I had never heard of this magazine, Dread of Night, until this first issue was generously sent to me by Friend of the Blog Christopher Mills. Thanks Chris!
Apparently, a line of b/w magazine-sized comics were started by Bruce Hamilton, as a sort of sister line to Gladstone. Three titles--Dread of Night, Grave Tales, and the delightfully-titled Maggots--were launched, featuring some of the best talents in comics:
...this first story was written by Michael Brewer, with art by Ralph Reese and the legendary Gray Morrow (though I can't see much Reese here). A well-done, if predictable, tale of a guy who meddles in the Dark Arts and pays the price for it.
Next is "He's A Charmer" by Russ Miller and Batton Lash, which has a very go-go 80s feel to it, featuring yet another jerk getting his comeuppance:
Next is "He's A Charmer" by Russ Miller and Batton Lash, which has a very go-go 80s feel to it, featuring yet another jerk getting his comeuppance:
After a multi-page preview for the next issue (where we get to see a few pages from upcoming stories, a fun touch) we get "Upgrade!" by Nat Gertler and featuring a superb art job by Howard Bender and Brian Buniak, recalling the classic early Mads:
...its a ghoulish, gory tale of a doctor who takes on the wrong client, but told with a light, almost goofy touch which made it, for me, the best tale in the book.
After a letter's page ("Dead Write"), and another story, "Withdrawal" (by Charles Marshall and Dan & Dave Day), comes another blast from comics past, a text story, written and drawn by our pal Nick Cuti:
After a letter's page ("Dead Write"), and another story, "Withdrawal" (by Charles Marshall and Dan & Dave Day), comes another blast from comics past, a text story, written and drawn by our pal Nick Cuti:
It's neat seeing Nick drawings accompanying his words, for once. His one spot drawing is a creepy little piece.
Last is "Blood Island" by Bill Pearson and the incomparable Ernie Colon:
Last is "Blood Island" by Bill Pearson and the incomparable Ernie Colon:
...set on an island where people become infected and turn into the living dead, it works as sort of an origin story for DON's host, Count Robespierre.
Overall, the contents of Dead of Night are a little hit or miss, but there's enough good stuff here that it makes me curious to hunt down the other magazines in the line, even one called Maggots.
Unfortunately, none of the titles lasted past three issues, rendering this experiment an odd little footnote in b/w comics magazine history.
Unfortunately, none of the titles lasted past three issues, rendering this experiment an odd little footnote in b/w comics magazine history.
