Tag Archives: elliot rahal

Archie Horror’s “Month of Mayhem” returns!

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Archie Comics rules Spooky Season once again with the return of Archie Horror’s Month of Mayhem, a fall event launching new spine-chilling horror comics in the run-up to Halloween. Kicked off by the imprint’s first trade paperback collection of short stories, the slate includes a battle with the forces of Hell, demonic toys, robots run amok, and a twisted version of Riverdale where nothing is what it seems.

The initiative launches with Chilling Adventures – The Anthology Collection, the long awaited trade paperback compendium of Archie Horror’s recent one-shots and short stories, on September 12. A delightful candy box of quick spooky thrills that can be dipped into over and over, the book has something for every horror fan across sub-genres, art styles, and tones. Month of Mayhem then continues with the next installment of writer Elliot Rahal’s Madam Satan saga as Hell follows the iconic Sabrina villain to the mortal plane in Madam Satan: Hell on Earth on September 20.

Leading the pack of new horror hits is Welcome to Riverdale on October 11, an eerie one-shot exploring the horrific implications of toxic positivity gone wrong in America’s ideal small town by writer Amy Chase and artist Liana Kangas.

Archie Horror’s first foray into children’s horror was last years Fear the Funhouse anthology one-shot, inspired by genuinely scary children’s horror like Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark?. This year’s Month of Mayhem event is rounded out by a return to that dark universe with Fear the Funhouse Presents… Toybox of Terror on October 18. It boasts three middle grade chillers written by Timmy Heague, owner of Arsenal Comics and Games, Danielle Paige, and Michael Northrop with art by Ryan Caskey, Tango, and Ryan Jampole.

Chilling Adventures – The Anthology Collection and Madam Satan: Hell on Earth are available for pre-order now from only the most haunted comic shops, and the rest of the Month of Mayhem lineup will be open to order on July 21. 

Review: The Paybacks #2

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The-Paybacks-v2-2It’s unlikely you’ve read a series quite like this before. The elevator pitch for The Paybacks would probably be something like “what happens when superheroes run out of money, and who lent it to them in the first place?” If that sounds half way toward interesting, then you’d be about half right.

You could be excused for thinking that the characters within the comic, those failed superheros who are massively in debt, are cheap parodies of existing, and more popular, comic book superheroes… although, if you did think that, you’d be absolutely right;  Night Knight is an English rip off of Batman who’s afraid of the dark, and doesn’t quite measure up to his DC counterpart. Bloodpouch is a brilliant send up of all things from the 90’s that have been done better elsewhere. But the thing is, that’s exactly the point. At least some of these failed heroes failed because they is already somebody better than them doing the
same thing.

Or because excessive pouches faded away as the nineties’ fashion choices fell by the wayside.

The Paybacks #2After the first volume introduced us to the world of The Paybacks and their T.A.R.D.I.S.-like vehicle/headquarters called The Van, the second volume has started off by asking just how far you’re willing to go to wipe away your debts. Marginal spoilers follow. With the most powerful superhero team on the planet, The Command, coming after the eponymous former heroes after a slight misunderstanding, The Paybacks mysterious benefactor Mr. Pierce declared war on The Command. If one of the indebted heroes is able to kill a member of the super team, then their debt will be cleared. It’s a brilliant set up, and one that Donny Cates & Elliot Rahal make abundantly sure that we’re well aware that the sheer number of The Paybacks may not mean much in the long run.

I’m not going to lie; watching the former heroes go broke, and then hit rock bottom as they question whether or not they’re willing to do what’s needed (not whether they can which is another question entirely) is something that I’m thoroughly enjoying.

Look, the thing about The Paybacks is that no matter how much I try, I’m never going to be able to do full justice to just how entertaining the series is. This is a fantastic read, and I love every moment that it’s in my hands.

Story: Donny Cates and Elliot Rahal Art: Geoff Shaw
Story: 9 Art: 9 Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Heavy Metal Comics provided Graphic Policy a FREE copy for review

Review: The Paybacks #1

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paybacks-1I haven’t been this excited for a comic in a long time.

The first series (volume?) of The Paybacks was fantastic, but then it inexplicably disappeared from Dark Horse Comics’ line-up. The series was an entirely fresh take on the business of superheroing, and thank the comic gods that Heavy Metal  have given the series a new home. If you’re unfamiliar with the series, the elevator pitch would probably be something like “what happens when superheroes run out of money, and who lent it to them in the first place?”

Unless the heir in question is Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark, that would most often be met with an “it’s comics, who cares?” response. We’ve always just accepted that broke college students could afford to pay for the supplies to make web fluid, and that somehow four teenagers living in the sewers have access to technology that would make your average techie drool.

But, when those superheroes inevitably default on those loans they took out from the mysterious Mr. Pierce, then it’s time for The Paybacks to get involved. A group of repo men, women, and sasquatches, also coincidently failed and indebted former heroes, that turn up to collect on your debt. The last series ended after The Paybacks had just collected a debt on The Command (think a knock off Justice league), and the new number one opens just as the identities of said super team has been leaked, and the shit is about to hit the fan.

There’s going to be two different types of people reading this comic; those who read the first four issues, and those who didn’t. The Heavy Metal published The Paybacks #1 will welcome both with open arms; serving as both direct sequel to the fourth issue in the previous volume, and an excellent jumping on point for new readers to the series, the newest number one issue of The Paybacks is an absolute joy to behold. The characters are flawed, easily believable despite the fantastical setting; at the heart of it, these men and women are just trying to work for to pay off their debt. Something that many of us can all relate with, I’m sure.

Artist Geoff Shaw gives each character a distinct look and visual personality and his ability to convey the often times batshit crazy moments genuinely had me grinning from ear to ear as I was reading this issue.

There is no reason you shouldn’t be reading this. Can’t afford another comic each month? Drop one of the ones you’re iffy on, because The Paybacks promises to be one of the best series you’ll read in a long time.

Ladies and gentleman, The Paybacks are back. And they’re fucking amazing.

Story: Donny Cates & Elliot Rahal Art: Geoff Shaw
Story: 9 Art: 9 Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Heavy Metal Comics provided Graphic Policy a FREE copy for review