Comics
Cronenberg’s ‘The Fly’ Continues With IDW Publishing’s “The Fly: Outbreak”
This is one I’ve had to be tight lipped on for some time. I was genuinely surprised today when they announced the book, but that doesn’t undercut my excitement. This is something that will change the face of licensed horror comics. The creative team of Brand Seifert and Menton3 will bring the world of Cronenberg’s masterwork to the forefront and hopefully continue the story in a really interesting way. To say I’m excited is an understatement.
The story that began in David Cronenberg‘s film update of The Fly continues here with a five-issue miniseries The Fly: Outbreak written by Brandon Seifert (Hellraiser,Witch Doctor) with painted interior and cover art by menton3 (Silent Hill, Monocyte). Issue one will hit in March and will boast variant covers by Jason Edmiston and Lukas Ketner.
Years ago, a scientist had a horrific accident when he tried to use his newly invented teleportation device and became a human/fly hybrid. Now his almost-human son continues to search for a cure for the mutated genes. But a breakthrough turns into a breakout, and anyone exposed risks turning into a monster as well…
“To be totally honest, The Fly is one of the most disturbing things I’ve ever seen!” said Seifert. “It was really resonant for its time. And in the last 20 years or so, with all the advances in Genetically Modified Organisms, the film has taken on a lot of meaning it didn’t originally have. It’s really exciting to explore those elements in this miniseries — and great to have an amazing, super-distinctive artist like menton3 on the visuals!”
“Equal parts gory allegory and tragic love story, The Fly Vwas perhaps David Cronenberg’s crowning achievement,” editor Denton J. Tipton said. “That’s a lot to live up to, but I believe Brandon and Menton are equal to the task. The script is sharp and poignant, and the art is visceral and haunting. No one is safe!”
Nothing spreads faster than fear… be part of the outbreak March 2015.
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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