Okay, it’s time once again for your guide to things you can do in and around Charleston as we get near the spookiest day of the year. In this week’s edition of STUFF TO DO, we’re going to start off with a very cool horror comic that you can Kickstart,  Decay.

Horror commics are one of the coolest parts of Halloween (but some of us read them all year long).

I picked up the first two issues of this five-part series, written by Anthony D. Stokes, earlier this year, and now the third installment is live at Kickstarter, and you can get your hands on the first two parts as well. Let me quote liberally from the Kickstarter page here…

Jess brings her brother DK back from the dead when he gets shot at a house party but after he starts a murderous rampage for revenge she may come to regret that decision.

Decay is a 5 issue comic book series written by me (Stokes), illustrated by Marc Oliver, and lettered by Es Kay. The funds for this campaign will be used on art, lettering, and printing physical copies. This campaign is essential to continuing the series to its conclusion.

Morality plays have been a part of stories since the beginning of time. Putting characters in no-win situations and watching the consequences of their actions is timeless and I’m excited to show my take on it. I’ve always been a fan of mature comics that felt adult but aren’t gratuitous. There’s no excessive nudity, cursing, or gore just an adult story with mature themes.

Decay is a gritty grimy revenge thriller set in New Orleans. It is inspired by Frankenstein and The Crow.

Stokes is being a little humble here. Decay is pretty freakin’ amazing, with a fresh take on horror that is so compelling that your ever-forgetful blogger has been anxiously awaiting this Kickstarter campaign since summer. Stokes is a very gifted storyteller and in Decay he’s woven familar elements into something really new and exciting. The campaign has just been live for a couple of days, and its already one-third funded.

Stokes is directing the action here, but the art by Marc Oliver and the lettering by Es Kay perfectly suit the story and the end result is, as they say, an action-packed thrill ride.

If you’re a fan of horror and want to support a very creative new take from a young Black writer. then visit THIS PAGE and kick in.

Meanwhile, in and around Charleston

Thursday at The LaBelle Theater in South Charleson and Friday at The Raleigh Playhouse and Theatre in Beckley, the locally-produced movie, Return of the Mothman will be on the big screen. Check out the trailer…

At the LaBelle, There will be a reception and Q&A with the cast & crew after the screening on Friday, October 21st at 8:50 PM. This event includes hors d’oeuvres and beverages with a cash bar.

If you would like to just see the movie, there are six viewing opportunities total, all starting at 8:50 PM on October 20th, 21st, 22nd, 27th, 28th, and 29th. Tickets are $4 each, except for the special screening & reception on the 21st which are $20.

Concession stand will be open for all screenings with snacks & drinks. You can find tickets online HERE.

In Beckley, Screenings will be at 8:00 PN on Friday October 21st and Saturday, October 22nd. Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased a the door, or HERE.

Return of the Mothman is produced by West Virginia based film studio Vandalia FilmWorx Foundation, known for the historic drama “River of Hope” released in 2020 , winner of the WV FILMmakers Festival Best Narrative Film for 2020, with Calvin Grimm returning to co-direct with Herbert Gardner. The film stars Ryan Gilleran as Ted the central character, along with major supporting roles from acclaimed actors Kelly Strom, Phil Washington, Caroline Clay, Eli Burns, and Angelica Gilleran – with cameos from horror film legends John Russo (co-wrote the screenplay for “Night of the Living Dead”, 1968) and Butch Patrick (actor portraying Eddie Munster in the original “The Munsters” series).

The film is not rated, it includes some mild violence, adult language & themes, but does not contain any nudity. Total run time is 1 hour 35 minutes.

ArtWalk happens Thursday night in Downtown Charleston, and several of the galleries and stops along the way will be leaning toward the macabre. We’re running some graphics below, but just get out and check out the different venues. They all have great stuff.

Live Music is back at Taylor Books. There is no cover charge, and shows start at 7:30 PM. Friday it’s Steve Himes. Saturday sees Aaron Millner at Charleston’s beloved Bookstore/coffeehouse/art gallery institution.

Please remember that despite what some folks are saying, the pandemic is not over yet. Many people who have very good reasons are still wearing masks, and many of us, understandably, are still nervous about being in crowds, masked or not. Be kind and understanding  while you’re out.

Since we’re running this feature early this week, there’s bound to be more cool things pop up. I do wish that some of the local venues and music acts could post promo graphics more than six hours before the show. It makes it a little tough for your humble blogger to recommend a show they don’t tell me it’s happening.

If you’re up for going out, here are some suggestions for the rest of this week, roughly in order.