SORRY, WE’VE MOVED HOUSE!
You can find our review of Worship Me here;
http://www.erebushorror.com/2020/05/worship-me/
Come join us at our new place!
SORRY, WE’VE MOVED HOUSE!
You can find our review of Worship Me here;
http://www.erebushorror.com/2020/05/worship-me/
Come join us at our new place!
SORRY, WE’VE MOVED HOUSE!
You can find our review of The Crows here;
http://www.erebushorror.com/2020/05/the-crows/
Come join us at our new place!
SORRY, WE’VE MOVED HOUSE!
You can find our review of The Horror Writer here;
http://www.erebushorror.com/2020/05/the-horror-writer/
Come join us at our new place!
Mongrel: Son of a Bitch
Review by : Daniel Kraevyn
Created By: Edward Dunphy and Michael Kudelka
Story By: Edward Dunphy (here is his website: www.labbratz.com)
Art: Andrew Mitchell Kudelka (and his website: www.amkudelka.com)
To Donate to the Kickstarter: click here
Werewolf stories are very hit or miss, mostly belonging in the latter category. In all honesty, most of them suck, which is an unfortunate thing, as one would think that the mythos would be rife with stories that would write themselves. I guess one of the traps that practically every werewolf story falls into is that they all struggle to capture the feelings of the original Wolf Man film. Many movies, books, and comics have tried to craft a good werewolf story, and most have failed, although there have been some exceptions (notably, the first Howling film, and the Werewolf television series). Perhaps trying to capture this ubiquitous “feeling” is the very thing that leads most lycanthrope stories to vapid response.
Enter Mongrel: Son of Bitch, an indy comic by Edward Dunphy and Andrew Mitchell Kudelka. According the preface, Mongrel was originally written in the early 90’s but due to complications (read: long story of company troubles) the other two issues never saw the light of day. Now, it has been revised, colorised, and with the help of kickstarter, the first two issues are out, and the third is currently seeking funding.
This is a 1990’s era detective story, and I must say, one of the better lycanthrope tales to be released. The mood is evocative of a noir tale, the gruff monologue of a protagonist, interspersed with alternative narratives; yet the comic is injected with a modern, gritty, visceral feel. As with comics, pacing can be tedious, but this story overcomes any issues quickly. Of note: the gore. The violence is spectacular, and witholds nothing, and Kudelka shows his artistic prowess by how he is able to pose his characters, along with a very artistic and original of showing the blood splatter outside of the panels. While “nothing” is happening (no action), the characters pose normally; then the action sequences shine as Kudelka displays the sequences with precision and dramatic flare. I must also note that the werewolves themselves are awesome. I will say that perhaps the greatest challenge to werewolf movies has been to have truly scary, realistic werewolves, and Mongrel does just as the movie Dog Soldiers and the T.V. series Werewolf did for the Lycanthropes, they are fantastic.
Mongrel is a three-issue digital comic, with two issues out, and the third in it’s funding stage on Kickstarter. I recommend this read, and even to support these guys. Indy comics need all the help they can get, because there are some gems out there. I will include links below should you wish to get involved. At least read them, and enjoy a good werewolf story. As I prefaced this review, good werewolf stories are tough to come by, so be sure to experience the good ones.
To Donate to the Kickstarter: click here
Mongrel Website
Mongrel on Facebook
Mongrel on Twitter
After my last short story I was given to review, I was pretty hesitant to get into Staring Into The Abyss. This book contains 20 short stories. All of them are written well, but I found some confusing. Thomas definitely wanted to let your brain come to its own conclusions about some of these stories.
The trouble with reviewing stories and movies in the horror genre is sometimes you can become slightly “numbed” to some contents. This compilation of stories are dark, and would be a good fit for someone first getting into horror. Not all horror is blood and guts, which you’ll soon find with the quick descriptions I’ve included for you guys.
Maker Of Flight – Alone in a room, a man is forced to make robotic blue birds all day, every day. Some people would consider that a vacation..
Steel-Toed Boots – If you’re trying to get your dick sucked by a male stranger, there’s always a chance it could be your pregnant wife.
Freedom – I think a suicidal just got saved by a prostitute.
Committed – Yet another reason for me to be paranoid when going to the post office.
Splintered – Allows you to skip ahead or keep reading a story about a guy whose relationship has gone sour, kind of a confusing one.
Fallible – If you fall asleep with a lit cigarette, you’re gonna have a bad time.
Stillness – Another confusing one. Guys alone in his apartment (or the entire city for that matter) you don’t know why, eventually he gets taken down by a group of storm troopers? Da fuck?
Fringe – The Russians implanted a microchip in your head, what the fuck has been going on in your life?
Underground Wonder Bound – This isn’t a horror story at all. This is about a couple going to an underground club to have sex with strangers. Hey, you’re into what you’re into I’m not here to pass judgment; just cause I’m not down with it doesn’t make it horrifying.
Amazement – Heroine will make you kill yourself and others.
Victimized – Some chick who has been abused her whole life enters a no rules fighting ring to fight her ex.
Twenty-Dollar Bill – Have you ever stopped and thought about whose hands that twenty-dollar bill in your pocket has touched? (not as entertaining as it sounds).
Interview – Babysitter killer, Quentin Tarantino style.
Paying Up – An absent father finally finds his daughter, as a stripper. Absolute horror story for a father, not for a 22-year-old female.
Ten Steps – A kid’s adulthood is affected by his childhood.
Honor – A wife decides to follow in her mother’s footsteps, and her brother kills her client.
Stephen King Ate My Brain – self-explanatory. My favorite of the bunch.
Twenty Reasons To Stay And One To Leave – A husband dealing with his failing marriage, caused by the death of their son.
Transmogrify – Can you technically be considered a lesbian if you’re a robot that looks female?
Rudy Jenkins Buries His Fears – I think a 10 year old killed a werewolf that’s been fondling him every night.
Links to pass the time on lonely nights:
Kraken Press
Kraken Press Facebook
Kraken Press Twitter
Richard’s Website