Comics
5 Skull Review: “Rat Queens” #7
Last issue it was revealed that a grieving Gerrig is the latest threat to Palisade when he blinded Bernadette and kidnapped Sawyer and now, with the help of Dee’s estranged husband Kiah, we now know what he plans to do and how. In this issue Lola gets some serious ass-kicking spotlight and a great deal of Dee’s history is discussed, as well as the most epic cliffhanger to date. As expected, “Rat Queens” #7 doesn’t miss a beat.
WRITTEN BY: Kurtis J. Wiebe
ART BY: Roc Upchurch
PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: #3.50
RELEASE: July 16, 2014
Reviewed By Epic Switzer
This issue delivers everything you love about “Rat Queens” and then some. The characters are as true to themselves, the action is brisk and exciting, the dialogue is tight, everything about it is just perfect. Before I go into detail, if you are reading “Rat Queens”, continue enjoying. If you are not, what the fuck? This is the most fun you’ll have reading a comic book all month, so get on it stupid.
There are no throwaway characters in this book, and Kiah is no exception. Functioning primarily in a expository capacity, Wiebe still masterfully gives him life and depth. Likewise, Gerrig is a worthy adversary and easily the most dangerous threat the Rat Queens have faced. The pacing of this series is remarkable in that the stakes continue to raise without sacrificing the charm, relationships, or character building. This is one of the most digestible and well crafted books on shelves.
There are no throwaway characters in this book, and Kiah is no exception. Functioning primarily in a expository capacity, Wiebe still masterfully gives him life and depth. Likewise, Gerrig is a worthy adversary and easily the most dangerous threat the Rat Queens have faced. The pacing of this series is remarkable in that the stakes continue to raise without sacrificing the charm, relationships, or character building. This is both one of the most digestible and well crafted books on shelves.
Half of the charm and class of this book is due to artist Roc Upchurch. By way of comparison, there is a lot of Francis Manipul and even some Gabriel Rodriguez in the style and panelling, which incidentally are two of my favorite artists. Upchurch can put a peppermint candy-person and a curb stomp in the same book and make both look appropriate and delightful. I’m really digging the ceremonial death mask Garrig is wearing and the Cthulhu monster. I can’t wait to see more of both.
It’s sometimes hard to talk about a book that is consistently perfect. I’ll continue to discuss the elements I was really drawn to each month, but for this book in particular I think it would be really cool to get some discussion going. Leave a comment at the bottom about whatever you’d like and then come back next month to keep the conversation going. I could write 500 words every month about how great it is, but this book really deserves some dialogue. I look forward to hearing what you think.
Epic Switzer AKA Eric is an aspiring filmmaker and screenplay writer living in Los Angeles. His work tends to focus on the lighter side of entropy, dystopic futures, and man’s innate struggle with his own mortality. He can be found on twitter @epicswitzer or reached via email at ericswitzerfilm@gmail.com.
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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