There are a lot of comics out there but some stand out head and shoulders above the pack. With “Don’t Miss This,” we want to spotlight those series we think need to be on your pull list. This week, we take a look at Sumerian Comics’s “The Fog.”
Who’s This By?
It is pretty exciting that in 2024 a comic book follow-up to a fan favorite 1980s horror film can get made from a smaller publisher with creators who aren’t necessarily household names and they not only have the freedom to make the book they want, but it is also really good!
Writer Steve Ekstrom (“TERMINAL Pulp Anthology”) is tackling this sequel set over 40 years after the original film. His work in comics is not as wide or deep as some other creators we have focused on with this column, but what he lacks in quantity, he makes up for in quality and a cult followings of his work. He proves himself with “The Fog” time and time again showing off his talent for scripting a sequel that feels familiar, yet fresh, and with all the reverence needed for adding a new chapter to a beloved film’s storyline. Artist Marco Fodera is also someone who has quite an extensive portfolio, but not an expansive bibliography. His work is stunning (check out his Instagram) and he does a fantastic job bringing the new and legacy The Fog characters to life. His work is really excellent and clean, capturing the old and new with this comic. Colorist Emilio Lecce (“GI Joe: Cobra Files”) is also an established artist who does an excellent job on this book, but again isn’t widely known by many comic readers.
What’s This All About?
Forty Four years after the cursed ghosts of the Elizabeth Dane brought mayhem and death to the town of Antonio Bay, a thick fog is rolling back in… This comic mini-series tells a supernatural horror story that reconnects several surviving characters and/or their descendants from John Carpenter’s original film to a new series of paranormal events that plague Antonio Bay, a small fishing community turned ghost-hunting tourist destination after its fateful haunting four decades prior. The survivors of the 1980 event are still traumatized and suffering from the losses. Andy Wayne still lives in Antonio Bay with his wife Jamie and teenage daughter Casey. His mother, Stevie is still the local oldies station DJ, and even after all this time they are still attempting to heal from that awful night. There are other characters that converge on the town, including some ghost hunters and a new face connected to the past.
So, Why Should I Read This?
Fans of the John Carpenter classic should find interest in checking out this new sequel. Right from the start, the first issue shows its respect and knowledge of the original film. It paces things properly and allows the story to breathe while catching readers up on the main events that have happened in these characters’s lives since we last saw them. The premiere issue is mostly set up, with a few flashback moments to get us back in the moment. It does an excellent job of moving things forward without relying on the past, as some sequel series tend to do. You can see the machinations at work as characters are clearly moved into place and story pieces are set in place, but it doesn’t take away from the enjoyment of the story, nor does it feel like a cheap gimmick. So far the story itself feels like a natural extension of the movie without getting lost in the fan service weeds. In fact, it does next to no hand holding when it comes to this script. You either know the movie or you don’t and you need to either be on board for this new chapter, or you’re going to be lost.
The mystery of this book is really intriguing. The whole point of the event in the film is that the ghosts are coming back on the 100th anniversary of their death and betrayal to avenge themselves. It’s now a little over 40 years later, so why is the fog rolling back in? Why are there ghosts lurking on the outskirts of town once again? What is drawing all these people to Antonio Bay, and why would people who nearly died all those years ago still live in this town? Just from the build up alone, it does feel like Ekstrom has something actually interesting up his sleeve and this isn’t just a random event occurring with no rhyme or reason. I hope that continues to be true. I am a huge fan of the film, which is why I decided to pick up this book in the first place. The last thing we need is a half-baked horror sequel banking solely on a title and giving fans and new readers lukewarm nonsense. I applaud this creative team for having me hooked right from jump.
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How Can You Read It?
Issue two of the four part miniseries releases this week, with first printings of issue #1 still available. Found anywhere comic books are sold.
