Comic Book Review: Showcase Presents The House of Secrets Volume One

Comic Book Review: Showcase Presents The House of Secrets Volume One edited by Joe Orlando House of Secrets started its publication history in 1956 as a “weird menace” title.  You couldn’t really do horror comics as such under the Comics Code, but  short tales tinged with the supernatural where evil was punished and good rewarded?  Sure.… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Showcase Presents The House of Secrets Volume One

Comic Book Review: Jack Kirby’s The Demon

Comic Book Review: Jack Kirby’s The Demon by Jack Kirby and Mike Royer In the 1970s, the Comics Code eased up a bit, and horror comics again became a viable subgenre.  At DC Comics, most of their horror output was in short story anthologies like Ghosts or House of Secrets.  But as DC happened to have comics legend… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Jack Kirby’s The Demon

Book Review: Who Died in Here?

Book Review: Who Died in Here? edited by Pat Dennis Themed short story anthologies are a perennial favorite for genre fiction.  “Best of” collections tend to feature heavy overlap with other best ofs, while single-author collections have to rely on the reader being willing to pick up a particular author’s work.  Themes allow the authors to… Continue reading Book Review: Who Died in Here?

Book Review: The 47 Ronin

The 47 Ronin by A.B. Mitford This is an abridged and dolled-up reprint of A.B. Mitford’s Tales of Old Japan with lots of color illustrations.  Tales was originally published in 1871, as Algernon Bertram Freeman-Mitford, a member of the British legation in Tokyo, witnessed the rapid modernization of Japan.  He decided to set down some traditional stories… Continue reading Book Review: The 47 Ronin

Webtoon Review: Mari-Kari

Webtoon Review: Mari-Kari Mari and Kari (both voiced by Shannon Doherty) are twins who attend Gilles de Rais Elementary School.  Mari is a chipper young blonde who’s well, a little air-headed.  Kari is a rather creepy young lady who is violently protective of Mari and is undead.  Mari wants to be friends with all her… Continue reading Webtoon Review: Mari-Kari

Manga Review: The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service

Manga Review: The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service by Eiji Otsuka & Housui Yamazaki. Five students at a Buddhist college discover that each of them has a talent or skill relating to death.  The corpse that brings about this revelation is restless, and they help it find peace.  In exchange it wills them just enough money… Continue reading Manga Review: The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service

Comic Book Review: Ghosts #1

Comic Book Review: Ghosts #1 After the Comics Code  was revised in the 1970s, DC Comics had a small explosion of horror anthology titles.  One of these was “Ghosts”, which had the gimmick of being almost entirely allegedly true ghost stories.  Even as a teenager I realized that these “true” stories were bull, but it… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Ghosts #1