Catacomb of Torment

[Jeff of Earth-J]

This is the sixth "EC" title from Oni Press following...

• Epitaphs from the Abyss
• Cruel Universe
• Shiver SuspenStories
• Cruel Kingdom
• Blood Type

ISSUE #1:

• "What's the Deal with Voodoo?" - A culturally insenstitive stand-up comedian intentionally baits his audience, but two of them aren't content to leave it at that.
• "Quintana Roo" - Four culturally insensitive vacationers stray from the resort grounds on the "Gulf of America" against the advice of hotel staff.
• "Garden Variety" - This story reminds me a bit of "Foo Goo" (from the first issue of DC's Wasteland, 1987), but I'm reluctant to say anything about it beyond that.

I usually pick my favorite story of the issue, but I liked all these pretty much equally. The issue is rounded out with a "SuspenStory" by William Gaines, Al Feldstein and Graham Ingles from 1952.

 

[Captain Comics]

It read like the other Oni/EC books, which means I liked it well enough. 

[Jeff of Earth-J]

ISSUE #2:

• "Red Blend" - Brother and sister vintners, one good, one not. Oni Press is getting better at this (and I'm speaking as someone who has followed this "EC" line from the beginning. and liked it). This is the most "EC-type" story I have read so far, and I've read them all. It is "predictable" in the best sense of the term.
• "The Dressmaker" - A dressmaker who changes her personality as she changes her clothes. Another "predictable" story.
• "Hostile Architecture" - An architect who specializes in "uncomfortable urban design" (to discourage "loitering, camping, drug use," etc.) gets what's coming to him.

As with the first issue, all of the stories in the second were strong. In this case, for me, the weight of the first story carried the others through to the end, but they were all good.

[Captain Comics]

I haven't picked this one up yet, but I will. I'm also holding Blood Type until I have them all. 

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

I read the first issue a couple of days ago, and I really did enjoy it. My favorite story probably was "Garden Variety" My problem with that story was that the font used on the title page was impossible for me to read. I actually had to flip back to the front of the book to see what it was called.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

ISSUE #3:

• "Movie Night at the Marigold Inn" - A man with a flat tire takes shelter in a nearby inn. It happens to be movie night in the common room, and the movie playing is a snuff film. What's more, all of the other guests are... no, I shouldn't tell you. This story is all about mood and atmosphere, and the enjoyment is experiencing it as it unfolds. Before I was even finished reading the first story I knew I had already gotten my money's worth out of this issue, even if the other stories weren't as good (although they were).
• "Intrusive Thoughts" - A new mother has "intrusive thoughts" about harming her newborn baby. Her therepist suggests that she write her thoughts down in a journal. The husband finds it, but everything works out in the end. ;)
• "Couples Therapy" - A couple seek marital advice from two married therapists. I should have seen the end of this one coming, but I didn't.