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Creepshow #1
- Writer:
- Chris Burnham, Paul Dini, Stephen Langford
- Artist:
- Chris Burnham, John Mccrea
- Letterer:
- Pat Brosseau
- Cover Artist:
- Chris Burnham, Adriano Lucas
- Publisher:
- Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment
- Price:
- $3.99
- Release Date:
- 2022-09-21
- Colorist:
- Adriano Lucas, Mike Spicer
Shudder's hit horror anthology series is bringing chills and thrills to the comic book medium thanks to Image Comics' Skybound. Much like the television show, Creepshow #1 is split into two parts with different creative teams aiming to scare the pants off the readers. The first story, "Take One," is written and drawn by Chris Burnham, colored by Adriano Lucas, and lettered by Pat Brosseau. "Shingo" is written by Paul Dini and Stephen Langford, drawn by John McCrea, colored by Mike Spicer, and lettered by Brosseau.
"Take One" follows a group of trick-or-treating teenagers on a Halloween night who take more candy than they should from the mysterious Mr. Xander's house, ignoring the clear instructions. Expectedly, they come to regret their actions. Creepshow #1's second shocker, "Shingo," starts off with Sandy being let down by her ex, Tom, who was meant to book the entertainment for their daughter Fiona's birthday. With no other options available, Sandy books a strange birthday performer named Shingo, who doesn't want money -- only lunch.
"Take One" is a generic Halloween tale about the dangers of gluttony and greed. Burnham's characters speak like every other obnoxious teen from a horror film, getting punished in the end because they refused to heed the warning. Unfortunately, this tale fails to capture the imagination with its by-the-numbers approach. There are no twists or unexpected turns here, as it's a story the audience has watched or read in various incarnations before. None of the characters are particularly likable, so there's no emotional attachment when they get what they deserve in the end. The narrative of "Take One" aside, the art, coloring, and lettering are impressive. Burnham's artwork jazzes up the story with a classic horror comic feel. The build-up towards the scary moments is sincerely chilling, while the panels aren't afraid to spill blood and guts either. The final shot in the story is pure nightmare fuel.
"Shingo" is everything Creepshow fans expect. It's an original horror story that has a subtle sense of humor and provides some characters to root for. While there is an underlying message beneath it as well, the reader can't help but shake their head as the feuding parents ignore the bigger picture in the room as the monster eats the party guests. Dini and Langford successfully capture the tone of the television series and adapt it to the comics medium -- naturally, it helps that Langford and Dini have written several episodes of Creepshow as well.
While the art isn't as frightening as "Take One," it more than matches the tone of "Shingo." McCrea's work has a Gremlins aesthetic and vibe, whereby the brighter colors and cartoonish designs playfully juxtapose the terror happening on the page. Most of the gruesomeness occurs off-panel or through silhouettes, as the creative team hammers home the point of how obsessed Sandy and Tom are with their argument and miss the chaos happening around them.
Creepshow #1 plays out much like the television show, with one excellent story and another that's largely generic. That said, it is still the horror fix that fans of the Shudder anthology series have come to expect and appreciate. "Shingo" is undeniably the standout here and has set the bar for future stories to come.