Richard Corben’s “Shadows on the Grave” #1 blends ’50s horror movies, Tales of the Crypt, EC Comics, and old school science fiction cartooning into one odd collection of short stories. These are tales of demented puppet masters and abusive ghost husbands, of tree people and warring gods. Most of all these are examples of a seasoned pro working in a genre he has a strong penchant for. Horror fans will undoubtedly be content.
Written and Illustrated by Richard Corben
The master of supernatural horror is back with bizarre tales of terror in his signature black-and-white style. Running through the entire series is the continuing story of Corben’s new warrior character, Denaeus, reminiscent of his best-loved creation, Den from the classic Heavy Metal series.o New stories from 2012 Eisner Hall of Fame award winner Richard Corben!
When it comes to horror, the stories that get to us the most genuinely build slowly, the narrative gradually increasing its tension, bringing us right up to the snapping point. Consider how “Harrow County,” “Locke & Key,” “30 Days of Night,” “Swamp Thing,” “Sabrina,” and others — so many others — operate. At the same time, there’s a lot to be said about the bursts of terror, the self-contained and expertly tuned narrative, the kind you see throughout Richard Corben’s “Shadows on the Grave” #1. These are stories that play on more primal emotions, stories that don’t overstay their welcome, dropping in and out to deliver that one perfect punch. These are stories that are expertly structured and exquisitely crafted.
I’ll admit right here that Richard Corben isn’t the type of artist I’m typically drawn toward. A “Heavy Metal” alum, his work teeters between the hyperrealistic and the outright cartoony. There are panels, for instance, where he painstakingly draws the veins in a character’s hands or where he makes sure the cockpit of an airplane exists in perfect dimensions with a precise dashboard of instruments. It’s not so much gesture or evocation, it’s trying to capture a precise moment. But then, all his characters bear these other-worldly features, from their oblong, ovoid heads to their braying teeth to their beady, doll-like eyes. He skewers toward the more representational and there’s not a lot of room in his type of art for characters to move and breathe.
But what makes “Shadows on the Grave” #1 so effective is that Corben is fully aware of what his art can and cannot accomplish. We see him pushing up right against the moment he’s going to lose control of the scene, but that wobbly presentation makes the material more interesting and unnerving. I saw this most with the puppet children or with the dude who transforms into a tree. Realistic artwork is unforgiving in the more physics-bending moments, but Corben’s flirtation with caricature works for the atmosphere.
He also delivers the whole thing in gray tones. Heavily rendered gray tones showcasing light bouncing off every which-way like someone just discovered the color dodge tool in Photoshop. Frankly, I think it’s too much, even if it does capture the mood of the pieces and hides more of the expressionistic flourishes.
Of course, all this works because the stories themselves are so tightly controlled and finely crafted. Corben does use a narrator, a hideous creature in monk robes named Mag the Hag, but he’s just a conscientious observer, filling us in on the backstories and setting up enough information to quickly deliver the chills. What I most appreciated was how Corben mixed up his formula, so the stories don’t follow the same structure and play a little differently each time.
If there’s a unifying theme, something that he relies on, it’s abusive people getting their comeuppance. One of the better strips involves a woman who kills her husband, but he never really departs their house. There’s also the tyrannical puppet master and even Zeus himself. It’s sensationalistic, but sensationalistic in a pulp-influenced manner.
Corben also understands how to balance the mood and feel of his shorts. Some of the strips are creepy, some are gruesome and grotesque, but they all have a wry sense of humor about them. A lot of it comes from Mag the Hag’s commentary, but there’s also an awareness about the comic’s own ridiculousness, a sense that it has its tongue lodged firmly in its cheek.
“Shadows on the Grave” #1 is filled with all these well-delivered comic strips and presented with a strong artistic voice. The hyperrealism can be unforgiving at times, but Corben expertly maneuvers the thing from falling off the deep end. I found myself marveling more at the craft and execution rather than actively liking any of the material. Clearly, Richard Corben is a pro and the book constantly exhibits the sheer amount of thought he put onto each page. Even when he goes too far over the mark, he captures his ambition.
Final Verdict: 7.5 – While it may not be work I’m generally drawn toward, it’s damn hard to deny Corben’s craft and skill.
