May is always a special time for comic book fans, as Free Comic Book Day is on May 6th. Most local shops take part and give away special free comics from most comic publishers. Many shops also run sales, so it's a great time to stock up on those horror trades you have had your eye on! What I am most looking forward to this year for FCBD is the kick-off to DC's summer horror event with the Dawn of DC - Knight Terrors one-shot.
Check out these titles at your local comic book shop, and if you need help finding your local shop, be sure to use the Comic Shop Locator.
What to look out for!
It is truly hard to formulate words around the DC Comics summer publishing event Knight Terrors because of how excited I am. DC Comics ignited my love, and now they're doing a horror event, so to say I am excited would be the undersell of the century. The event kicks off on Free Comic Book Day May 6, but the mini-series start in July and August, so keep your eyes peeled.
The Knight Terrors event revolves around the heroes of the DC Universe having to confront their worst nightmares in a "Nightmare Realm." The coolest part is that it isn't a single book but a ton of two-issue mini-series starring a wide array of heroes and villains written and drawn by superstar creative teams. You've got writers like Joshua Williamson, Becky Cloonan, Michael Conrad, and so many more, with the most talented artists out there, like Riccardo Federici, working on the minis. There are so many visceral covers that are going to make horror comic nerds lose their minds. (I am a horror comic nerd and consider my mind lost.)
What's New This Month?
Monomyth - May 3
Publisher: MAD CAVE STUDIOS
Writer: David Hazan
Artist: Cecilia Lo Valvo
Colorist: Marissa Louise
Letterer: Lucas Gattoni
I will be upfront and say I do not like magic in stories because it scares me. How do you fight magic with anything but more magic? Monomyth perfectly captures that fear in an incredible first issue revolving around a group of people pulled from the modern day to a decrepit magic school in the far-flung past. It's a blend of a haunted house story and magical fantasy with a thick red coat of horror over everything. Marissa Louise's coloring of the gnarly death in the last few pages will leave your jaw on the floor with the way it elevates Cecilia Lo Valvo's vivid art.
Lamentation - May 3
Publisher: Oni Press
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Arjuana Susini
Colorist: Hilary Jenkins
Letterer: Simon Bowland
You can never go wrong with a Cullen Bunn horror comic, he's been a staple of the genre for as long as I have been reading. Lamentation follows a gothic horror play set inside a haunted castle whose production is as mysterious as the story. The lead actress got the role of a lifetime without an audition which is very eerie. The story is set to explore the intersection of shadow and light in a three-act structure in a three-issue story which is a very cool idea for structuring a comic. The grim specter himself, Death, lingers over the entire series, especially on the beautiful cover by Mann House.
Dead by Daylight - May 24
Publisher: Titan Books
Writer: Nadia Shammas
Artist: Dillon Snook
Colorist: Emilio Lecce
Letterer: Andworld Design's JAME
Dead By Daylight is the most popular horror game even years after its initial release, with good reason. Outside its impressive roster of IP Slashers like Bubba, Pinhead, and even Michael Myers himself, the game also has a ton of original slashers. Each has their own unique story, style, and lore to find through the game. Expanding to comics is an incredible next step for the series, which is also bound for the big screen. Comics have the space to explore so many of their original killer stories in unique ways. The first issue explores the killer group known as The Legion from the game. If you're an existing fan, or looking to learn more about the game, this is a great place to start!
What's Ongoing?
Dark Ride #6
May 3
Poison Ivy #12 - DC Comics
Where Monsters Lie # 4 - Dark Horse Comics
Banshees #2 - Scout Comics
May 10
Little Monsters #13 - Image Comics
Dark Ride #6 - Skybound
The Nasty #2 - Vault Comics
A Legacy of Violence #5 - Mad Cave Studios
May 17
House of Slaughter #15 - BOOM! Studios
Ice Cream Man #35 - Image Comics
May 24
Blue Book #4 - Dark Horse Comics
Harrower #4 - BOOM! Studios
All Eight Eyes #2 - Dark Horse Comics
Nightfall #4 - Vault Comics
Exorcists Never Dies #2 - Mad Cave Studios
May 31
W0rldtr33 #2 - Image Comics
Door to Door Night by Night #6 - Vault Comics
