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[Editorial] ‘Hack/Slash’: The Last Stand of the Slasher Slayers

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As the slasher slayers reach their final issue today, the timing is right to reflect on the Hack/Slash series. For horror fans, this comic is a fun-filled tribute to the slasher genre. These unstoppable slashers were suddenly facing a masked giant holding a machete and the final girl carried a baseball bat wrapped in bared wire.

What really sold the series to me was how writer Tim Seeley handled the interaction between Vlad and Cassie. They were inseparable when it came down to stopping the slashers. But in their personal lives, the two were a car crash waiting to happen. They couldn’t stand being in the same together, but there was an emotional bond that kept them together. Readers felt for these characters as they witnessed their own tragedies. Seeley always drove their love/hate relationship forward with such smart dialogue.

The “Hack/Slash” series had a provocative look that attracted readers. You had the sex appeal and the gore running through the pages. The artwork became incredibly stylish because the aim was for sexy pin-up art. In her illustrations, Cassie has to be voluptuous, while being soaked in blood. But, there is more to Cassie than being a sex object.

One of my favorite story arcs in the series is “My First Maniac.” Seeley mixes the horrors of being an adolescent with the scares of the Friday the 13th movies. Aimed as an origin tale, Seeley took an in-depth look back at Cassie’s roots. Behind her toughness, Cassie is actually a vulnerable young girl in her own coming-of-age story. What’s great about Cassie’s first-person narration is how she reflects the whirlwind of teenage emotions, from angst to awkward first crushes.

The major selling points are Mark Englert’s bright colors and Daniel Leister’s flashy artwork. In close-ups, Leister captures Cassie’s heartbroken expressions as she yearns to fit in with others. Englert’s use of primary colors, especially with blue tones, comes across as an endearing homage to ’80s horror movies.

What I also found interesting is how other artists have interpreted Cassie and Vlad. Kyle Strahm slightly changed the look of the slasher slayers, presenting them with more of a punkish, grungy design. Elena Casagrande puts a major focus on women’s clothing, which makes Cassie look feels modern, hip, and cheeky. In Ariel Zucker-Brull’s depiction, Cassie has on heavy eyeliner , giving her an edgy and modelish look.

The series never took itself too seriously, because you had these over-the-top crossovers with other horror franchises. Cassie and Vlad took on Chucky, the serial killer doll, and Herbert West from Re-animator. My favorite of the crossovers is when Cassie and Vlad went after Hatchet’s Victor Crowley. In “Hack/Slash Annual 2011: Hatchet/Slash,” Victor Crowley is killing unsuspecting tourists who wander into his marked territory. The dialogue by writer Benito Cereno has such excellent comedic banter between Cassie and Vlad. There is genuine excitement building as Cassie attempts to rescue the missing tourists, who are arguing amongst themselves. Because I enjoyed this crossover so much, I wanted to check out the Hatchet movies as well.

The emotional core of the “Hack/Slash” series has always the relationship between Vlad and Cassie. You cared for these characters, which is something that rarely happens. A lot of credit goes to writing and artwork for pushing the slasher genre forward, while delivering the bloody goods at the same time.

Editorial by – Jorge Solis

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‘The Wicked Trinity’ – Preview New Archie Comics One-Shot Inspired by ‘The Craft’ [Exclusive]

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From Sabrina’s Magical World, Bloody Disgusting has learned this afternoon that Archie Comics will be releasing brand new one-shot comic The Wicked Trinity this coming June.

You’ll be able to meet The Wicked Trinity in the 32-page comic on June 12, 2024.

In The Wicked Trinity, “Sabrina’s magical nemesis Amber Nightstone and her sidekicks, Jade Kazane and Sapphire Gill, are intent on becoming the most powerful witches in the world. Isolated from so many around them, the three have formed a coven based on their individual needs for vengeance and true freedom.

“But when there is some dissent among the ranks, their small coven is threatened to be obliterated from within.”

The Wicked Trinity features a script by Sam Maggs, art by Lisa Sterle, colors by Ellie Wright, letters by Jack Morelli, main cover by Lisa Sterle, and variant cover by Soo Lee.

Archie Comics Senior Director of Editorial Jamie L. Rotante tells Bloody Disgusting, “When Editor-In-Chief Mike Pellerito came up with the idea of the Wicked Trinity—Amber Nightstone, Jade Kazane, and Sapphire Gill—I was immediately intrigued. I even had the good fortune to work on the script for Jade and Sapphire’s first appearance in last year’s SABRINA ANNUAL SPECTACULAR comic for younger readers. What I especially loved about these magical teens is that they could seamlessly transcend from classic-Archie stories into more mature, even horror stories. I was eager to start developing their world with a modern sensibility, taking cues from the great work of Kelly Thompson and Veronica Fish on our SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH series, and Sarah Kuhn and Carola Borelli on our recent DARKLING one-shot. Inspired by series like Charmed and films like The Craft, I knew there was so much potential to build up this coven in a story that beautifully blends magical fantasy with horror.”

Writer Sam Maggs previews, “Real witches writing real witches—that’s how we do things over at Archie Comics! I was named after a famous witch—Samantha from Bewitched—and so I grew up absolutely obsessed with everything witchcraft, devouring every book series I could about teen witches. That makes WICKED TRINITY a dream project for me. The power and energy of teen girls is absolutely unmatched (just look at the engine behind fandom culture) and being able to harness that metaphorically for a story like this is such a delight. Everything I write focuses on the power of female friendship, and this story is no exception. And what’s better than a morally grey female character? I struggle to think of anything. Cat familiars, maybe? Also, I’m totally a practicing witch now. So maybe if you read this, you’ll find yourself imbued with magical powers, too.*

Artist Lisa Sterle adds, “I can’t wait for people to be re-introduced to The Wicked Trinity! Witches, fashion, and Archie Comics; this is truly a magical trifecta and I’m so happy to have the opportunity to put my own personal stamp on this. I love to create stories in which girls find their own power, both from within themselves and through their friendships and coven. If you’re a fan of my Modern Witch tarot, you’ll find this comic just as magical.”

Exclusively check out the two covers for The Wicked Trinity one-shot comic below!

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