Hack/Slash has become one of my favorite horror comics on the market today. While definitely a horror comic, it also combines a wit and sense of humor that makes it rise above most other horror comics. This is the story of Cassie Hack and her monstrous partner, Vlad, who travel the highways and byways of the country, hunting down serial killer slashers. Cassie herself is the daughter of a serial killer, the diabolical “Lunch Lady”, who killed all of the kids at Cassie’s school that had hurt or made fun of her daughter. Plain Jane Cassandra eventually grew up into a stunning, Goth-dressing and butt-kicking avenger. Her partner is the misunderstood, deformed Vlad. Powerful and loyal to Cassie, he is the ultimate slasher-slaying sidekick!
This massive 300 plus page omnibus edition collects the previously released Hack/Slash one-shots: Girls Gone Dead, Comic Book Carnage, Slice Hard, Trailers, Euthanized, along with the Land of Lost Toys mini-series and the crossovers with Chucky and Evil Ernie.
Hack/Slash cleverly combines slasher film canon into its stories with a cleverness that horror film fans will appreciate. In “Land of Lost Toys” Cassie and Vlad are investigating a series of killings in Mt. Healthy, Ohio. It seems that people are mysteriously dying in their dreams. The local comic nerd, still living in mom’s basement, tells Cassie that he believes the killing are the work of a spirit named Ashley Guthrie, an awful little boy who killed his own brother for playing with his toys. Ashley was smothered to death by his mother who is now locked away in an asylum. Ashley doesn’t want anyone to play with toys so he’s returned from the grave to kill people in their sleep. Cassie can only face Ashley on his turf, while she sleeps…meaning she won’t have Vlad there to help battle the little hellion.
Cassie and Vlad find themselves “detained” in “Slice Hard” by a corporation who has captured a number of supernatural serial killers including Acid Angel, Waking Man, and the ghoulish chef Hibachi Devil. They want to use the unique properties of these immortal killer’s bodies to create regenerative cosmetics and they want Vlad and Cassie to help capture more. Cassie is aghast that they want to use these dangerous subjects for experimentation and sure enough, all hell breaks loose when they are released by yet another surprise fiend. Cassie and Vlad are now trapped in the facility with a half dozen of the most terrifying slashers in history!
The crossover with Evil Ernie is the darkest toned story in the book, due in large part to the gritty, scratchy art style of Aadi Saldman. While I’ve never been a huge fan of the Child’s Play films, Seeley and artist Matt Merhoff do a great job with the Chuck crossover. Great fun!
In addition the book features over 40 pages of covers and pin-up art, sketch & design art, and a slasher rogues gallery. An outstanding book in every way! Buy this one!
– Tim Janson
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
