Tales from the Darkside: Issue 01

On my last trip to Comic Envy, the owner had added a new comic to my folder, thinking it would be something I might find interesting. He obviously knows my taste. This is the first installment of a new series based on the television series of the same name. When I was younger, I watched “Tales from the Darkside” a lot. The program featured short vignettes about supernatural occurrences. I found it to be like a modern Twilight Zone, creepy tales, usually with a twist at the end. Anyway, I was definitely intrigued by the comic.

So this tale is about a lifeguard who falls asleep at work, resulting in the drowning death of a woman. He gets off in court, but is consumed with guilt and remorse. Then something strange begins to happen. He starts having a narcoleptic effect on people. Everyone he encounters falls into a deep sleep, adding to his psychological isolation and torment.

In keeping with the original television series, there is a nice twist at the end. Sorry, I’m not going to spoil it. You’ll have to read it for yourself.

I will definitely continue reading this. The next tale will be delivered in two installments. I’m thinking I will wait until I have both issues, then read them consecutively, so you will have to wait a while for the next post on this graphic novel. But remember…

The darkside is always there,
waiting for us to enter—
waiting to enter us.
Until next time,
Try to enjoy the daylight.

Eerie: Issue #1

As a youth, I was obsessed with horror and sci-fi comics. I devoured them and while it caused some slight concern with my parents, it ultimately planted the seeds which grew into a love of reading. One of the comics I remember distinctly was Eerie. As all good thing from the past somehow seem to come back, it doesn’t surprise me that Dark Horse Comics has resurrected the Eerie publication. I figured since it is October, it would be the perfect time of the year to pick up an issue and see if it is as good as the ones I remember from my childhood.

This was definitely a step into my past. The issue is hosted by Cousin Eerie, a somewhat jolly, plump creature with a twisted sense of humor. He’s almost like a macabre Falstaff. The issue is comprised of four short vignettes which fall into the sci-fi/horror genre.

The first one, “A Robot for Your Thoughts,” is all about artificial intelligence and robots taking over the world. A man suspects that his family has been replaced by robots, so it’s somewhat reminiscent of The Stepford Wives, but with a nice twist at the end.

The next tale, “Life Species,” is about a team of space explores searching extinct planets for the remains of previous life forms, then examining them to try and understand what happened to them and why the species declined. It reminded me of an old Twilight Zone episode, but with a humorous ending. This was probably my favorite story in the issue.

The third tale, “Beta-Eden,” is clearly inspired by the Alien films. It has space explorers encountering an alien race that lays their eggs inside the human host. The spawn then feed on the host. This was probably my least favorite story. It just felt hackneyed and the artwork was not so great.

The last story, “Child,” is a reworking of the Frankenstein archetype. A bereaved scientist decides to construct a child out of parts of the dead. Upon reanimation, he is initially horrified at his creation, but then forms paternal connection which turns to love. What I liked the most about this particular tale was the writing. It was written almost as an epistle, where the father is speaking directly to the child. It works very well and I liked the way the story unfolds.

Overall, I enjoyed this. It was $2.99 well spent and I think the writers capture the campiness of the original publication. I would certainly read more of these.