Review: Children of the Night (When Monsters Wake Book 1) by Victoria Setian and Savanna Ganucheau

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cover of Children of the Night (When Monsters Wake Book 1)Children of the Night (When Monsters Wake Book 1) by Victoria Setian
Abrams Fanfare (January 2026)
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

Victoria Setian started her career in Gotham City, specifically the third floor of DC Comics in the heart of New York City. Her writing chops eventually landed her a role on the DC interactive team, and since then she’s continued her crossover work with credits including the Batman: Arkham series, Mortal Kombat X, and Just Cause 4. She’s a game developer conference speaker and NYU Game Center Incubator advisor, and she helped pilot the Girl Scouts Game Design patch with Women in Games International. When she’s not tinkering on her next project, she’s hanging with her family or practicing Armenian folk dance.

Savanna Ganucheau is a comic artist from New Orleans. She coauthored her first graphic novel, Bloom, with Kevin Panetta in 2019. Bloom received a distinction from the Junior Library Guild, a GLAAD Award nomination, and Amazon’s pick for Best Graphic Novel of 2019. In 2021, she adapted the novel Turtle in Paradise into the graphic novel format. Ganucheau has been creating comics since she was in third grade, and self-published her work in local comic book shops throughout high school. Her newest YA graphic novel is Children of the Night (When Monsters Wake Book 1).Continue Reading

Review: Doctor Zomba’s Ghostly Tales by David Lucarelli

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cover of Doctor Zomba's Ghastly TalesDoctor Zomba’s Ghostly Tales by David Lucarelli
Abacab Studios (November 2025)
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

David Lucarelli is a writer, musician, sound engineer and dad. He is the creator of Tinseltown The Children’s Vampire Hunting Brigade graphic novels. He is the writer/producer of Doctor Zomba’s Ghost Show of Terror, the award winning campy horror comedy revival of a 1950’s style spook show, and the writer/director of Crude, the award winning completely unauthorized play about a band that rose up from the streets of Hollywood to become a cultural phenomenon. He has had stories published by Omnium Gatherum and DNA Publications. The Winter Horror Days anthology which he also edited debuted as the number one horror anthology on Amazon. He was featured in the Monsters and Other Scary Sht, and Cthulhu is Hard to Spell: The Terrible Twos anthologies. His newest comic endeavor is Doctor Zomba’s Ghostly Tales, which is a modern horror anthology comic in the style of E.C. Comics.Continue Reading

Rafael Scavone talks Devil’s Luck

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cover of Devil's Luck #1Rafael Scavone’s Hailstone came out several years ago, and now he’s returning to his horror sandbox with his new 5-issue comic Devil’s Luck: A Hailstone Story from Comixology Originals and Stout Club Entertainment. Cemetery Dance spoke to Scavone about collaborating with artist Eduardo Ferigato, the story’s historical setting, and what he thinks the elements for a good horror comic are.

Be sure to stick around after the interview for a special preview of The Devil’s Luck!

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Review: The Girl, The Priest, and The Devil by Theo Prasidis

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cover of The Girl, the Priest, and the DevilThe Girl, The Priest, and The Devil by Theo Prasidis
Dead Sky Publishing (December 16, 2025)
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

Theo Prasidis is a Greek writer and graphic novelist, published by Image Comics, TKO Studios, Scout Comics, and Dead Sky Publishing. He writes quixotic fantasies about hidden folklore, bizarre rituals and wistful dreams. His newest folk horror graphic novel is The Girl, The Priest, and The Devil.Continue Reading

Review: I Was a Fashion School Serial Killer by Doug Wagner, illustrated by Daniel Hillyard

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cover of I Was a Fashion School Serial KillerI Was a Fashion School Serial Killer by Doug Wagner, illustrated by Daniel Hillyard
Image Comics (December 16, 2025)
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

Doug Wagner is an American comic book writer whose Image Comics include Plastic (co-created with Daniel Hillyard), The Hard Place (with Nic Rummel), Gun Candy (with Brian Stelfreeze), and The Ride (with too many to list). He’s also written titles such as I.C.E., World of Warcraft: Bloodsworn, Legends of the Dark Knight, and Witchblade/Red Sonja. Doug can be found hiding out in Park City, Utah where he spends his days creating madness, frolicking down the slopes with his lovely wife, and reveling cuddle time with the sweetest kitty in the world. His newest graphic novel is I Was a Fashion School Serial Killer.Continue Reading

Review: Ghost Boys: The Graphic Novel by Jewell Parker Rhodes, illustrated by Setor Fiadzigbey

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cover of Ghost Boys: The Graphic NovelGhost Boys: The Graphic Novel by Jewell Parker Rhodes, illustrated by Setor Fiadzigbey
Little, Brown Ink (December 2, 2025)
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

Dr. Jewell Parker Rhodes is the New York Times bestselling author of several books for youth, including Ghost Boys; Black Brother, Black Brother; Paradise on Fire; and Treasure Island: Runaway Gold. She is the recipient of many distinguished awards and honors, including the Coretta Scott King Author Honor, the Green Earth Book Award, an NAACP Image Award nomination, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, and the Octavia E. Butler Award. Rhodes is the Founding Artistic Director of the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing and Virginia G. Piper Endowed Chair at Arizona State University. Her novel, Ghost Boys, is now a graphic novel.Continue Reading

Review: Consensual Violence by Del James, Illustrated by Giulia Brusco Arjuna Susini

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cover of Consensual ViolenceConsensual Violence by Del James, illustrated by Giulia Brusco Arjuna Susini
Dead Sky Publishing (November 25, 2025)
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

Del James is a meat-eating, pro-choice, sober atheist. He writes horror fiction, screenplays, and music. As a lyricist, James has cowritten songs with groups such as Testament, The Almighty, The Outpatience, and Guns N’ Roses, including two songs on GNR’s Grammy-nominated Use Your Illusion album. James has directed several music videos and written live television for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. His newest graphic novel, Consensual Violence, explores the dark underbelly of Lucha Libre wrestling.Continue Reading

Cover Artist Soo Lee on Bride of Rocky Horror

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cover of Bride of Rocky Horror by Soo Lee
Soo Lee cover for Bride of Rocky Horror

Soo Lee, a Bram Stoker Award–winning cover artist, is one of the talents involved with Bride of Rocky Horror, which is now on Kickstarter. Cemetery Dance spoke with her about her background with Rocky Horror, the franchise’s legacy, and how horror comics have influenced her work.

Be sure to stick around after the interview for a special Bride of Rocky Horror preview!

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Review: Moan by Junji Ito

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cover of MoanMoan by Junji Ito
VIZ Media (October 2025)
Reviewed by Danica Davidson

Junji Ito, a popular horror manga creator in Japan, has been getting increasingly known in America. More and more of his horror works are being released in English, with the most recent being Moan, a short story collection. The first few stories run on the long end, and then there are a couple of shorter pieces.

Each story shows off Ito’s masterful artwork. He knows both how to draw characters beautifully and how to set a mood. The stories also showcase Ito’s penchant for weirdness, creepiness and mystery.Continue Reading

Review: MrBallen Presents: Where Nightmares Live by MrBallen and Andrea Mutti

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cover of MrBallen Presents: Where Nightmares LiveMrBallen Presents: Where Nightmares Live by MrBallen and Andrea Mutti
Ten Speed Graphics (September 2025)
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

Better known as “MrBallen,” John B. Allen is a former U. S. Navy Seal, the founder of the multi-platform content company Ballen Studios, and the creator and host of the popular podcast MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories. Allen uses his platform to give back and founded the MrBallen Foundation with the mission to honor victims and support families of heinous crimes through education, training, and financial support.

Andrea Mutti began his career illustrating DNAction for Xenia Edizioni, Sergio Bonelli Editore, and Star Comics. He’s worked with Marvel, DC, Vertigo, MadCave, Stormking, Dark Horse, IDW, Image, BOOM! Studios, and more. His titles include Maniac of New York, Bunny Mask, Rebels, Batman Eternal, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. He’s a member of the National UFO Center and resides in Sarasota, Florida. Continue Reading

Interview: Rodney Barnes on the Dark History of Crownsville

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cover of CrownsvilleFor Crownsville, a new five-issue comic from Oni Press, creator Rodney Barnes took a cue from his past. The actual Crownsville Hospital Center used to be referred to as the “Hospital for the Negro Insane of Maryland” and has since shuttered. Barnes talked with Cemetery Dance about his personal connection to the hospital, the dark stories around it, and the importance of knowing history.Continue Reading

E.M. Carroll Has A Guest In The House

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cover of A Guest in the HouseE.M. Carroll’s horror graphic novel A Guest in the House is out in paperback, and Cemetery Dance is excited to share the a few pages below. The graphic novel, which follows a new wife who becomes suspicious about the death of her husband’s previous wife, won the 2024 LA Times Book Prize. Cemetery Dance spoke to Carroll about being drawn to dark subjects, the book’s inspiration, and the creative process.Continue Reading

Interview: Jordan Thomas and Chris Matthews Take Us to EXORCISM ISLAND

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cover of Exorcism IslandIn the 5-issue horror comic Exorcism Island, the worst instances of demonic possession are all sent to a special island. Writer Jordan Thomas and artist Chris Matthews, who have known each other since childhood and previously worked together on Mugshots, spoke to Cemetery Dance about what led them to teaming up, their inspiration, and how to be both horrifying and highly entertaining.Continue Reading

Mark Russell on finding the horror in the Thanksgiving holiday

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cover of Thanksgiving graphic novelThe holiday Thanksgiving is getting a one-shot horror comedy comic from writer Mark Russell and artist Mauricet, named, simply enough, Thanksgiving. Russell describes it as a “metaphor for what our nation is in danger of becoming” and it will hit bookshelves on October 22. Meanwhile, Cemetery Dance spoke to Russell about why he chose to write a horror comic about Thanksgiving, its three covers, and what he hopes readers take away.Continue Reading

Cover Reveal: True Believers #3 by Stephen Graham Jones

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The comic True Believers: Issue #3 — Slashfest by Stephen Graham Jones and Josh Viola takes place at a real horror convention and is coming out on October 13 thanks to Bit Bot Media. One of its variant covers is of Klayton (Celldweller), a musician and cofounder of Bit Bot Media, by artist Matthew Therrien. Cemetery Dance gets to reveal it exclusively here before the comic’s official launch.Continue Reading