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Horror

Cats. Do You Trust’em?

We missed the Hairball horror mini-series last year, but now Dark Horse have released issues #1 – #4 in a very special single-volume collection. “A young girl with a black cat begins to suspect the innocuous beast is behind all her troubles: Her parents’ fighting, family plagues, and innumerable supernatural horrors. As she tries her best to rid herself of this creature, she discovers that maybe the cat is not evil after all and a greater terror may be behind these horrific events harming her life. Collects Hairball #1-#4 in a deluxe, hardcover die-cut format featuring faux cat fur.” Seriously, they did that. It’s written by Matt Kindt, with artwork by Tyler Jenkins and Hilary Jenkins.

image c. 2024 Dark Horse Press

B*tches in the Backwoods

A different take on werewolf horror can be found in Lycan: Girl’s Night, a one-shot comic book from Band of Bards. “A rogue pack of werewolves has been on the run for centuries. After starting new lives in a sleepy Colorado community, living undetected among humans, their enemies have finally tracked them down. Their idyllic suburban lives were a dream, but sometimes you can never escape your past, no matter how hard you try. These women wanted peace, but their tormentors won’t let them be. See what happens when they unleash their long suppressed might.” It’s available now, with a story by C.J. Hudson and art by Mary Landro. This town better legalize Awoo.

image c. 2024 Band of Bards

Eldritch and Endearing

Sometimes we can’t believe the stuff we get to write about here… Things like The Adventures of Cthulhu Jr. and Friends, a new “all ages” graphic novel from Source Point Press. “A wannabe supervillain has to capture the son of Cthulhu (who just happened to move in across the street for the summer) in order to be admitted into the League of E.V.I.L. Hilarity, hijinks, and, yes, even a little (all-ages appropriate) horror ensues as the ‘dastardly’ villain starts to realize that perhaps his priorities are misaligned… unlike the stars, which are entering their proper alignment for the return of The Great Evil One!” Told you. It’s available now, written by Dirk Manning, with art by Scoot McMahon and Sean Burres. Oh, and there’s a Cthulhu Jr. plushie available too!

image c. 2024 Source Point Press

This Would Be… Bad…?

And now for something altogether different… Night of the Living Cat, a new black & white manga created by Hawkman and Mecha-Roots. “A virus spreads across the world, transforming all humankind into wild, slavering, furry beasts: Cats, to be precise. Those few survivors who remain human take refuge in the dark corners of the earth as they fight back against the feline horde. Kunagi, a man with no memory of his past yet a deep knowledge of cats, struggles to hold on with only his wits and a will to survive. Yet the virus transmits merely through cuddles, and Kunagi finds kitties so hard to resist! Is his willpower strong enough to withstand this hair-raising cat-tastrophe?” Find out from Seven Seas.

image c. 2023 Seven Seas Entertainment

A Diversity of Furry Comics

Recently we came across Sand Dragon Press, home to several furry comics that are available both on-line and on dead trees. Most of them were created by writer and illustrator Cindy Ramey. The titles include Starfire Agency, Night Shift, and Hellkats, covering the genres from fantasy to horror to high adventure. Sand Dragon also features the creative works of C.A. Wolff and others. Have a look at their web site to see what they currently have to offer.

image c. 2023 Sand Dragon Press

Boo-ology

Halloween season is the time for monster movies — even if they’re only in production now. Deadline told us about Night of the Zoopocalypse, a new family-comedy CGI animated feature set to premiere in 2024. Here’s the official synopsis: “One night, a meteor crashes into Colepepper Zoo unleashing a virus that transforms the animals into strange and hilarious slobbering zombie mutants. Gracie, a young quirky wolf, teams up with a gruff and fearsome mountain lion to find a way back to her pack. As the zoo is overrun, they must come up with a plan to get all the animals back to normal. Together with the help of a motley crew of survivors – Xavier the movie-obsessed lemur, Frida the fiery capybara, Ash the sarcastic, fabulous ostrich, and Felix the treacherous monkey – they embark on a perilous mission to rescue the zoo and defeat Bunny Zero, the deranged mutant-king, determined to spread the virus beyond the zoo walls.” Interesting note about the directors: “The film is co-directed by veteran animators and story artists Ricardo Curtis (The Incredibles) and Rodrigo Perez-Castro (Ferdinand) whose combined credits, in various roles, include hits such as the Ice Age films, Rio, and The Angry Birds Movie through animation pre-production studio House of Cool (Paw Patrol), where they serve, respectively, as Creative Director and VP of Creative.” Impressive.

image c. 2023 Anton and Charades

All the Violence You Can Bear

IDW Comics just sent us an announcement for Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, a new “cozy horror” (what does that mean?) comic written and illustrated by Patrick Horvath. Set in a small town of anthropomorphic animals, it introduces us to a seemingly-nice middle-aged bear named Samantha. “In the tranquil and welcoming little town of Woodbrook, humanoid animals happily live in harmony. This cute community isn’t quite as calming as it seems, though. On the surface, Samantha is the friendly face who owns and manages the hardware store. But beneath the surface lies something more terrifying. She visits the nearby city to let her violent urges loose, and buries her victims in the woods… But what happens when the killing comes back to her harmonious home town and Samantha isn’t the only one unleashing her inner animal?” Hitting the stands this October, just in time for Halloween. Bleeding Cool (ha ha) has a preview. Make no mistake: This is harrowing stuff, and definitely not for younger readers.

image c. 2023 IDW Publishing

Another Dynamite Rabbit Returns

Bunnicula, a horror/comedy novel for young readers by Deborah Howe and James Howe, has been a fan favorite for decades. It was even an animated cartoon series. Now, Atheneum Books has brought us Bunnicula — The Graphic Novel. It’s adapted by original author James Howe, with the help of Andrew Donkin and illustrations by Stephen Gilpin. “Harold the dog and Chester the cat must find out the truth about the newest pet in the Monroe household — a suspicious-looking bunny with unusual habits… and fangs! Could this innocent-seeming rabbit actually be a vampire?” Find out now, before it’s too late!

image c. 2023 Atheneum Books

Werewolf Domesticus?

Recently visiting WonderCon we came across WereWoofs, a new YA graphic novel by screenwriter Joelle Sellner and illustrator Val Wise.In the small Midwestern town of Howlett, navigating high school is tough enough. But when a group of friends are inexplicably turned into weredogs, adapting to their new powers proves to be even tougher. This leads to an unlikely friendship with loner Mara, a werewolf whose father has mysteriously vanished. As the high schoolers team up to solve the disappearance, friendships are tested, and secrets are revealed as the Werewoofs prove themselves in an explosive showdown against a dangerous wolfpack and their vicious alpha.” It’s available now from New Paradigm. Check out the review over at Cemetery Dance.

image c. 2022 New Paradigm Studios