Comics
Review: Clive Barker’s ‘Next Testament’ #1
A combination of dark fantasy and horror, Next Testament #1 will sneak inside your head and get your heart racing. Smart, edgy, and frightening – this is exactly what you expect to come from the mind of Clive Barker, one of the greatest horror storytellers of our time (kudos also goes to his writing partner Mark Miller). Definitely get your hands on “Next Testament” because this comic is going to be epic.
Written By: Clive Barker and Mark Miller
Art By: Haemi Jang
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Price: $3.99
Release: May 29, 2013
Following a vision he dreamed about, Julian Demond, a wealthy and eccentric old man, walks across the endless desert. Could this crazy old man actually be a chosen prophet? Or, is he just another religious nut? There is something to be frightened about Julian because he truly believes he is being guided by a higher power. Julian suddenly sees something buried in the sand and is compelled to dig it up. What he unearths is a powerful god, who may or may not bring about the apocalypse.
Barker and co-writer Mark Miller ask themselves, “What if God returned to Earth?” But, this God that Barker and Miller are writing about is from the Old Testament. This god is neither compassionate, nor forgiving as a bloody war is waged upon humanity. The religious themed premise is quite broad and grand in scope, but the writers find a way to centralize the idea through their characters. The narrative is also about a prodigal son trying to reconnect with a father he abandoned years ago.
Having read the novella, “The Last Illusion,” I am really happy that Barker has brought in his wicked sense of humor. Tristan Demond and his wife, Elspeth, have such a snappy and hilarious banter between them. The issue really stands out because of the quirky dialogue between the two as they search for clues about Julian’s whereabouts. Readers will instantly like these protagonists and wonder if something bad is going to happen to them.
Artist Haemi Jang has an interesting character design for the powerful god that Julian unearths. A mishmash of primary colors, the heavenly figure looks like a walking and talking stained glass window. In wide shots, Jang captures the isolation and scorching heat of the desert landscape. Notice Julian’s facial expressions after he finally meets his personal god. Jang depicts Julian as if he has had found inner pace and meaning in his life.
Because of their pseudo-detective story, Jang portrays Tristan and Elspeth as if they are “The Thin Man” couple, Nick and Nora. During the couple’s scenes, Jang plays around with the film noir aspects, such as the crooked and high angle shots. Jang always keeps Tristan and Elspeth together in the same panel. The pair have their eyes looking at each other, as if their minds are in sync.
Horror fans are going to want to get their hands on this one. “Next Testament” #1 hooks its readers with an interesting and foreboding premise. If you haven’t read any of Clive Barker’s works (really?!?), then this is the perfect place to start.
4/5 Skulls
Reviewed by – Jorge Solis
Comics
‘Curse of the Where Wolf’ Bites Into August Release With Trio of Werewolf Theatrical Screenings [Exclusive Preview]
Larry Chaney‘s hairy misadventures are continuing in the sequel graphic novel Curse of the Where Wolf from creative team Rob Saucedo, Debora Lancianese, and Jack Morelli, and its author is celebrating with a trio of horror’s greatest werewolf films.
The Curse of the Where Wolf hits shelves on August 7 from Encyclopocalypse Publications.
That coincides with the launch of a theatrical screening event in Houston, Texas, featuring a trio of seminal werewolf flicks turning 45 this year: The Howling on August 7, Wolfen on August 14, and An American Werewolf in London on August 21.
Each screening features a “werewolf in film” presentation as well as a book signing from Where Wolf author and River Oaks Theatre artistic director Rob Saucedo.
In the new graphic novel, “Being a werewolf sucks. Reporter Larry Chaney wanted to be a hero. Instead, he became a werewolf. Now, caught between incredible new powers and a desire to eat everything (and everyone) in sight, Larry must find a cure for his curse. Or die trying.”
“With Where Wolf, I wanted to tell a whodunit set in a furry convention, so the story was pretty contained within a very specific setting and genre. With Curse of the Where Wolf, I wanted to celebrate everything I love about the possibility of comic books. Curse of the Where Wolf is a funny book, in every sense of the phrase, but it’s also an earnest look at a person’s struggle to become a better version of themselves, especially when the alternative is to become a literal monster,” Saucedo says of Curse.
The original graphic novel was previously serialized as the first webcomic hosted on Fangoria before being collected by Encyclopocalypse Publications in 2023 and has already been optioned for film, podcast, and television development ahead of launch by producers James Fino (“The Freak Brothers” for Tubi, “Rick and Morty” for Adult Swim) and Charles Horak (First Date for Magnolia Pictures).
Expect Larry to find himself in even weirder situations in the 362-page full color sequel; Saucedo has provided Bloody Disgusting with exclusive art pages from the upcoming graphic novel that showcase lupine humor.
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