Review – After Dark #1
Review – After Dark #1
Writer: Cullen Bunn, Jim Starlin, Joe Pruett, Frank Tieri
Artist: Cliff Richards, Nikkol Kelenic, Szymon Kudranski, Joe Eisma
Cover: Tony Harris
Publisher: Aftershock Comics
Release Date: November 3, 2021
Synopsis
Tales from the Crypt meets The Twilight Zone-four tales of horror, lost souls and things that go bump in the night.
A prestige format “One-Shock” featuring top creative talent just in time for the most horrific month of the calendar year, AFTER DARK, is a collection of tales you’ll want to read with the lights on! A disparate tale from a possible future; a chance encounter with a mythical Black-Eyed Kid, a children’s fable gone awry; and a gut-wrenching last meal at the local diner.
These horrific, bone-chilling tales are conceived and written by Cullen Bunn (DARK ARK, EDEN, Harrow County), Jim Starlin (Thanos, Dreadstar, SHOCK), Joe Pruett (BLACK-EYED KIDS, Cable, X-Men Unlimited), Fran Tieri (Wolverine, Harley Quinn, PESTILENCE) and drawn by Cliff Richards (10 YEARS TO DEATH, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Nikkol Kelenic, Szymon Kudranski (BLACK-EYED KIDS, Spawn) and Joe Eisma (Morning Glories, SHOCK).
Stories
Dust To Dust: A mysterious traveller stops in an all-night diner for a cup of coffee and a chat. The waitress is shocked at his horrific appearance but a customer is a customer…
Bunn starts the issue with a classic quick shock tale born from a curse of not fulfilling your promise to your dying wife.
BEK: Sins of the Parent: A deal is a deal and the mysterious Black Eyed Kid on the swing has come to collect.
Pruett’s quick tale follows along with Bunn’s tale of commitments and promises with a member of a cult paying for her deal decades after she made it.
Inheritance: In the far future the world is a barren ruin, one survivor is shocked after a lift brings a visitor from the past.
Starlin’s tale is a blink and you’ll miss it story about our legacy to future generations, very timely for COP26
Tales of Mother F Goose: Along Came a Spider: Closes the issue with the main story event, not for any arachnophobes, this serial killer uses lots of spiders as his signature.
This final tale from Tieri works on multiple levels to shock as well as freak out the reader. I think I must have jumped and twitched about three times from thinking a spider was on me!
Artwork
Cliff Richards, Nikkol Kelenic, Szymon Kudranski and Joe Eisma all do amazing jobs filling the pages with horror and just a pinch of dry humour as well. Richards Dust to Dust and Eisma’s Along Came a Spider show why they were put at both the beginning and end of the issue.
Overall Thoughts
These four fresh tales from comic book heavyweights in the writers and artwork categories show how it can be done with little dialogue and letting the artwork speak for itself. I am still scratching myself from the horrific images of the spiders in the final story.
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Have a look at our preview of the first few pages to whet your appetite
