A seaside town is haunted by a terrible, terrible stench—and soon much more in Junji Ito’s classic horror manga GYO. Originally published in Japan in 2001 (and in English in 2003), Viz is bringing it back in a deluxe 400-page edition in April, with a new cover design and full-color endpapers.
Ito is one of the masters of unsettling horror in comics—see UZUMAKI or TOMIE— and in GYO the bad smell is just the beginning of an invasion of legged sea creatures and unimaginable horrors.
“GYO is a truly unsettling work of horror, and this new Deluxe Edition presents the definitive version of the story in a handsome format,” says Masumi Washington, Senior Editorial Director in a statement. “Ito’s art will transform your mind, and like the sea life and human characters in GYO, you will never be the same again.”
GYO was also adapted into animated film (see a spoiler segment below) and Viz is bringing out his Ito’s new collection FRAGMENTS OF HORROR this summer.
The enigmatic comics legend Basil Wolverton(1909-1978) is celebrated this week with the release of IDW’s Artist’s Edition Basil Wolverton’s Weird Worlds. IDW’s series of art books collects the best examples of original comics art that still exists, and reproduces that art at it’s original size(15″ by 22″ for this edition), preserving the little imperfections, and notes that might have been left on the original page. These newly printed artifacts are a perfect way to enjoy work by one of your favorite artists, and it serves as a perfect introduction to new fans.
Wolverton reached the pinnacle of his fame when he won Al Capp‘s legendary ugliest woman contest, drawing Lena the Hyena, which was featured on the cover of Life Magazine. His work was prominently featured in the early issues of Mad Magazine, and his Spacehawk & Powerhouse Pepper strips were published in various Timely comics during the 1930’s & 40’s. In the 1940’s, Basil Wolverton became a minister for Herbert W. Armstrong’s Radio Church of God, which took a literal interpretation of the apocalyptic parts of the Bible. Some of this point of view is reflected in Wolverton’s work, and that dark side certainly trickled into many of his commercial pieces, as well.
You can read more about the history of artist Basil Wolverton, and his interest in the end times here, which includes words from his son, Monte.
For more comics related art, you can follow me on my website comicstavern.com - Andy Yates
Comics spinning off from popular fantasy/horror/YA novelists have been a pretty strong category in recent years, and Patricia Briggs is back with a new Mercy Thompson comic from Dynamite, following up on several successful series from the last few years. Thompson is a shapeshifter raised by werewolves, and if that logline appeals to, this is the place for your supernatural
Dynamite Entertainment is proud to announce that Mercy Thompson #1, the first issue in a six-issue miniseries by fan-favorite author Patricia Briggs, will be released in print and digital formats on Wednesday, October 1, 2014. Co-written by Rik Hoskin and illustrated by Tom Garcia, the new Mercy Thompson comic book series is set within official continuity with the successful novel series, and features a story never before told in any other medium.
Originally announced in May 2014, the storyline – entitled “Hopcross Jilly” – follows the titular heroine, a shape-shifting coyote and honorary member of the Tri-Cities werewolf pack. When her pack stumbles upon the buried bones of numerous dead children, Mercy finds herself drawn into a mystery of the legendary fae… one that may result in her death. Longtime Mercy Thompson fans will be rewarded to see that Mercy’s step-daughter, Jesse, takes her place in the spotlight for the first time.
Patricia Briggs says, “‘Hopcross Jilly’ explores the darker side of the fae in a way I could never do with words alone. The graphics remind me of the horror comics I read in the seventies, and the impact adds immeasurably to the story. The synergy between Rik Hoskin, Tom Garcia, and I has been exciting from this side of the page – and the result is better than I dreamed it could be.”
Dynamite CEO/Publisher Nick Barrucci says, “Patricia is a fantastic writer who has woven an incredible tapestry within the world of Mercy Thompson. The brand new story she laid out is fantastic, and we’re fortunate that she’s involved every step of the way. She hand-picked Rik Hoskins and Tom Garcia to help craft this incredible tale. We’re honored that Patricia is working with us to bring this new chapter in Mercy’s life to fans around the world.”
Mercy Thompson #1 will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ August Previews catalog, the premiere source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in October. Comic book fans are encouraged to reserve copies of Mercy Thompson #1 with their local comic book retailers. Mercy Thompson will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, iVerse, and Dark Horse Digital.
