Horror, comic-book reading has been a pastime of mine during many of summer's steamy streams. Jason Crawley's Bloke's Terrible Tomb of Terror is a perfect source for such grim activity.
I've reviewed installments of the title for my blog some time back. Alas, Crawley has retired his series: a shame since the contents of the seventeen-issue spread deliver the ghastly goods on so many levels.
The illustrated tales (almost all woven by Crawley) range from traditional, marauding monsters to psychological, Poe-ish conflict, covering grimy, graveyard games to cosmic explorations gone awry. Curvy ladies (both good and bad) liven up the scenery. In a nutshell, Tomb is a well stirred torsion of blatant simplicity matched by torrid complexity, each extreme thriving beneath and throughout its Amicus-styled format.
The artwork, in particular, is exquisite and comes from established names in the field, who've reached back in time to render fluid and detailed panels that surpass most of today's competition.
However, the ultimate key to Tomb's success is its host, the Bloke, who sports a not-so-coincidental resemblance to his benefactor. Crawley's alter ego reminds me of my Brother Mike from Elixirs!, but with a sarcastic edge that I only wish my character expressed. With his top hat and (depending on the issue) wooly beard, the Bloke administers a wry, overseeing command comparable to Uncle Creepy, Cousin Eerie and the Cryptkeeper.
For the frugal, one can purchase economical, "Monster Sized" volumes of Tomb, which contain substantial chunks from Crawley's queue, but whether one goes for original-release issues or reprint compilations, satisfaction is always guaranteed.
Bloke's Terrible Tomb of Terror can be purchased through Amazon and Etsy. Test the waters with a sample, but expect to get hooked. Who the bloody hell knows? Perhaps if sales spike, Crawley will see fit to resurrect his weird and wicked creation: something I (and many others, no doubt) would applaud to the horrifying hilt.
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