Comics
Review: ‘Ex Sanguine’ #3
Romances don’t tend to find their way onto Bloody-Disgusting, lovey dovey bullshit doesn’t usually make its way into the horror genre (at least the horror we favor). There are exceptions to every rule however, and Tim Seeley has proven this by weaving the tale of love story between an ancient vampire and a young serial killer. Ex-Sanguine has captivated me from the get go with its fast paced story, fantastic art, and of course, its blood soaked romance.
WRITTEN BY: Tim Seeley and Joshua Scott Emmons
ART BY: Tim Seeley
PUBSLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
RELEASE DATE: December 13th
PRICE: 3.99
This story is jam packed with murder, mystery, and love. This issue is no different from the rest in terms of these three elements but there are several new elements stirred into the pot which have me enjoying it just a little bit more. First and foremost, this issue reveals some of Ashely’s (the serial killer) back story which helps to connect the dots with current events going on with the story. As this part of the story develops, we simultaneously learn of the existence of other super natural beasts through Saul Adam’s (vampire) story line. This layer of the story is developing quickly as Saul begins to link Ashley’s murder spree with motives. On the flip side, we learn more about the Feds, particularly the whole backstory to the female agent’s hatred of the vampire.
“Ex Sanguine” is moving at a stunning pace, Tim Seeley and Joshua Scott Emmons are doing a great job of weaving different story lines together without being over complex and causing confusion. Though these days in pop culture the idea of vampire love is overused, this is the first story that doesn’t use it as its selling point. The love story feels like it’s a part of the story as opposed to be THE story. This is a big move for horror fans who are scared that this is some spin off the forsaken Twilight books, or any other vampire bullshit that makes me want to run my head into a wall. “Ex Sanguine” is not like that in the slightest.
Tim Seeley does an excellent job with the art, his representation of vampirism is one that I’ve not seen the likes of before. It makes me happy to see Saul in his monstrous form more often than not. Tim makes excellent use of shading. Many characters remain on the cusp of sight but the use of shading makes them look much more intriguing. “Ex Sanguine” is constantly filled with blood, whether it be fountaining from a jugular or a simple stab wound, it’s flowing in every issue, especially this one. Hats off Tim.
This book is definitely a hit in my eyes with a fresh story that can draw in different types of horror hounds. Vampires tend to be overdone but this book does major justice to the genre.
3.5/5 Skulls
Reviewed by- GreenBasterd
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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