Comics
5 Skull Advance Review: “Nailbiter” #1
Why do we have such a fascination with serial killers? Why do small towns harbor so many secrets? And why did the small town of Buckaroo Oregon birth sixteen of the world’s meanest murderers. Joshua Williamson slowly builds the answers to these questions in his unbelievably chilling and stellar new series “Nailbiter.”
WRITTEN BY: Joshua Williamson
ART BY: Mike Henderson
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: May 7th, 2014
It’s clear where Williamson draws his influence. David Fincher’s Se7en comes to mind, along with Twin Peaks, and Zodiac. Yet, these influences are left in a pot to simmer for some time and birth something entirely new. It’s a beautiful concoction that lingers on what makes a serial killer. We’d like to think it’s nurture and the town of Buckaroo Oregon certainly seems like the place to push someone into serial killing, but what if it’s more than that?
That’s the general conceit of the series. Within short order we’re introduced to Edward Charles Warren, the titular “Nailbiter” and the man who took him down, officer Carroll. Yet, after a gruesome confrontation with Warren’s crimes the story fast forwards three years later to a man obsessed with unraveling the town’s secret. He calls Nicholas Finch in a huff; sure he’s figured it all out. So Finch packs up and leaves for hell on earth.
Except when he arrives Carroll is no where to be found. He’s left to wander the haunting city on his own accord and meets some of the more colorful townsfolk. We learn that Finch may not be the all around good guy he says he is, and seems to have a dark history all on his own.
So within this complex narrative you’ll be constantly searching for answers. Williamson does a beautiful job at balancing the narrative between his intense cast of characters and ensures that the town itself is given the most time to develop.
Mike Henderson has seemingly mastered the task of being an horror artist. He plays with paneling to brilliantly pull off some major genre tropes from film, and gets away with them squeaky clean. His work is chilling and moody, and manages to instill the horror in the expressions of his characters. He begins the issues with the bombastic debut of The Nailbiter, and while the whole display is chilling in and of itself. It’s the small moments like the sting of a bee that really stays with you after the issue is over.
Speaking of which. This issue ends with a complete smack to the side of the head. Easily one of the best final pages I’ve ever seen. I was left in awe, and completely taken aback. Everything I thought I knew about the book was called into question with the final page.
“Nailbiter” will get under your skin. That’s where it’s most comfortable. It’ll fill you with a vague sense of dread as it drags you into the fascinating world of serial killers. It’ll hold you tightly in it’s grip and compel you to think about the more unsettling parts of human existence. It’s chilling, unique, and a total revelation for horror comics.
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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