From the publisher that drove Tales from the Crypt, Vault of Horror, Haunt of Fear, and many more into the depraved hearts of an unsuspecting world, the immortal EC Comics returns! Epitaphs From the Abyss #1 kicks off the first ALL-NEW series in nearly 70 years! But, in this age of gore-porn and brutal, scary, horror, does the classic still deliver chills and thrills? It’s a whole new era of terror!

Featuring four tales to keep you up at night, Epitaphs From the Abyss #1 is a fun return to classic horror. It’s twists and turns that’ll get you to think more than make you afraid of unknown noises, but it’s a hell of a lot of fun.

Kicking off with “Killer Spec” from J. Holtham, Jorge Fornes, and Dan Jackson, Epitaphs From the Abyss #1 is predictable at times, but still has more than enough to surprise readers. It’s pretty easy to see where the debut story goes but it’s the ending and twists and turns that entertain in an unexpected way. I have no fond memories of EC Comics and remember HBO’s Tales From the Crypt at times scaring the shit out of me as a kid, but I appreciated the “lessons” one would learn at the end. While The Twilight Zone delivered parables with a sci-fi twist, EC to me was the horror cousin of that. Here we get to see where jealousy takes a wannabe writer and makes readers wonder how meta this tale is…

“Senator, Senator” is perfect for this election year. Chris Condon, Peter Krause, and Michelle Madsen explore why an elected official flip-flops on a key issue. Again, like the opening story, it’s not hard to guess where the story is going but it’s the details that stand out. It delivers a nice jab at the current political climate.

“Family Values” by Stephanie Phillips, Phil Hester, Travis Hymel, and Marissa Louise feels like something we’d see in a modern day horror film. Hell, we might have. But, the ending is damn near perfect in multiple ways. A father must choose which family member to kill, or himself, while they’re taken hostage by unknown individuals. Why and for what purpose? You’ll need to read and find out!

Finally, “US vs. US” is another fantastic jab, pun intended, at the current state of the United States. Two individuals must take on a group of freaks and things aren’t what they appear. Brian Azzarello, Vlad Legostaev, and Brittany Peery deliver a story that is very unexpected in the direction it goes and what’s revealed.

Epitaphs From the Abyss #1 might feel tame compared to today’s horror, it’s much more comedic and less about scares, but it mines the classic concept of EC Comics perfectly delivering four tales that’ll entertain and get you to think. Each is varied in story, art, and tone, and each delivers unexpected moments that’ll keep readers guessing. It’s rare when there’s no weak stories in an anthology, and Epitaphs From the Abyss #1 has none. It’s a fantastic start to the classic brand that’ll hopefully breathe new life into this type of horror.

Story: J. Holtham, Chris Condon, Stephanie Phillips, Brian Azzarello
Art: Jorge Fornes, Peter Krause, Phil Hester, Vlad Legostaev
Ink: Travis Hymel Color: Dan Jackson, Michelle Madsen, Marissa Louise, Brittany Peer
Letterer: Richard Starkings, Tyler Smith
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Oni Press provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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