issues well. I’m still hopeful for the future of this series.
2/5 Skulls
Reviewed by – George Shunick
Comics
‘You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive’ – IDW Dark’s Next Horror Comic Will Make You Question Reality
Five friends. Four houses. One perfect life. Bloody Disgusting is excited to exclusively announce You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive, a brand new horror comic from IDW Dark.
From Eisner-Nominated writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, and rising horror artist Heather Vaughan, You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is described as a “paranoia-laced, socially-conscious, horror mystery that will leave you questioning reality, and reveal that this crafted world is more of a nightmare than the idealistic dream they were expecting.”
Phoebe Joplin has never questioned the world her parents built: a secluded community where she and her friends were raised to be smarter, stronger, and better than anyone else. No distractions. No dangers. No secrets. Until the night of their graduation.
When one of them dies under impossible circumstances, Phee starts to pull at the edges of her perfect life—and what she finds is something far more terrifying than she ever imagined.
Because this place isn’t a sanctuary. It’s a cage. And no one who discovers the truth ever leaves it alive.
Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing (Batman – One Bad Day: Clayface, Star Trek: The Last Starship) co-write the upcoming IDW Dark horror comic, featuring art by Heather Vaughan.
Jackson Lanzing said in a statement to Bloody Disgusting, “You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is in many ways a spiritual successor to our last creator-owned horror, The Principles of Necromancy – a dive into the promise and consequence of playing god with the blood of innocents. But the Hivemind book this reminds me of most is Clayface: One Bad Day. This is a deeply human story with intensely raw emotions – five best friends and their five mysterious parents, tearing one another apart for the promise of some impossible glory that’s waiting just beyond their darkest actions. We’re thrilled to be bringing this story to life with our long-time partner in crime, editor Heather Antos, at IDW Dark – and we’re particularly excited to give our Clayface fans a new, brutal and emotional horror made just for them.”
Adds Collin Kelly, “We’re deconstructing a feeling that seems universal these days; our elders have a death grip on their power, without any intention of giving it up to the generations that come next. YNLTPA is about growing up with the limitless potential of the future… and realizing how much it’s a lie we’ve been fed to keep us under the yoke of the past. Bringing this brutal experience to life is our artist and co-creator, Heather Vaughan, who brings an incredible amount of humanity to our cast. But it’s in our youthful leads that Heather’s art really shines – you are going to fall in love with these young people, even as they go through the worst experience of their lives. What we’ve all crafted together is going to be tragic, painful, but above all else, sincere – with a future so uncertain, there’s only one thing we can trust: you’ll never leave this place alive.”
“Some horror stories are about monsters in the dark. YNLTPA is about realizing the monsters raised you,” previews Senior Group Editor Heather Antos. “Working with Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly on this series has been a dream in the darkest possible way. They’ve built a story that’s layered, brutal, and deeply emotional, and every issue gives artist Heather Vaughan opportunities to push the art into places that feel both haunting and deeply personal. Some horror comics will keep you up at night…this is one that will stick with you for years to come.”
The first issue of You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive goes on sale October 14, 2026! Make sure to pre-order at your local comic shop by September to guarantee a copy.
Exclusively check out the various covers for Issue #1 down below.
IDW Publishing’s horror imprint IDW DARK features comics like A Quiet Place: Storm Warning, Smile: For the Camera, The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, The Twilight Zone, Event Horizon: Dark Descent & Event Horizon: Inferno, and more.
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