Hack/Slash is a comic book created by Tim Seeley and originally published by Devil's Due Publishing (back before their merger with First Comics) before finding its current home at Image Comics, revolving around the story of Cassie Hack. A young woman who has dedicated her life to the destruction of slashers (a term "affectionately" given to the villains of horror movies such as Friday the 13th and Child's Play), after discovering that her own mother that worked as the lunch lady at her school, butchered her fellow classmates due to their relentless bullying.
Filled to the brim with everything one would come to expect from a slasher movie, those who enjoy the comfort of sitting at home while watching Jason Vorhees kill some unprepared camp goers from the umpteenth time will feel right at home while reading. However, not every story is made equal, and there are a few that stand out amongst the already well-written crowd. Here are 10 of the best Hack/Slash stories to bite into.
10 Zombies V.S. Cheerleaders Is Good, Brainless Fun
Hack/Slash's Zombie's V.S. Cheerleaders hits all of the horror classics of the horror/slasher subset genre. Stupid teens doing stupid things win stupid prizes from some psychopath who, in this case, contributes to a localized zombie uprising in school that leads to the premature ending of a myriad of those present. The art style for this issue is fun and colorful, the story is very tongue-in-cheek, and the action is bloody good. Short but sweet, this issue has a little something for everyone who reads it.
9 Entry Wound is a Perfect Entry Into the Series
Entry Wound sets the mood aptly. Cassie and her companion Vlad arrive in the middle of bufu nowhere on their seasonal search for self-resurrecting slashers with a grudge and just so happens to come across a small hamlet where such a problem presented itself. The story is short, sweet, and to the point. They even managed to sneak in a panel or two of Seeley's other literary work, Lovebunny and Mr. Hell, so there is even a tiny two for one deal with this issue.
8 Land of Lost Toys Has a Unique Premise
The Land of Lost Toys issue of Hack/Slash has one of the most interesting story devices in the franchise, with the main antagonist/slasher of the three-issue chronicle being Ashley Guthrie, a little boy with supernatural powers over dreams, ala Freddy Kreuger but with a child-like twist.
The second issue for Land of Lost Toys also delves deeper into the history of Vlad, which depending on what issues a reader has already partaken in, may be the first time they have come across his tragic history.
7 Girls Gone Dead Has a Classic Summer Vibe
Girls Gone Dead continues the trend of unique slashers and riveting storylines of Hack/Slash. Cassie and Vlad arrive at the beach after reports of gruesome killings of teenagers on spring break reach them. The issue does an excellent job of "humanizing" Cassie, who before this issue mostly only seemed concerned with the hunting and killing of slashers and having little to no other interest or inclination to make friends outside of Vlad - and to top it off, there are some truly shocking twists present here that will most likely take readers by surprise.
6 Me Without You is Both Emotional and Gory
Ever since the first print of Hack/Slash in 2005, readers had been interested in the backstory of Vlad, Cassie's ever-reliable sidekick and companion. While there had been hints and parts of his past dropped here and there, as evidenced in the above issue, they were usually fed to up a panel or three at a time. This is the first time an entire issue was dedicated to Vlad's past, and it was well worth the wait. Everything from the storyline itself to the art was meticulously crafted and fitting for the gentle giant's sordid and depressing past.
5 Hack/Slash V.S. Bomb Queen is the Best of Both Worlds
Those familiar with Jimmie Robinson's Bomb Queen know exactly what they will be getting into in this post-apocalyptic crossover for the ages. Those who don't, however, will be in for a surprise as they come face-to-face with the rowdy, super-powered, and all together immoral dictator of her universe. This issue has tie-ins with the larger Hack/Slash series with the presence of Cassie's demonic hellhound, Pooch, and pushes the overarching storyline forward - which is rare for the usually self-contained crossovers that don't require any other previous readings of the main story.
4 Hack/Slash V.S. Army of Darkness Has Boomsticks and Deadites for Days
This six-issue mega-crossover with Sam Raimi's Evil Dead series is something that fans over the series had dreamed of ever since the first few prints of Hack/Slash hit the shelves. Following Cassie, after she settled down from the slasher killing life, she comes across the man himself, Ash Williams, at her home. After a quick fight, it is discovered that Cassie's babysitter that she hired to watch over her baby while she was out has turned into a deadite and was waiting in the basement to be found. This jump-starts the search for missing Necronomicon pages that are being sold on the black market and all the undead horror that comes with it.
3 Hack/Slash V.S. Chucky is a Priceless Matchup
The last crossover on the list and arguably the best, Hack Slash V.S Chucky puts Cassie in league with her anthesis for the greater good. Not too much can be said about the story without giving away the twist outside of saying that some characters from past issues make a reoccurring debut and change the direction of the narrative.
A darkly humorous issue that embodies the spirit of the source material, fans of Child's Play will feel like they are amongst their own while reading the hauntingly beautiful stylized panels.
2 My First Manic Unveils Another Piece of the Bloody Puzzle
Much like Me Without You, My First Maniac aims to explore the past of one of the protagonists of the comic. While the former was focused on Vlad and his struggles coming up as a deformed child, the latter places Cassie in the limelight, delving deeper into her home life and what happened after she put the infamous Lunch Lady incident to rest. Just the cover images alone do a remarkable job at communicating and foreshadowing the mood of the story that is about to unfold.
1 Euthanized Won't Leave You For Want
The very first issue of Hack/Slash, Euthanized embodies a bit of everything and gives the reader exactly what they were asking for when they purchased the comic and more. The villain is original and intense, a mashup of Dr. Giggles and Frankenstein, the action is gory and bloody fun in all the right ways, and the story itself is pound for pound probably the best that Hack/Slash came out with. There is no better entry point than this to get someone hooked on this niche graphic novella.