Also, if you have seen my message you already know we are going to read Batman/Aliens. This is a fun book that had me on the edge of my seat. If this were a movie there would be plenty of jump scares. Up next we are returning to House of Horror favorite, Plunge! Plunge issue 5 is sure to be a great read as I have learned to trust anything Joe Hill does at Hill House. I do have to mention that this book is rated 17+ and is absolutely not for the kiddos! However, we do have Scooby-Doo 46 on our reading list and everyone of all ages can enjoy it. The last book that we will read is Vertigo Visions: The Phantom Stranger.
There are a few new horror comics hitting comic store shelves this week! We might not be reading the books right away and some of them might even be discussed in other clubs upon release. Think of this as a preview of what might be lurking in the dark corners of House of Horror.
Batman/Aliens was a lot of fun. The first issue was a lot of world-building while introducing you to Deadman’s Hand, the team of soldiers that Batman encounters. The second issue is where the gold is though. Between issues 1 and 2, Batman fell asleep and he dreams he is leaving the movies with his parents. Instead of being shot, his parents die by Xenomorphs coming out of their stomachs! The jump scares don’t end there. There are twists and turns that I was not expecting but I enjoyed the ride!
Ron Marz did a great job weaving a story in a very unlikely crossover, bringing Batman into the world of Aliens. Bernie Wrightson was highly effective in adapting Marz’ script. Wrightson was no stranger to horror comics as he was the co-creator of Swamp Thing and the character Destiny (Weird Mystery Tales issue 1) that would later be used in Neil Gaiman’s Sandman universe. He did leave DC to work for Warren Comics and worked on Creepy Magazine and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The artwork in Batman/Aliens ranges from majestic to out-right scary.
I do have a quick question that I will leave in a poll, are you interested in doing an Aliens watch along? This is currently on HBOMax in both the regular and extended versions!
Would you participate in an Aliens watch along?
Yes
No
0voters
If you do want to participate in an Aliens watch along, which version would you want to watch?
I have not read that yet. For a matter of fact, I’ve hardly read anything Black Label. I might check it out though. The 17+ rating is not very bothering for me cause I’m not to chicken but, things such as possessed dolls and kids give me the creeps.
I should be thinking about getting some sleep but comic need to be read and Plunge 5 is the perfect late night read. This issue is chock full of absolute craziness in all of the right ways. There is betrayal, even if it wasn’t a surprising betrayal, a death, and a plunge into the deep sea!
While Basketful of Heads wanted to tease/remind us that Joe Hill is the son of Stephen King, I believe he has come into his own. Yes, he happens to also write horror but his voice is very distinctive. This chapter in the Plunge saga has only cemented this for me. I can’t wait for issue 6 and then I can’t wait to binge read this whole story once the entire series is on DCUI.
Reading Vertigo Visions: The Phantom Stranger was sobering, to say the least. The grim setting of Hell was an interesting choice and how it was portrayed was even more interesting. I will admit, it took me more than a few pages to get into this story but then before I knew it I had finished the book. When I first started reading this, the art was off-putting. After reading comics with a more slick style, it was jarring at first to get used to cross-hatch shading and minimalist coloring. It did grow on me and I loved this page:
The colors were vibrant and alive across each panel.
Regarding Phantom Stranger, I am not too knowledgeable about him but from what I have read in the past, this version seemed darker, maybe even lost at times. Granted, he was the one leading Naomi through the nursing home, he seemed more passive than I remember him being. I am hoping DCUI will see more Vertigo Visions titles in the future!
What are your thoughts on Vertigo Visions: The Phantom Stranger?
I am sure when many people saw Scooby-Doo on the reading list it was probably passed over. However, there is a method to my madness. Considering that Plunge was written by Joe Hill, I couldn’t resist a Scooby-Doo story about a horror novelist being haunted.
The novelist bares a certain resemblance to a writer but I just cannot put my finger on it. All joking aside, the first story wasn’t bad. It is short at 10 pages. The second story was also short but I didn’t enjoy it as much. It wasn’t bad but it was kind of weird and reminded me of one of the lamer episodes of the cartoon series.
Well Steve Kingman, just read issue 5 of Plunge by your son Joe Hillman. Someone must have already snapped up the tv and film rights to this and Basket. Just fantastic.
I am hoping you are right. These books have been fantastic and we still have an issue or two of Plunge. (I can’t remember if there are 6 or 7 issues)
They would be perfect on HBOmax as I can’t think of what other networks would be able to do them justice.
Books to read 
All joking aside, the first story wasn’t bad. It is short at 10 pages. The second story was also short but I didn’t enjoy it as much. It wasn’t bad but it was kind of weird and reminded me of one of the lamer episodes of the cartoon series.