Comics
Review: ‘Hellraiser: The Road Below’ #4
Hellraiser: The Road Below #4 concludes with surprising twists and drastic changes to Clive Barker’s universe. “The Road Below” started off in a different, yet highly original direction with the spotlight centered on Kirsty Cotton. Now at its conclusion, it seems the “Hellraiser” franchise can continue to thrive because of this fresh and imaginative approach.
WRITTEN BY: Brandon Seifert
ART BY: Haemi Jang
PUBLISHER: Boom! Studios
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: January 23, 2012
As Kirsty tries to figure out her new role as Pinhead, writer Brandon Seifert makes the dilemma an interesting metaphor for “the first day at your new job.” As the Cenobite Queen, Kirsty is making all kinds of mistakes, angering both the Wolfes and Nethercoates clans. Because she doesn’t have what it takes to be Elliot Spencer, Kirsty chooses her own side and makes up her own rules. As she clings onto her humanity, Kirsty is desperately trying to hold onto something that might not even be there anymore.
What’s surprising is how Seifert brings in his witty sense of humor. Seifert never dives into slapstick humor, nor is it straight-out horror comedy. It makes sense that Cordele would make a Star Trek reference, because she is a teenager. Even Kirsty pokes fun at the bondage and torture look that the “Hellraiser” movie is known for. The sarcastic humor never steals the show and always comes from within character.
Haemi Jang focuses on the relationship between Kirsty, Cordele, and Rhea. When the two are together in the panel, Kirsty and Rhea, the mother in distress, share the same eye level because they both have a feisty attitude and tough personality. When Cordele and Kirsty share the same panel, Kirsty looks at the teenager as if she is speaking to her younger self. All three have a connection to each other, which Jang visually represents in the panels.
The major highlight of the issue is when Jang introduces the new Cenobite. This new Cenobite has tentacle-like fingers and a bald head, a mirror image to Kirsty’s face. Though you never see how the flesh was torn off, Jang hints that the neck was ripped at and the chest was cut open. Towards the last pages, Jang illustrates my favorite character from Barker’s mythology. It’s right on the spot and I hope they keep this description in the future.
Ending on a satisfying note, “Hellraiser: The Road Below” #4 delivers on the disturbing imagery and compelling storytelling. “The Road Below” builds interest and anticipation for what’s to come in “Dark Watch.” With the collaboration between Seifert and Barker, they have brand new ideas and tons of unseen sights to show “Hellraiser” fans.
4.5/5 Skulls
Reviewed by – Jorge Solis
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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