Countdown to Christmas 2023 Day 8: Stuff of Nightmares: Slay Ride #1 Cover

Boom! Studios has released Stuff of Nightmares: Slay Ride #1 as a special horror-filled Christmas present. The Nightmare Keeper is your host for a tale created and written by R.L. Stine. Heinrick Fiddler is a devoted department store Santa Claus that snaps after finding that Santaland and the toy department has been shut down this year. He goes on a killing spree and there is a great twist ending.

Cover of Stuff of Nightmares: Slay Ride #1 from Boom! Studios

Another PCH Comic Book Grab Bag

I ordered another PCH Comic Book Grab Bag a few months ago and actually received it on Tuesday, April 7. This makes the third one with the first two being at PCH Comic Collection and PCH Super Hero Comic Books Plus Graphic Novel. I can't believe that it has been almost a year since the last one.

Once again there is no comics from Marvel. There are three comics from Boom! Studios, a graphic novel from DC Comics and Image, and another graphic novel from IDW Publishing. Yes, you read that right for this grab bag has three regular comics and two graphic novels.

First up is Higher Earth #3 (July 2012) from Boom! Studios. I have yet to read it but has dinosaurs so it might be an interesting science fiction comic.

Next up is Planet of the Apes Special #1 (February 2013) also from Boom! Studios. I have yet to read this either but I can't wait to do so.

I have always wanted to read the Steed and Mrs Peel series from Boom! Studios and now I get my chance to start with #0 (August 2012). I got Cover A and I have read the first few pages while I was scanning the rest of the comics in. It's set in 2000 and old agents are showing up dead.

The Mummy: The Rise and Fall of Xango's Ax (July 2008) from IDW Publishing is a prelude to the movie, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Empire and has some photos of Brendan Fraiser in the back. I haven't read this either but can't wait since I enjoyed all the mummy movies.

I also received the Spawn vs Batman graphic novel from DC Comics and Image in the last PCH Comic Book Grab Bag. While it was nice to get two graphic novels this time around, I just wish it wasn't one that I already had.

Overall, I liked the choices of the comic books in this grab bag. However, I was disappointed with getting a graphic novel that I already had. Also, I thought the value was not great once you add shipping costs to the normal price of the grab bag. This will probably be my last one from PCH for sure.

Fantasy Friday: Free Elric: The Lost Balance Prelude

Elric: The Lost Balance is on the stands now but BOOM! Studios has a special ten page prelude that you can read here.

TFAW Grab Bag #8: The Unknown: The Devil Made Flesh #3

Yep, I received two copies of The Unknown: The Devil Made Flesh #3 (November 2009) from TFAW but with variant covers. Cover A's artist was Erik Jones while Stephen Downer and Alexander Stojanov did the art on cover B. The four issue mini series is about Catherine, a detective with six months to live, who tries to solve the mystery of what happens after we die. The investigation leads her to a small town in Alabama where only two of the residents actually have souls. The Unknown: The Devil Made Flesh was created and written by Mark Waid.

TFAW Grab Bag #7: Hunter's Fortune #3

Cover A of Boom's Hunter's Fortune #3 (December 2009) was done by Phil Noto. I liked this issue since it dealt with Excalibur in France. There is also a cool chick fight.

TFAW Grab Bag #6: Farscape #1 And #3

Three variant covers were printed for Farscape #1 (November 2009) from Boom. I only received cover A by Joe Corroney in the TFAW grab bag. I really liked the exterior and interior art since the characters actually look like their tv counterparts.

I also received cover A and B of Farscape #3 (January 2010). Joe Corroney did the former while Dennis Calero did the latter. Both are extremely cool since I like Chiana just as much as I like Aeryn Sun.

TFAW Grab Bag #5: Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? #1

Parts of Boom's Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? #1 (June 2009) is unreadable due to black text on dark background. I really hate when comics do that. I received cover C with art by Scott Keating (there are four different covers).

I have read the story by Philip K. Dick years ago and greatly enjoyed it. However, I do recommend skipping the comic series and purchase the science fiction classic in paperback form by using the link below:

TFAW Grab Bag #4: Die Hard Year One #4 And #5

I like the Die Hard movies but I am still on the fence about the comic series from Boom that recounts the early days of McClane. I have only read the two issues that I received in the TFAW grab bag.

I like cover A of Die Hard Year One #4 (November 2009) by Dave Johnson and Joe Jusko. Mark Simpson did the art on cover B and could be the cover of any series. There is a cover C by Joe Jusko that shows more of McClane in his NYPD polic uniform.

Die Hard Year One (December 2009) cover B was done by John Paul Leon. There were also three different covers for this issue. This issue takes place one year later from the events that happened in the first four issues.

Howard Chaykin wrote the series and the two issues that I read were pretty good. Unfortunately, the interior art could be better.

TFAW #3: The Anchor #4 And #5

I have never read an issue of The Anchor until I received the TFAW grab bag. I received not one issue of the series but two (okay, three if you count the variant cover to #4). From what I can gather from reading these two issues is that the white-bearded Clem aka the Anchor is an immortal demon fighter that has lost his memory. He regains fragments each time he eats the heart of a demon. Clem hangs out with a love sick woman named Hofi and McBride, who appears to be is handler.

The artists of The Anchor #4 (January 2010) cover A were Brian Churilla and
Matt Wilson while #4 cover B was done by Phillip "Phil" Hester, Ande J. Parks and Matt Wilson. The team of Churilla and Wilson also did the interior artwork. In this issue Clem battles The Breeder, who turns out to be Asmodeus.

Brian Churilla and Matt Wilson were also the artists on The Anchor #5 (February 2010) cover A. This issue starts with Clem battling a baby demon that was using a volcano as a womb. His flesh is burned off during the battle but quickly starts to regenerate. Satan seems to be behind all of the Anchor's misery and actually wants him to remember everything.

Pretty weird but I like weird so I liked the two issues that I received and would like to read more