Printed Perversions: Bela Lugosi's Tales from the Grave #1

Writers
Kerry Gammill, Sam F. Park, James Farr, Rob Brown, Derek McCaw, John Cassaday, Joe Freire, Martin Powell, Gary D. Rhodes

Artists
Kerry Gammill, Chris Moreno, John Cassaday, Rafael Navarro, Joe Freire, Terry Beatty, Tom Smith, Brian Denham, Kez Wilson, Jeff Preston, Frank Dietz, Paul Garner, Kim Loh

Publisher
Monsterverse Entertainment

Release Date
Wed, November 3rd 2010

Halloween may be over, but that doesn't mean that all of the monsters have gone away. In fact, some of the best ones never die. Case in point, Kerry Gammill and Monsterverse Entertainment have resurrected the king of vampires himself, that grand ghoul, Bela Lugosi for a tome of terror tales that is sure to bring twisted grins to any self-respecting "crypt dweller."

The first issue of Bela Lugosi's Tales from the Grave begins with a bone-chilling tale of a mad scientist's obsession with immortality. Mix in some paranoia with a good dose of envy and Unpleasant Side Effects by Sam Park and Kerry Gammill offers a jaw-dropping introduction with a pitch perfect ending.

While the rest of the book doesn't quite seem to capture that same Tales from the Crypt spirit it does offer a few really cool moments such as a zombie/werewolf/vampire in James Farr and Chris Moreno's A Strangely Isolate Place or the unique Robot Chicken-esque visual style of Joe Freire's The Further Adventures of Dr. Vornoff and Lobo. Monsterverse also seems to have a memorable femme fatale in Nosferina, the book's sexy flip side of the horror host coin. I'm definitely looking forward to learning more about her story in the Lugosi universe.

All of this made even more impressive with a gorgeously gruesome cover by the legendary Basil Gogos, a back cover by Bruce Timm and an appropriately historical look at Lugosi's relationship with his Dracula persona by longtime Lugosi fan and scholar Gary D. Rhodes. In his article Rhodes makes some pretty good observations on how Lugosi has essentially defined our current perception of the big "D" not only through film but theater as well. Overall it's a solid premiere issue and while the stories themselves feel a bit uneven, especially when compared to Unpleasant Side Effects, there's an ample variety of talent to make most monster kids shriek with excitement.

If you're on the fence, check out a 6-page preview below and decide for yourself. If you're interested in learning more about the book, be sure to visit the Monsterverse blog or ask your local comic shop.



ABOUT MONSTERVERSE ENTERTAINMENT
Monsterverse Entertainment is a transmedia company headed by its publisher and editor, the comic book and film design artist, Kerry Gammill.

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