Comics
Review: ‘Evil Jester Presents’ #1
Short stories are one of the best forms of storytelling. They offer fast-paced tales that don’t beat around the bush. Horror comic anthologies used to be all the rage with books like “Eerie” and “Tales from the Crypt”, and thankfully they are seeing resurgence. The newest player in the game is “Evil Jester Presents”, and it’s an impressive debut issue with stories from Jack Ketchum, Jonathan Maberry, William F. Nolan and Joe McKinney. All four are quick and to the point which is just was short horror comics should be. Though Evil Jester is new, their story choice for the premiere issue are well thought out and freaky, which bodes well for the new kid on the block.
WRITTEN BY: Jack Ketchum, Jonathan Maberry, William F. Nolan and Joe McKinney
ART BY: Beni Lobel, Esteve Polls, Salva Navarro and Nacho Arranz
PUBLISHER: Evil Jester Comics
PRICE: 3.99
RELEASE: Out now
All four stories are a good fit for a first issue. Two are quick and dirty while the other two offer a little more length, but one thing they all share is an excellent representation of the horror genre. I’m going to focus on the two stories I most enjoyed from this book, the first and the third.
“The Box” by author Jack Ketchum has both a simple and alluring title. It’s cryptic in the sense that the box is shown at the outset, but never returns to the narrative. The tale follows a father who slowly watches his family slip away from him while despair fills his every nook and crany. The story itself is simple but the premise is anything but. As the tale unfolds, the situation becomes more shocking until the final few panels. The art by Beni Lobel is solid, but some of the coloring has a certain digital look that takes way from the horror. Still, Lobel does an excellent job of showing the decaying effects that the box has had on the family.
William F. Nolan’s “Small World” is a bleak take on the future of humanity as aliens wipe out everyone on Earth above the age of 6. The story follows what could be the last adult on Earth as he makes his way through the wasteland that the once highly populated planet has become. As the tale flashes between present and past the scope of the story expands, making you feel for this last bastion of humanity. The end of story is simply stunning. Salva Navarro has a realistic style infused with a nice sinister look. He makes the present dark and bleak, while the flash backs have a brighter look to offer an appropriate contrast.
“Evil Jester Presents” has my attention. It’s given me the urge to dive into classic anthologies for more short horror stories and any comic that makes me want to read more has done its job. With such talented creators on board, Evil Jester is definitely a publisher to keep your eye on in 2014.
You can pick up the first issue on the Evil Jester website.
3.5/5 Skulls
Reviewed by – Green Basterd
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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