Comics
Review: ‘The Creep’ #1
Time may have passed between The Creep #0 and #1 but the story picks up almost right where we left off. This is a strong character based detective story and this issue is not loaded with heart pounding action. I doubt any of the issues in this miniseries will be action-packed. Rather, Arcudi and Case’s “The Creep” is a slow burn that revolves around a dark and dirty mood. This book is not for everyone; if you’re new to comics “The Creep” #1 can be a tough read that doesn’t do much to develop a plot. But, I wouldn’t bail out just yet.
WRITTEN BY: John Arcudi
ART BY: Jonathon Case
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse
RELEASE: September 12th, 2012
Oxel, the detective namesake of this book, suffers from a condition that has deformed his facial features, making him an ugly sight to behold. However, this doesn’t change the fact that he’s still human. In the first few pages of the issue, Oxel displays his natural thirst for female companionship with the likes of Annie the hooker. This was one of the more titillating parts of the issue because it shows that Oxel cares more than he lets on. He snaps at his whore for spilling alcohol on a picture of Curtis; the boy who’s suicide he is investigating. Over the course of the issue the reader gets to know Oxel intimately as he pursues his investigation. The story moves at a lethargic pace as Oxel internally argues with the nature of this case and whether there truly is something to investigate. The lacking violence and the use of crafty flashbacks keep the issue going, but the only real conflict in issue #1 is when a kid on the street insults Oxel and tries to entice him into a confrontation. It seems Oxel momentarily loses his composure, but soon reins in his anger and walks away. As his headaches get worse, it seems Arcudi is building up some clever foreshadowing.
If you know Jonathan Case’s work, you know how well his panels flow and how well he captures elements of crime fiction. But if you’re not partial to the genre, it may be hard to spot. The style of the art lacks crudeness, and it does not come with a realistic edge you may expect from such a gritty detective book. Case works wonders as his art style changes during flashbacks; it takes on a sketchier look and the colour pallet takes more of a pastel hue. Perhaps it’s not the typical detective/noir art style, but Case brings Arcudi’s characters to life with exaggerated facial features.
Oxel comes decision that these “suicides” are worth looking into, which leads me to believe the story will pick up. New readers should be wary due to the lack of action, but fans of dark, and I mean really dark, detective fiction will undoubtedly enjoy the lethargy.
3/5 Skulls
Reviewed by – GreenBasterd and Lonmonster
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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.