Comics
Review: ‘Black Science’ #6
“Black Science” concludes its first arc with a resounding bang that changes the status quo of the book forever. An epic conflict between Kadir and Grant leaves the team in complete disarray. Inside this anarchy are bold choices that many books aren’t brave enough to make, but Rick Remender makes them look easy.
WRITTEN BY: Rick Remender
ART BY: Matteo Scalera
PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: $3.50
RELEASE: April 30, 2014
The implications of Remender’s larger world in this first arc have been tremendously far reaching. “Black Science” prides itself off of infinite possibilities that can fold in on themselves countless times, creating dynamically different versions of the same characters in countless numbers of worlds. Yet, in all of these possibilities, I don’t think many will see the end of this issue coming.
It’s important because it takes chances, it gets messy, and it has the opportunity to be undone, but as “Black Science” pushes forward it will be remarkably different and filled with pain. It’s a beautiful thing too, because it adds to the dire circumstances of the adventure even more.
But enough about the end. The book itself is a beautiful and unrelenting battle between assholes too busy to see their similarities. Kadir and Grant will stop at nothing to make the other come around to their viewpoint, but they’re two sides of the same coin. Their fight takes place in this fantastic Monkey-spirit world that sees them interrupting the natural balance of things. Surprise! They make the original inhabitants of the world angry, and now have to deal with that on top of one another.
Matteo Scalera proves that he’s one of the best artists in comics right now with the opening page of this issue. The reflection of Kadir and Grant in the iris of a soul monkey is powerful and thematically provocative. Scalera soaks in this insanity and pushes to make the conflict dynamic and energetic. The two men don’t stop for a second, and we watch as their pushes through glass, into water, and even confront a Monkey Grant. Which is where the art really shines: character design. The immediate recognition that Grant shares with this creature is sold by his facial expression, but sharp-eyed readers may have already pinpointed the monkey’s similarities to Grant. Gah, it’s near perfect and further deepens the world. Non human avatars of ourselves!?
This concludes one of the most action heavy first arcs of a comic I’ve read in recent memory. “Black Science” is so much more than a love letter to science fiction and reads like a love letter to just plain good storytelling. Remender proves he isn’t afraid of taking risks in a world where he’s already known for it, and because of this his work continues to surprise, gutpunch, and entertain. You’d be a fool not to believe in his eververse, and even more foolish not to rush out and buy this issue now. It packs a punch, and serves as a shining example of what good looks like in comics.
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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