Black Creators in Horror Comics by Lori Titus
Horror comics strive to accomplish much in a small space. Smart dialogue, breathtaking art and storytelling flow that is simple enough to convey ideas in a few frames but compelling enough to draw the reader in for more takes patience, talent, and collaborators worthy of the task. For Black History Month, I wanted to spotlight some of the rising comic book creators of African/Black decent who breathe life into the complex worlds that combine horror and ethnicity.
Eating Vampires by Regine Sawyer.
Set in Africa during the 1900’s, this tale follows a caravan of women making a trek across the desert. Imbued with mysterious powers, they are led by Regil Alexa. She is an “eater,” a shapeshifting apex predator that is the worst nightmare of any vampire. Regil has been tasked with protecting a little girl named Evelyn, the last link of a dying breed. Despite the fact that saving the child means risks to her own safety, she will endure what she has to in order to uphold her duty.
Evelyn is no slouch either. The little girl wears afro puffs, wields a knife, and keeps company with a cheetah named Madix who can change form into an even larger cat when needed.
Check out this and Sawyer’s other comic creations at www.lockettdown.com .
Shadowclub Karma by Rocbottom
Shadowclub is composed of a team of classic monsters who have been resurrected to save the world. The story goes into detail with back stories for each. Readers will thrill at the new take on stories including Dracula, The Wolfman, and more. A world so messed up that only the most reviled creatures can save it proves to be an intriguing premise. And don’t let the classic monsters here make you think otherwise; the dark underpinnings of this story and graphic violence make it a solidly adult read.
Part 1-3 are available at www.Truthfulcomics.com.
Offset by Delvin Howell
Someone – or more aptly, something– is stalking Kyle Harding.
Set on an imaginary island based on Barbados, the young hero of this story begins to notice odd things happening after the death of his mother. Lights glow on his evening walk home, flute music sounds in the air, and one night, he sees a specter in the darkness. Can he save himself and his family from what awaits him in the unknown? Luscious art, beautifully done suspense and the unexpected locale give the story true life and texture.
Check out the comic book at www.beyondpublishingcarribbean.com .
Malice in Ovenland by Micheline Hess
Hess creates a fairy tale/horror comic about Lily, who gets more than she expected from her mother’s simple request. She’s an imaginative little girl who is upset that she didn’t go to camp for the summer. Among other things that she needs to do, one of her chores is to clean the oven. What Lily doesn’t know is that inside the oven is a portal into another realm, ruled by the evil Queen of Oven Frites. She will be forced to fight for her freedom and learns some important lessons along the way. Think of this story as a cross between a Grimm fairytale and The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.
1-3 are available at www.comixology.com/Malice-in-Ovenland .
R.R.H by Orlando Harding
What if the old tale of Red Riding Hood was true, with a few nasty details omitted? What if the werewolf was a powerful Alpha, whose bloodline has survived to this day?
This is the premise behind R.R.H. The story opens with Sydney Woodman’s seventeenth birthday, and she is doing normal things, celebrating with her girlfriends. She even gets the gift of a new car from her parents. What she didn’t expect was to be told that she is one in a line of descendants who have fought against wolves throughout history. And at seventeen, she is now ripe for the picking. It’s an inventive story with a plucky, quick witted heroine.
For more of the R.R.H universe, go to www.rrhcomic.com .
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tus is a Californian with an affinity for dark fiction. Her work explores mysticism and reality, treading the blurred line between man and monster. She thrives on coffee and daydreams when she isn’t writing or plotting out her next story. Her latest novel is The Bell House. She is also the author of Hunting in Closed Spaces (The Marradith Ryder Series) and co-author of two novels with Crystal Connor under the name Connor Titus.
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