Over the past several years I’ve told about the first five issues of the horror comic, Forbidden Gallery. Created by William Mull, with several top-notch collaborators, it’s a bit of a cross between classic EC Comics horror and the television show, Night Gallery.
The books are filled with terrific scary tales that mix a little gore and sci-fi with O Henry-styled twists and some great macabre humor. Now after a couple of years off while Mull was making music with SkyFlake and working on other projects, Forbidden Gallery #6 is available for pre-order, and I was lucky enough to get a digital preview. So without any further introductory stuff, here’s what I think…
The PopCult Comix Bookshelf
Forbidden Gallery #6
Edited by William Mull
Writers: Ed Devore, Martin Powell, Dan Johnson, William Mull
Artists: Mike Montgomery, Dan Day, Jeff Austin, Karl Comendador, Portiveritas and Craig Hamilton
Published by ACP Comics
Pre-order now from ACP Comics
As with the previous issues of Forbidden Gallery, each story is preceded by a pin-up/splash page which acts as an introduction by the book’s host, Archimedes, and gives the presentation a cool Night Gallery vibe. I highly recommend this for any fan of horror comics in the classic EC Comics mode. The gallery of the forbidden returns with a new twist this time as the first story in the book introduces Victoriana Verletz, the significant other of Archimedes and new co-host of the comic. It’s a cute story of hanky-panky, betrayal and ultimately, true love, with more than a hint of supernatural shenanigans.
Next up is “Blood of the Mummy,” which is a brisk tale of post-mortem vengeance, set in the 1930s, at the plundering of an ancient tomb in Egypt. “Bleeding This Town Dry” is a romantic tale of a loving couple who put aside their differences to thrive in the Old West. Well, there’s more to it than that, but every marriage has a few secrets.
Shifting into outer space, “On The Rocks,” is a delightfully gory tale of space exploration gone wrong, with yet another married couple involved. The final story, “Scattercrow & Particle Man is a wild tale that mixes supernatural superheroics with Kaiju and a touch of Lovecraft, and it sure seems like a really strong pilot for a series of stories in the future.
Forbidden Gallery #6 is rock-solid entertainment, with great writing and amazing art and storytelling. ‘Tis the season for the scary, and if classic short-form horror comics are in your wheelhouse, you’ve come to the right place. I highly recommend this for any fan of horror comics in the classic EC Comics mode.
You can pre-order Forbidden Gallery #6 HERE, and
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