Comics
Review: “Henchmen Inc” #1
“Henchmen Inc” # 1 provides a brilliant behind the scenes look at the most abused role in comics, the henchman. And what could have easily been poorly done superhero satire actually becomes an interesting and thought provoking reimagining of a job no one would have ever wanted to do, until now.
WRITTEN BY: Tim Simmons
ART BY: Jim McMunn
PUBLISHER: Monkeybrain
PRICE: $0.99
RELEASE: June 18, 2014
It’s a tough world out there for anyone looking to get hired. Especially ex-cons. Yet, “Henchmen Inc” provides the solution in smart and interesting terms. I’m quite surprised no one has thought about this before. The core concept sees a down and out on his luck ex-con join a group of unionized henchmen who are on the up and up. You get free medical, benefits, and you’re not breaking the law.
It’s almost too good to be true, but as of this first issue Tim Simmons creates a world where this is not only possible but also preferred. He adds in small nuances to the henchmen game and subsequently redefines the tropes of the role. You’ll marvel at just how excellent these little spins on the conventions are.
Jim McMunn’s art style is cartoonish and adds a lot of emphasis to the world. He adorns his characters with a Saturday morning cartoon vibe that only adds to the reflexive tone of the story. His work in the opening pages will captivate, his paneling is complex but never confusing. He handles himself quite well with action too, but his real strength is designing the overstated cartoon costumes.
Together these men play with a familiar concept and manage to cast new light on a familiar albeit commonly forgotten character archetype of superhero comics. In doing so they manage to breathe new life into the world of superheroes by showcasing just how egotistical the superhumans are. There are hints at something more beneath the surface too. As the characters are very aware of the world they’re working in, Simmons ends his first issue with a cautionary series of panels.
This “Henchmen Inc” doesn’t have it all figured out just yet. Something bigger and badder than ever before looms on the horizon, and I imagine these thugs for hire are about to prove themselves heroes.
In any event these first issue is a strong analysis on what makes a lackey so integral to the superhero genre. It’s incredibly enjoyable, pretty damn funny, and a little heartfelt when it needs to be. Its an impressive package that shouldn’t be missed.
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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