Comics
Review: ‘Ex Sanguine’ #5
The best vampire love story on the market comes to an intense conclusion in the final chapter of the five part story arc of Tim Seeley’s Ex Sanguine. This story is flirted with a new type of vampire mythology and loaded with themes of forbidden love. Though this may seem a tad similar so many garbage pop culture vampire stories, it is anything but. It takes a lot of guts and creativity on Tim Seeley’s part to take a very taboo topic and make it into something that reflects well on the horror genre.
WRITTEN BY: Joshua Scott Emmons and Tim Seeley
ART BY: Tim Seeley
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
PRICE: 3.99
RELEASE DATE: February 13th
“Ex Sanguine” has improved from issue to issue, at first setting up a solid plot line and back ground for the story. Every issue adds extra depth and dimension to a clever plot that mixes multiple themes like, isolation, interspecies coupling, and forbidden love. This issue is the calumniation of all these themes as the ex-sanguine murder investigations come to a thrilling conclusion and Saul Adams strives to fill the void his vampiric affliction has left in his life. The pace of the book is steady builds up throughout the issue as the last pieces of the puzzle are placed together, then in a cataclysmic final confrontation the unresolved questions of this book are laid to rest. Is it the end though? This book does contain an epilogue but I would bet that this isn’t the last we’ve seen of the Saul Adams.
Tim Seeley and JSE have done an excellent job creating and scripting this book, the dialogue is fresh and well-constructed with plenty of humor as well as intrigue laced throughout. Neither this issue nor any of its predecessors contained a dull moment, keeping the reader engaged. The underlying themes throughout the book add that little extra bit that makes this book so very different from a standard vampire story without falling into the bullshit Twilight nonsense category. Many of the issues in the story are relatable to daily life in their own way, feeling of wanting to belong or be accepted, wanting love where it is forbidden and creating a legacy to be remembered by. Though none of us are vampires, there is still a sense of empathy since these are still human issues that Seeley and JSE entwine into their story.
The art of this book is excellent both in the illustrations and in the colour. Unfortunately this issue didn’t contain much of Saul in his vampire form, which I still find to be a great interpretation of vampirism, it did stick to its staple of heavily detailed shadows to add to the dark nature but keeping colours vibrant simultaneously.
Bravo to Tim Seeley and his partner in crime Josh Scott Emmons, this is a very well created, well written and well-illustrated story. I hope there will be another dose to come soon!
4.5/5 Skulls
Reviewed by – GreenBastard
The supernatural world of Korean folk horror movie Exhuma grows larger with the arrival of prequel spinoff webtoon Maengjong this weekend, Variety reports today.
Naver Webtoon debuts Maengjong on May 30.
The series hails from Haemuri (Olgami) and will trace the high school origins of how shaman duo Hwarim and Bonggil, played by Kim Go-eun and Lee Do-hyun in the 2024 film, came together to face occultish threats.
The story is set to begin when “Hwarim, who has been concealing her identity following a childhood encounter with a snake spirit called Jin, crosses paths with Bonggil at their school.”
Variety notes that Exhuma director Jang Jae-hyun participated in the project’s early concept stage.
“We are presenting ‘Maengjong,’ a new series capturing the appeal of the horror-occult genre, ahead of the full summer season,” said Lee Jeong-geun, Naver Webtoon’s Korea webtoon content leader. “With the high school story of Hwarim and Bonggil, who left a strong impression in the film ‘Exhuma,’ enhanced by Haemuri’s characteristic tense direction, we expect it will be a welcome work for genre fans.”
“It is meaningful that the spin-off story of ‘Exhuma,’ loved by many audiences, expands by meeting the new grammar of webtoon,” said Lee Hyeon-jeong, managing director of the film business division at Showbox, which distributed the film. “We hope it will be a fresh experience for both film fans and webtoon readers.”
Exhuma was a breakout hit in 2024, becoming the first Korean occult film to surpass 10 million ticket buyers and the country’s highest-grossing film of the year. I wrote in my review that “the intricately woven Exhuma delivers one of the year’s biggest surprises in horror so far.”
The bond between Hwarim and Bonggil was one of the film’s highlights, making this prequel webtoon a must for fans.
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