It’s the 13th month of the year (Editor’s Note: No, it’s actually the 10th), and the witching-y day approaches! In honor of All-Hallow’s day, as any snotty 10-year old will try to correct you to, Nerdcenaries is doing a special countdown of spooky comics. For the next 13 days until Halloween, I’ll be talking about one scaaaaaary issue or original Graphic Novel per day, to get you in the proper mood (Editor’s Note: the proper mood is murder.) Here’s the second!:
Pigeons From Hell: The Collected Edition
Written by Joe Lansdale
Drawn by Nathan Fox
Colored by Dave Stewart
This sequel/adaptation/ story inspired by, etc. of H.P. Lovecraft’s short story is one of my all time favorite horror comics. The writer recognizable to fans of Batman: The Animated Series (he wrote the Jonah Hex one and a couple others people like) and those Jonah Hex stories where he fought demonic desert worms, has a great idea of what makes adaptations work. Presenting the comic as a type of sequel/re-imagining is a perfect way to make it seem fresh and take advantage of some of the unique strengths of comics.
Speaking of, Nathan Fox’s detailed and frenetic art on this project is what made me a fan; each character is visually unique, and when he gets to finally cut loose with the more horrific aspects, it’s some great work. I shouldn’t even have to say Dave Stewart does a good job, since he’s Dave freaking Stewart, but he really does; the coloring assists Fox’s line work in a way I haven’t seen in any of Fox’s other collaborations. Every panel is necessarily dark and moody, but the figures and actions are very clear. You should really grab this comic; Dark Horse put out a nice trade with a ton of back-up material and pin-ups for only 14 bucks. As far as straight horror comics, this is probably the best I’ve read.
Also, Joe Lansdale is a straight badass karate expert. And that’s real.
I didn’t know there had been a second Pigeons From Hell adaptation. I’ll have to look for this one.