Comics
Review: ‘Bedlam’ #11
When “Bedlam” first came onto the scene I was a big fan of the direction of the book. It was a fresh take on the psychotic serial killer persona and the horror elements within it were well mixed with mystery and suspense. Unfortunately I feel as though Nick Spencer has really lost his way with this book and has completely 180’d the story from its first arc.
WRITTEN BY: Nick Spencer
ART BY: Ryan Browne
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
RELEASE DATE: January 22
PRICE: 3.50
Formerly known as Madder Red, the insane serial killer, Fillmore has made an effort to become a rational and helpful man. Working with police the suspect of being a mastermind behind a brainwashing epidemic has been tracked to a school. Now with everything out in the open and a final confrontation underway Fillmore needs to choose between his present self and his supressed past.
Though the writing itself is well done the story has lost a lot of its spark that was prevalent in the first story arc, this whole brainwashing premise that Spencer is shoving down the readers throat just doesn’t compare to his first story line or the history of Madder Red. The most enjoyable part of these books are the flash backs that lead off each issue giving us more insight on Madder Red and his nemesis The First. The presence of the man with pixilated face that even Fillmore can’t distinguish is a great idea but just doesn’t resonate with me personally.
When it comes to the art, the effort put forth by Ryan Browne is commendable. It’s an incredibly sketchy style that, mixed with a less realistic look. The man is talented, there is no doubt there, but sometimes the sketchiness gets a tad excessive and takes away from the illustrations. The colouring by Jean-Paul Csuka is awesome. An incredible array of colours within the same panel that is juxtaposed with other panels which only have one colour throughout it.
“Bedlam” has slowly gone from the top of my reading list to the bottom. Hopefully the ship will be find its course again so I can jump back on the boat.
2/5 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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