From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: The Crazies (2010)

Posted on July 14, 2023 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink and to another “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic.” This one will be a little more special as we will also be taking a look at Monsterbash 2023 Convention! Well, kind of as we will be visiting some shooting sites of the film in Evans City, Pennsylvania for the original 1973 film, and I will also showcase some of the cool stuff I bought, but all of that will be at the end of this update. The Crazies is a spooky film about infected humans of a virus that turns them into killers and was part of the big remake boom that was taking part at the time. Now it’s time for us to sit back and talk about this remake film and the world it created.

Before we move too far into our look at The Crazies remake, we should take a look at the infected that make this world so dangerous and deadly. The infected or Crazies in this film get this way from the water supply by a bio weapon called Trixie as well as bites of blood transfusions between those who have come in contact with it. They slowly lose their minds and almost at first seemed confused, but are driven to commit acts of violence on those around them. As the illness takes hold they become more and more filled with rage and become even more dangerous killing machines as they have no remorse for what they are doing. Their appearance changes from being blank to crazed and almost zombie like as the bleed from the face area and this adds terror into the hearts of those victims they are after. While they are human, they will used their fists, feet, weapons, fire and whatever they can get their hands on to slaughter their prey. They cannot be reasoned with and when you come across an infected death is what follows. They can also infect others and this causes their numbers to rise and they will also attack in hordes and they will over whelm you and you will be surly dead. But The Crazies do have a weakness as they are just humans with a disease so they can be killed like any normal person from being stabbed, shot, drowned or set ablaze they will die. Also it is said that the infected will show signs in 48hrs and could possible die in that time from it. So while they are easily killed, they are super dangerous as they spread their sickness as well as murder those they come in contact with. Also we should mention that where The Crazies go, the military follows and they have orders to kill on site making them dangerous as well! So in other words if you live where The Crazies infection breaks out, death is all around.

As you can see, The Infected are very dangerous and want to kill and infect others, and to me their virus spreading make them very scary! But now it’s time to take a look at the film and like always I will be taking the film’s plot from our friends at IMDB and I will then write a little about the films production as well as my thoughts on the film. So if you are ready, put on your hazmat suit and let’s stay out of site of the infected and lets talk about the 2010 remake of The Crazies.

The Crazies (2010)

“As a toxin begins to turn the residents of Ogden Marsh, Iowa into violent psychopaths, sheriff David Dutton tries to make sense of the situation while he, his wife, and two other unaffected townspeople band together in a fight for survival.”

The Crazies was a George Romero film from 1973 that was a big cult classic and like most of Romero’s early work was filmed in the Pittsburgh, Pa area. And in the 2000’s a big trend was for Hollywood to remake every Horror Movie in site and The Crazies got its turn in 2010 when Overture Films with Participant Media along with director Breck Eisner and script writers Scott Kosar and Ray Wright came together to deliver a new take on the classic Romero story. The film was casted with names like Timothy Olyphant, Radha Mitchell, Joe Anderson, Danielle Panabaker and Christie Lynn Smith was brought into big roles in the film that was filmed in Georgia and was given a budget of around $20million, and was your standard lower budget Hollywood production and a fun fact being that the film originally started under Paramount Pictures before going to Rogue Pictures before landing at Overture Films in the end. And they were able to also get Lyn Lowry who was the star of the original film to comeback in a cameo role. The film would be scored by Mark Isham and would be released in theaters on February 26, 2010 and was meet with mixed reviews from critics as well as fans and would bring in $54,806,823.00 worldwide and was # 80 for the year beating out other Horror and Cult Films as Vampires Suck, Devil, Machete, Daybreakers and Piranha 3D. The film would find new life and fans when released on DVD and would make a splash at the video rental stores at the time.

As you longtime readers know, I grew up a Monster Kid and a big fan of Horror Movies and one trend that I was very mixed on was the remake craze that ran through the genre and delivered a very mixed bag of films that ranged from really great to bottom of the barrel. Now keep in mind I do not hate remakes I just prefer sequels and reboots as I like the continuation to stores not retelling of them. And I do understand that remakes are a part of Horror Movie history and are made for the next generation of fans as look how many times over the years say Phantom Of The Opera, Dracula and Frankenstein have been remade. And for me The Crazies remake was one that I waited for DVD instead of seeing in the theater as I was not sure that this Romero filmed needed an update and I also felt that the film looked like it took more inspiration from “28 Days Later” than the original film it’s named after. And after watching it I can say I didn’t mind the film, but it was not one of the better remakes of that era of cinema and I felt that while it retained some of the elements that made the original so good it tried way to hard to mimic the trends of Horror at the time of it’s release and this made it feel just like any other “Zombie” or “Infected” film that flooded video rental shelves and cinemas. The Crazies remake as well as the original now is a little more topical after the Virus Crisis the world has been dealing with and just shows how fast something can spread. Over all this was a alright film that I bought on DVD when released and is one you should check out as you might enjoy it more as it is a little more fast paced.

So as you can see, The Crazies remake was a very mixed bag as it tried to add its own elements to the original film, but sadly it was stuck in the shadow of trying to remake a George A. Romero film. Well it’s that time now to check out the comic series that goes along with this film and first I would like to thank Bell Book And Comic as well as Lone Star Comics for having these issues in stock and making this update possible. I want to also say that this will be a first time read for me on this series so that’s pretty cool as this review will be my first impression to the comics. I would also like to remind you that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, its entertainment value and its art and story. So with that lets get crazy with The Crazies and Top Cow Comics. Oh and these comics also were done as motion comics and can be found on the DVD release of the film.

The Crazies # 1 **1/2
Released in 2010 Cover Price $2.99 Top Cow # 1 of 4

A plane crashes into some water and birds end up killing the pilot who was stuck in a tree by eating his eyes after he becomes infected. Rory Hammil lives on a pig farm and hates people due to his past in the Military and has been facing stop drinking, as he has been an alcoholic. And while looking out his widow he sees some of his neighbors on his land caring guns and goes out to confront them, but they soon are mad that he is being rude and one even has a gun pulled on Rory and to prove a point to him about his manors they threaten to kill his hogs…but the bluff almost turns deadly as the hogs seem to be very aggressive towards the humans even knocking one of them down to the ground. Once the neighbors leave Rory comes back in and his wife Peggy tries to tell him he no longer needs to have so much anger and that they need to throw away the bottle of liquor to stop tempting him to drink again, he tells her he needs it to be there in order to beat his addiction. And when Peggy hears a terrible noise outside Rory grabs his shotgun and heads to the barn to see that his hogs have turned on each other and some are dead while the others attack him forcing him to kill them as his wife enters the barn in horror. After the slaughter Rory sits in his home with his blood-covered shotgun that he takes with him as he walks into town and in anger he threatens people and corners a baseball team.

This is a pretty interesting first issue to kick off a comic series based on the remake of The Crazies as we start with a crazy plane crash and then join a hog farmer whose animals have gotten super aggressive and he soon follows in the anger and with a shotgun heads to town to seek some revenge for his anger. It’s clear that whatever was on the plane that crashed is what is causing this change in peoples and animals behavior and it has to be in the water that people are drinking. The issue does a great job of also showcasing that something is causing people to loose control and also shows that they will turn on themselves as well as will murder things that are in the path of the infected being. The comic has some blood but this issues is not all that gore filled and lacks in the death department as well, but I think that’s fine as this is the first issue that is setting up the world. Rory Hammil is just a down and out farmer whose addiction to alcohol has caused him lots of struggles as has his past that to me seems to be military service, and after drinking some water and having a run in with his neighbors as well as being bitten by one of his hogs snaps and wants to shoot and kill innocent people he now views as his enemy. The Hogs are super mean as they are aggressive and want to kill people and one another all because they are filled with so much anger. The cover for this issue is pretty creepy as it shows a Hog that is blood splattered, with the interior art by Jon Buran and is solid work, not my style but still I find it good. So with that, let’s see what the second issue has in store for us and if the baseball team will survive the rampage of Rory who in the cliffhanger has his shotgun pointed at them.

The Crazies # 2 ***
Released in 2010 Cover Price $2.99 Top Cow # 2 of 4

Billy is a cattle farmer and after sending his son Nick to school he notices that one of the gates has been left open and one of the cows is loose. Billy ends up finding the cow in the creek drinking and he also notices that the animal is bleeding form its nose and mouth, and when Billy tries to get the animal out of the water and back home safe the cow attacks him knocking him into the water and keeps acting aggressive as Billy retreats to his home and informs his wife Deardra of the cows sickness and they both agree it needs to be put down. Billy with his rifle heads to the cow when he starts seeing and hearing things almost as if he is slipping into madness, and after shooting the cow Billy goes crazy on the body beating it with his rife until it breaks. Once back home Billy knows something is wrong as a voice is telling him to do very bad things and his wife even notices and takes him to see a doctor and he acts as if he is fine. That night Billy armed with a knife traps his wife and son in a closet and then sets the house on fire burning them alive while he lays down and laughs in the driveway as their screams fill the air.

Ok now I get it, each issue is its own story that showcases someone from that town that is being infected by the rabies like disease that is in the water and affecting the animals, and I am not going to lie, I like this concept as it showcases how this is affecting different people. This issue’s plot has a cattle farmer who is attacked by one of his cows who ends up hearing voices and seeing a person that keeps telling him to do bad things to his family and sadly in the end he does just that, and this one is a true look into madness and is way more downbeat and scary. Billy is our subject this time. He’s a cattle farmer who has a loving wife and a respectful good son. Billy makes money off the milk from his cows and while trying to save one finds himself getting infected and going more and more insane as the days and hours pass and he decided that burning his family alive is the right thing to do…very cold blooded and shows you how bad this illness is! The issue is very dark in tone and while not super bloody there are moments of murder that are very disturbing as a cow is shot and then beaten and a mom with her child are set on fire. The cover for this issue is great and has a creepy Horror Comic vibe and the interior art for this issue is done by Hugo Petrus and is really great as I think he captures the brooding and dark mood of this subject matter well. This far the comic series based on the 2010 film The Crazies has been a good read and I am shocked that it took me this long to read it! So with that let’s see whose madness we follow next.

The Crazies # 3 **1/2
Released in 2010 Cover Price $2.99 Top Cow # 3 of 4

Charlie Finley works as the town’s mortician and bodies just keep coming in and the Sheriff needs to know the cause of death and as well needs Charlie to keep these murders and deaths hush as he does not want to panic the town. One of the bodies on the slab is Rory Hammil and when working on him he by accident pokes his finger and the wound bleeds causing Rory’s blood to mix with his. That night Charlie has a terrible nightmare of the dead bodies coming to life and visiting him in his room and the bodies are that of the crashed Pilot, Deardra, Nick and Rory and even when awake he sees and hears them! Also that morning the towns Pastor shows up to prey for those who have passed and as Charlie leads him to the morgue the dead taunt him, and once there Charlie attacks the Pastor and sews his mouth and eyes shut and Charlie hides when a bone saw in hand when The Sheriff arrives.

In this issue we follow the towns mortician who by accident cuts his finger when working on the body of Rory Hammil and this causes him to become infected and he is tormented by the voices and visions of the victims of the past two issues who push him to do bad things and he does just that as he kills the towns Pastor and then readies himself to murder the Sheriff by the issues end. Poor Charlie is the one we fallow in this issue and he seems like a good guy who has fallowed in his fathers footsteps of being the towns mortician when in reality he wanted to be a doctor and help the sick. When driven to madness Charlie seems to like to cause more torture before death and once his mind breaks it seems there is no coming back for him. What I dig about this issue is that it ties in the past two and shows that this horrific rabies like illness is ripping through this small town and that no one is safe from it. The issue has a little more blood and some gory moments like it shows the burnt corpses of Nick and Deardra and shows the Pastor with his mouth and eyes sewed shut. The cover for this issue is pretty cool and creepy and has a classic modern Horror Comic look, and the interior art for this issue is done by Vincent Spencer and is a weird mix of drawings and photos and it works well for this issue. So far this comic series for The Crazies is a good read and really does fit in well with the 2010 film, and with that let’s take a look at the final issue in this series.

The Crazies # 4 **1/2
Released in 2010 Cover Price $2.99 Top Cow # 4 of 4

The town is under attack by the infected and the military has been called in with orders to kill everyone and thing to keep this infection from spreading and hidden in the woods are the three neighbors of Rory that are Red, Jesse and Nathan who have to fight for their lives as they kill a few soldiers as well as have to fight off some of the infected all the while they are clearly infected as they are filled with violent anger and have been bitten by those they are killing as they want to find a truck to get out of town and then they also have an idea to take what they want. The three friend drive around killing the infected and for some reason put many of the bodies in the bed of the truck they have stolen, but the are finally pulled over by the army and its now clear that they are infected as they brutally kill the military men and they are proud of doing so.

This is the final issue in The Crazies comic series and follows the three friends and the neighbors of Rory from issue one as they get infected and go on a murder rampage as they kill both the normal and infected people and almost treat this like they are hunting deer as they are having a blast in their rampage and while they are infected the three still have their friendship, and they are very violent in their killing ways. The Three Friends are skilled with guns as well as knives and they blast and slash their way through so many people and this hands down is the most violent and bloodiest comic in the series and one solider even gets his face punched into hamburger meat! And by this final issue the infection or illness has spread so fast that everyone is doomed and are running around in rages and attacking one another as well as anyone they see. The series I have to stress did a great job of feeling like it belonged in the film and I enjoyed this with issue two being my favorite in the series. The cover for this one is pretty great and for some reason reminds me of a cover you would see on something like “30 Day of Night” or “68” and is eye catching for that time. The interior art is done by Rahsan Ekedal and is really cool and is the style of modern Horror Comic art that I have always liked. Over all this is a good comic series based on a Horror Film and proves once more that more companies should team with filmmakers to make these types of comics as they are great reads for fans of the film as well as help promote the film very well. Well checkout some of the artwork below to see some of the styles used in this series and I say if you like The Crazies remake make sure to get these comics and give it a read. And I should note that many of the characters and situations from this comic series is from the film it’s self as it explores more about them that you did not see in the film.

Now let’s talk Monster Bash 2023 and you long time readers know that I love this convention a lot as it is a celebration of classic monsters and also has become a kind of gathering spot for Horror Hosts as you can see such hosts as Mr. Lobo, Son Of Ghoul, Drac & Countess Carita and even one of my favorites Gruesome Graves can be found at guest tables and even just wondering around in the crowd. But in 2023 we only did one day at the convention and then spent the rest of the time eating at the amazing restaurants, shopping at local businesses and visiting classic shooting locations of George A. Romero films! And we ended up going the last day of the convention on June 18 and went as soon as the doors opened and after paying to get in we walk around and seen all types of amazing stuff all connected to Classic Horror Movies as well as other things that fans would enjoy like Superheroes and Classic TV. The statues this time around were a mix of things like Universal Dracula and Hammer Horror Frankenstein Monster. And there were lots to look at from Horror DVDs, Shirts, Toys, Books, Model Kits, Books, Comics, Posters, Night Lights, Artwork and much more. While our time was short at Monster Bash this year it still was a great time and lots of fun to spend time with the classic Monsters.

So for those wondering what my Monster Bash 2023 haul was it was the following I got a 1976 King Kong plush doll for $20.00, two paperback novels one being Island Of Dr. Moreau the other The Mummy: Dark Restriction for $7.00 each, I got a wood burn plaque of Horror Host Bowman Body for $25.00, The Mummy # 1 by Dark Horse Comics for $8.00 and three magnets (Phantom Of Paradise, Planet Of The Apes and Night Of The Howling Beast) for $12.00 for the set. And I have to say this is a good haul and I am really happy to have the King Kong Doll as I have wanted one since I was a kid!

On June 19 is when we traveled to Evans City to soak in the place were many scenes of The Crazies was filmed in and is also the town that the film takes place in! When getting there the town has a very small town feel, but also it is very busy as the main street has lots of semi trucks and traffic passing through. We walked up and down the street stopping into some local owned shops and while on the sidewalk talked to each other about The Crazies and it’s impact on the Horror Genre as well as looking around the town thinking about what if the events of the film was real. It was a nice day and a great walk around the town and if you like the 1973 classic film The Crazies make sure to check out Evans City as it’s a fun small town that has micro brew bars, ice cream shops, candy, spices and more.

As always Monster Bash was a fun time and I was able to find some pretty cool stuff for my collection and also let’s not forget just how good the comic series based on The Crazies was! But I think we have spent to much time here in this restricted area and we should probably head out before gas masked hazmat wearing weirdo’s come looking for us! But before we do let me tell you that out next update will take us away from comic books and will take us back to the world of Silent Cinema as we will take a look at the 1922 film called The 3^rd Alarm and you guessed it we will be meeting back up at the Rotten Ink Theater! So until next time, read a Horror Comic or three, watch a Horror Movie or two and as always support your local Horror Host! Before we meet again make sure to check out both the original and remake of The Crazies as they are both worth a watch.

Horror Host Icon: Dr. Morbius

Posted on November 16, 2016 by bloodlinematt

In Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Channel 9 fans of late night horror films tuned into Saturday Nightmare and was treated to the antics of a goofy bolding vampire named Dr. Morbius and his show not only entertained but also inspired those who were the Monster Kids of the 80’s. One thing about the world of Horror Hosting is that it’s filled with many Doctors, Barons, and werewolves and of course Vampires! Dr. Morbius fits in both the vampire and doctor categories and is also a Horror Host that I don’t think gets the respect he deserves, so for this second update to the countdown to Thanksgiving I am very proud to present Horror Host Icon Dr. Morbius! Now I need to also say that this was a very hard Icon update to do cause sadly not much information is out their about Dr. Morbius and some that is out in the world conflicts with each other so what I have done is try my best to research him not only on the web but also talked to fans who grew up watching him during his run. So sit back and enjoy this wild zany ride of the bolding vampire Dr. Morbius.

Saturday Nightmare started out hostless in early 1986 and KCRG Channel 9 decided that when they launched the show they would also hold additions for a permit host and held auditions on August 26 1986 that had hopeful ghouls, ghosts and witches come out of the wood work to be considered for the host gig, this included Slime the Hosting hopeful we interviewed back on the Marvel Lifeform update. The audition tapes would air during a broadcast and by vote from fans the new host would be selected and while Slime might not have gotten the votes, Dr. Morbius did and became the shows permit host for the shows run from 1986-1988. Saturday Nightmare would show a single Horror or Sci-Fi film and would have the good Dr. hosting the film from inside his castle that he named Castle Mare, his shows opening theme was Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Bach and his castle was lit with candles. Dr. Morbius himself is a vampire from Transylvania who moved to Iowa in order to get away and retire, and finds fun ways to pass the time by hosting Horror Films and teaching the viewers not to trust anyone besides their Doctor…meaning himself. His appearance was a long black cape with red lining, a button up white shirt, black pants, a thick mustache and sometimes his face would be painted green while other times it was flesh colored. His accent was thick and sounded like your typical impersonation of Count Dracula and helped add to the idea that Dr. Morbius was truly a vampire from that part of the world. While is time on air was short his iconic memory lives on for fans who grew up watching him and new ones who have watched his clips on Youtube.

Bruce Gantenbein aka Bruk Gant was the man behind the cape who was born in September 3, 1951 in Iowa and was always an entertainer at even in High School he played basketball and was the Captain his senior year in 1970. Bruce also was a singer and played the guitar for many bands and solo music projects of the years that include being members of Kelly And The Komb-Overs, Gambler, Last Chance and for solo work went by the names Bruk Gant and Big Bruce, music was his passion and by all accounts he was good at playing it. Besides music and being a Horror Host he also was a Stand-Up Comic and was a regular performer at Penguin’s Comedy Club in Cedar Rapids and tickled the funny bones of all that came to see him. Think about all the ways he entertained people he was a Horror Host, a Musician, a Basketball Player and a Comedian. Another interesting fact is that Bruce was an officer for Iowa City Police Department from 1978-1980 as well became a Campus Officer for University of Iowa and later a Security Officer for UI Department of Public Safety. Sadly on August 10, 2013 at the age of 61 Bruce “Dr. Morbius” Gantenbein passed away and the world lost a very talented entertainer. This update is dedicated to the memory of Bruce Gantenbein as well as his family, friends and fans who he has touched with his performances and friendship.

In 1986 Dr. Morbius alongside The Invisible Band teamed up with KCRG Channel 9 to releases a 45” Record that featured two rap songs written and sung by Morbius that sold for $2.75 via local shops and over the air orders. The first song was called “Morbius Rap” and was about how great the late night host was at showcasing cheesy films on his show Saturday Nightmare, you know the typical kind of song you would expect from a Horror Host! And on the flip side is a song called “Hawk Rap” that is a tribute to the Iowa Hawkeyes College Football Team and is equally filled with cheesy lyrics and a goofy beat, just think of the Chicago Bears Superbowl Shuffle song. Funny enough many Horror Hosts have tried their hands at Rap Music in the 80’s like Commander USA, Elvira Mistress of the Dark and Dr. Morbius! I can imagine that all through the late 80’s and early 90’s that Hawk Rap was played at the games as well as on local radio to amp up players and fans. The 45” is a collector’s item now but for those fans wanting to hear them they are both on Youtube, so make sure to check them out in all their glory!

On March 15, 2016 at Horrorhound Weekend Dr. Morbius was inducted into the Horror Host Hall Of Fame with the honor going to Baron Von Porkchop to induct him! As always we looked at this induction as an honor and Baron did lots of great research and delivered an amazing speech, sadly with Dr. Morbius being passed away he was not able to accept the plaque but I am sure he was looking down with a smile on his face. Before Baron’s induction speech they rolled a classic clip of Dr. Morbius and the crowd seemed to dig what they were watching, once more I would like to thank Halloween Jack and the HorrorHound Weekend for allowing Baron Von Porkchop to have the honor of inducting a classic and well loved Horror Host like Dr. Morbius! Below is some photos taken from the induction and showcases the plaque that was given in his honor.

So we are now at the time of the Icon update that we take a look at the episodes I own of Dr. Morbius and break down not only the Movie (write up taken from IMDB) and the zany adventure of the host. I searched high and low for episodes of Saturday Nightmare I checked trade sites, download torrent sites, contacted fans and sadly was only able to come up with one episode for this update and for the one found I need to thank my brother Bryan for it as he was able to hook me up. So with that lets get our cheap vampire cape on and take a look at Dr. Morbius at work in this classic episode taken from it’s broadcast showing!

Saturday Nightmare: Creature From The Black Lagoon
Starring – Rico Brown & Julie Adams Not Rated 1954

Host: Dr. Morbius is relaxing by fishing out his window and trying to catch whatever he can from the moat below, only to be pulled from his chair! Dr. Morbius then spends time making cheesy jokes and ushering back to the film or commercial breaks. Morbius then reads some fan mail and answers the questions his fans have for him. And closes the show with more jokes and tells us all that next weeks show will be Bride Of Frankenstein.

Movie: A scientific expedition searching for fossils along the Amazon River discovers a prehistoric Gill-Man in the legendary Black Lagoon. The explorers capture the mysterious creature, but it breaks free. The Gill-Man returns to kidnap the lovely Kay, fiancée of one in the expedition, with whom it has fallen in love.

One thing I must point out is that Dr. Morbius and his show Saturday Nightmare loved them some Pizza Hut as almost every commercial break showcased that greasy pizza joint, or should I say Pizza Hut loved Dr. Morbius and paid for advertisement to air during it. This was a very fun episode and was a nice way to see just how Dr. Morbius hosted and now I understand why he entertained the masses of late night viewers in Iowa! While his time on air might have been short his fans still remember his late night hijinks and this was a true honor to pay him respect. But our next update will take us away from Horror Hosts and into the world of Greek Mythology as it has become a tradition for me to cover the one and only Hercules on Thanksgiving and this year we will be taking a look at the Marvel Comics Version! So make sure to visit back for that Holiday Update, so until next time Support your local Horror Host, read a comic or three and have a safe and fun lead up to our Holiday season.

The Marvel Lifeform Sickness..Has No Cure!

Posted on December 15, 2015 by bloodlinematt

It’s a new update here on Rotten Ink. It’s also wintertime and the update before my big Christmas Eve update, but also during this time of the year besides snow, toys and family comes that wonderful season of colds, flu and sickness! So this quick update will be about sickness and a virus that spread throughout Marvel Comics called Lifeform and had to be stopped by the likes of Hulk, Daredevil, Punisher and Silver Surfer before it was spread around the world. So let’s get some medicine, chicken noodle soup and a warm blanket and take a trip down Sick Blvd and try to avoid the germs and illness along the way.

While many of you might think that I am immortal like Hercules, I am here to break your heart because I am as mortal as you all. Okay, well I am sure none of you thought this, but I felt like this was a good way to lead up to one of the worst times I was sick. In about 2008 or so I was working at a place called Hotel Liquidations. I spent time unloading furniture trucks as well as loading pieces into customers’ cars, and while working there full time, I started to get a sore throat. Instead of nursing it, I continued to work out in the cold weather and inhaling dust from the warehouse, and my throat got worse. Finally one day at work my throat hurt so bad that I could not talk or open my mouth without pain, and I bit the bullet and finally went to the doctor’s with the urging of my coworkers. Before I went, I was not thinking and took a cough drop that was cherry flavored, and for those who don’t know, I am allergic to fake cherry flavoring as well as real cherries and this made me break out in massive hives. So I had to bundle up in long sleeves with a hoodie to cover my face and looked as if I had the plague. Thanks to my close friend and roommate at the time Patrick Neeley, I got to the doctors where I was diagnosed with having a terrible case of strep throat, one of the worse he had seen up to that point! So after getting my medications I was told that I was highly contagious and that I needed to be quarantined in my room so that I did not spread it to Patrick, my then girlfriend Jennifer and the rest of the world. For a little under two weeks, I sat in my room watching films like the original War of The Worlds, The Blob, IT! Terror From Beyond Space and many other sci-fi films. Patrick was nice enough to leave me pitchers of water by my door as well as cook me chicken and beef broth for that was all I could “eat” as I could not open my mouth much at all. Jennifer would come and visit for a short time but had to wear a mask, and she was nice enough to bring me comics to read as well as gave support and love. The pain in my throat was terrible and the swelling in my glands was out of control. The medication I was taking was what would be called the size of a horse pill and was not pleasant to take. The days went by and slowly the medications started to help along with the sleep and drinking tons of water, and finally I was better and able to go back to work…and my first day back I got Scarlet Fever from the Strep Throat. Yep, another pain in the ass sickness that lead to more missed days of work. While I really hate being sick I must say that the only plus side to having my throat swollen that badly was I got to re-watch many great classic science fiction films and I also saw how much my friends, family, co-workers and girlfriend really cared about me as they all went above and beyond to make sure that I was okay and had what I needed to get better. So with that, here is to good health to us all, and let’s say no to harmful germs this winter!

I want to stroll away from sickness for a moment and take a look at a horror host that could have been a household name in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on KCRG hosting the show Saturday Nightmare. Sadly he didn’t win the casting call as the host gig went to Dr. Morbius who hosted spooky movies from 1987-1988, but he host I am talking about would have been called Slime and was played by Eric Fournier. In August of 1987, KCRG did a call to arms for horror hosts to take the hosting gig for their new late night horror show. 42 hosts applied for the job, and only one got the honor. After some digging and looking around in many haunted houses and cemeteries, I am proud to say I have found Slime who was evil enough to answer 5 Questions for you my readers, making this the official 5 Questions With Slime!

Me: Welcome to Rotten Ink Slime! My first question is how did you hear about the casting call to host Saturday Nightmare on channel 9?

Slime: Hello Matt, and thanks for taking the time to dig me up after all these years — although it’s spring now, and I would have come out of hibernation soon. Oddly enough, I was lying dormant for several decades when a construction crew in the area had inadvertently stumbled upon me. As it happened, it was just down the street from where the auditions had been held. Actually, my girlfriend was hounding me to get a job, so I saw that the local studio was looking for a host. I thought my looks were good enough to keep her interested, but apparently I was mistaken.

Me: Growing up did you have a favorite Horror Host that you use to watch?

Slime: Frankly, I was hatched about 200 years ago, so by the time I’d discovered “The Acri Creature Feature” in the early 70’s, I was already quite mature. Like all kids and lizards back then, I was enthralled that anyone was so interested in the same kind of things I was, much less, would dedicate a show to it. Back in those days, there were only a handful of channels available, and none of them contained the kind of programming that would show movies that featured creatures like me. Like with so many other things, cable TV ruined that too. I remember making “Creep of the Week” several times through the 1970’s, and I didn’t even have to do any drawings. I just sent in some pics taken of me by some local kids, and I won the coveted “Creep” certificate about 4 times. I didn’t realize until later that it was actually sort of an insult. I went to take my revenge on 3 of the show’s goons, Vincent Hedges (the vampire), Emmett (the Hunchback guy), and Beauregard (the Werewolf), but the gang turned out to be so friendly, that I was content to just get their autographs.

Me: Tell us how you came up with the Host Character Slime, and a little about the character’s backstory?

Slime: Truth be told, the whole thing was pretty impromptu. I had no time to prepare any bits, and as you can see in the video, I was still busy defoliating when I got the call to be on camera. The only backstory I suppose, was that I’d put so much emphasis on appearance, that I’d completely ignored what I might actually have done as the show’s host. Besides just sitting there looking pretty, I guess nothing but spout endless gobs of fun facts about the horror cinema I’d grown up loving so much. All I could do by way of any preparation was to regurgitate an old Karloff routine I’d committed to memory decades earlier.

Me: During the Audition did you see another Horror Host hopeful and think that they could take the hosting gig?

Slime: I was running extremely late for the auditions. Like any other lizard, I was sunning myself on a rock for some energy reserves. By the time I got to the studio, most of the other audition people had fled — or at least they did when I showed up. Since I arrived so late, and was busy most of my time at the studio in a bathroom making myself look pretty, I missed most of the other would be hosts. I’d done some stand up stuff with Bruce Gantenbein, so when I’d heard that he’d auditioned earlier that day, I wasn’t surprised when he got the gig as the show’s permanent host, “Dr. Morbius.” I was saddened to hear that he has since passed away.

Me: In closing, since hosting Saturday Nightmare was not in the cards what did you go onto do in the world of entertainment?

Slime: Well, I’m happy to report that the surgery was a success, and I’ve made the transition from reptile to human being, more or less. As far as entertainment goes, I’ve done most of my work behind the camera as a videographer and documentarian. On occasion, I’ll turn up at one of the local comedy clubs and do whatever’s necessary to get some laughs. My love for the classic horror flicks hasn’t diminished, and I dabble in recreating some of them as digitally designed characters. Every now and then, I’ll still get the hankering to put on the old latex in a vain attempt to re-capture my former good looks. You see…I miss the scales!

Me: Thanks so much for your time and long live Slime!

It was very cool to chat with Slime, and I for one really would love to see him become a full fledged host and make a show with a title like “Slime Time” or “Slimy Midnight Theater” and be shown on YouTube, DATV and The Kreepy Kastle! But here is to not only Slime, but the other 40 horror host hopefuls as well as Dr. Morbius who all entertained Iowa on that premiere episode of Saturday Nightmare. Also if you have any episodes of Saturday Nightmare hosted by Dr. Morbius, please contact me as I would love to see them and also do a Horror Host Icon for Morbius. So let’s get back to the sickness that’s about to infect the Marvel Comic Universe.

It’s time to climb into our HAZMAT suits and take a look at the Progamma Virus that can change normal humans into lumpy flesh eating masses of goo and just hope that along our journey none of us come in contact with it. But before we enter the danger zone, I want to thank Bell, Book And Comic and Lone Star Comics for having these issues in stock, and as always I must remind you that I grade these issues on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comic stays to the source material, its entertainment value and its art and story. So as the rock band Disturbed says, let’s get down with the sickness!

Punisher: Annual # 3 ***
Released in 1990 Cover Price $2.00 Marvel Comics #3 of 7

George is a masked man who is breaking into a lab to steal a bio-weapon that causes those affected to have hallucinations, become very violent and mutate, and worse for all of us, it spreads like a common cold! During the burglary George and a security guard get into a fight, and as the guard is killed, some of the bio weapon makes contact with George’s skin causing him to fall ill. The Punisher shows up at the lab as he had news that A.I.M. was trying to break in and makes contact with George who now looks like a zombie and is out for blood! The Punisher fends off George and finds out from an A.I.M worker that political hopeful Jethro Prufrock is the man who’s responsible for hiring them to steal the virus and that he also is stock pilling weapons for a war he thinks is coming. The Punisher escapes the lab with a crazed George following and makes it to the Prufrock residence where he overhears that George is Jethro’s son as he argues with his daughter over needing the virus and how important it is for his cause. The Punisher has heard enough, comes out of hiding, and is ready for the bust when George shows up in a wild rage looking even worse from the virus and kills his father and attacks his sister and The Punisher! Normal gun fire is only slowing George down so The Punisher finds a bazooka and blasts George away “killing” him and stopping the virus. In the end, The Punisher learns that the Prufrock family was very much dysfunctional and that he saved the day from a highly contagious virus being spread around New York.

The origin of Lifeform explodes to life in this Punisher Annual, and this is just the start of the sickness that is sure to spread through the Marvel Universe. The plot is very simple and has a son trying to hard to impress his well to do father who takes a job robbing a place to impress him. Things go wrong, the son is infected with a incurable virus and goes on a rampage that ends at his own house with the murder of his father. Throw in a superhero like The Punisher and the sick man’s sister, and you have the first segment in this mini series. The Punisher goes in thinking he is stopping a plot by A.I.M who is selling the bio-weapon to a presidential candidate but turns out having to fight a raged filled infectious killer who seems to be un-killable! The Punisher is cool and collected in fighting the killer even when blowing him up with a rocket launcher. George, the man who becomes the Lifeform, is by all accounts a failure who wants to impress his father but deep down hates his guts for the years of disappointment his father has had in him. When he becomes the killer, he becomes crazy and has the urge to kill those who are around him and no gun can stop him. His appearance is grotesque as his skin has turned bubbly and his features take on the appearance of melted cheese or a wet paper bag with boils all over it. I like the idea of something so simple like a robbery has sparked something that could spell doom for many people all over greed and fear. The comic has two other features that includes a look at The Punisher’s arsenal and a short adventure featuring Microchip, who is The Punishers close friend and business partner. The main story’s art is pretty well done and is done by Neil Hansen who has that very 90’s Marvel style. So far this is a nice start up to a pretty cool story that links some of Marvel’s biggest misfits of superheroing! Below is some of the artwork by Neil that shows what George looks like in this annual. I should also note that for some reason George in this picture reminds me of the film Nightbreed and the characters called The Berserkers.

I can’t wait to see how Daredevil will deal with this terror and how George infected with Lifeform will come back from being blown up so let’s not wait any longer.

Daredevil: Annual # 6 ***
Released in 1990 Cover Price $2.00 Marvel Comics # 6 of 10

Daily Bugle writer Ben Urich has gotten word about the theft at the lab and that some sort of creature was on the loose battling The Punisher, but while the accounts say the monster is dead, sightings have been reported and Ben wants to know what it was and why. Along the dock Lifeform George appears and is unharmed after being blown up, but his appearance has gotten more grotesque. It seems as if the virus now has a new mission, to consume human flesh! So George hits the streets of Hell’s Kitchen and kills and eats anyone who gets in his way, but Daredevil gets wind of this and saves street crooks The Wildboys from being Lifeform’s lunch. In the battle the monster looses an arm and disappears into the darkness. Crooked cops Hobbes and Robbins show up just in time, and not thinking Robbins touches the arm and becomes infected. Ben Urich gets a visit from a man named Lamar Kwait who claims he can make a cure for George and turn him back to normal if he could get a sample of Lifeform’s blood. All things come to a head when Daredevil along with Hobbs, Urich and Lamar find Lifeform George and during the meeting Lamar’s spine is broken by Lifeform who is being shot by tranquilizers and turns into a pile of ooze ending his terror once more….for now!

This second part showcases Hell’s Kitchen in New York and has Lifeform going on the prowl to find human flesh to eat. Reporter Ben Urich along with a doctor who’s looking for a cure, are on its trail but it’s really up to Daredevil to stop the sickness from spreading and save the lives of those who are on Lifeforms lunch menu. The issue has three really good side stories that has Lifeform trying to kill The Fat Boys, Robbins on his death bed and dying from being infected and also having a run in with Typhoid Mary in an ally. Poor George is looking very rough now and is more of a white glob of sickness and jelloed skin, and worse he seems to be having a battle in his own mind as the George side just wants to be cured and the Lifeform side wants to kill and spread the sickness. Daredevil is as noble as ever and wants to keep Hell’s Kitchen safe from crime and monsters. Darvedevil takes the opposite route of The Punisher and uses his fists to fight the monster and not guns. The crooked cops Hobbes and Robbins add some drama to the situation, and the nice extra story that shows Robbins dying from the virus also was a nice touch and shows you should never touch things when you’re not sure what they are. Ben Urich and Lamar Kwait also add to the story and the fury of Lamar wanting to inject Lifeform with the cure tranquilizers shows how focused he is, as well adds the question why does he want to do this so badly. Plus the issue makes good use of many other DD characters as Typhoid Mary, The Fat Boys and The Wildboys all have cameos and help add to the issue and storyline, and each are nice to see. The main story art is done by Cam Kennedy and is top notch early 90’s work. I really dig the way he drew Daredevil and Lifeform as both are very well done. Check out his Lifeform below.

With Lifeform being a cannibal I really can’t wait to read this next issue as he takes on one of my all time favorite superheroes The Incredible Hulk!

Incredible Hulk: Annual # 16 ***
Released in 1990 Cover Price $2.00 Marvel Comic #16 of 23

The Incredible Hulk is roaming the desert and is in a bad mood over loosing his job, women and friends in Vegas and goes nuts when he sees an army convoy driving by. Hulk does what he does best and that’s smash as he thinks they are after him, but he was wrong and after being embarrassed by the commanding officer, he leaps into the middle of nowhere and finds on old theater that used to house plays that’s now abandon and he decides to hang out for awhile. Ben Urich goes and visits Lamar in the hospital and finds out that he was not really trying to help George as he really needed him to find a cure for the virus that he is infected with as well. You see, he was an A.I.M agent who was bitten by a test monkey that was infected with it and now he is dying. Mercy, who is a female with strange powers who does cruel things and acts as if they are acts of mercy, kills an old bum who is down on his luck and quickly finds out that just because people say they wish they were dead, it doesn’t mean they mean it thanks to an old woman who witnessed the act. Lifeform George is still alive and pulls himself back together and is looking for human flesh and sweet death. When Mercy hears his plea for death, she decides that what she is going to do is grant him the gift of friendship and takes him to The Hulk who is still hiding out in the theater. This act of “kindness” from Mercy just upsets The Hulk who wanted to be left alone but now is being bothered by these two. This causes Mercy to force The Hulk to come face to face with Bruce Banner as she makes him appear, and this makes Hulk even more mad and Lifeform hungry! The two monsters clash in a epic fight that leaves the theater on fire, Bruce Banner killed and Mercy sending Lifeform back to the docks and turning him human for short time in New York and Hulk coming to peace with no matter how much he hates Banner he needs him, as he finds out that Banner was really just Mercy in disguise. We also find out that Lamar is in the hospital with a hurt spine as well as infected with the virus as he was an A.I.M. clean up member and by accident came in contact with the virus that is killing him that is why he wanted to try and find a cure so bad. In the end the human George turns back into Lifeform and eats the dying Lamar to end his pain and suffering.

This issue has two monsters fighting it out on a stage in an old theater, which adds great atmosphere to this twisted tale of an infected man. The plot for this annual has The Hulk making a mistake and attacking the military, and after doing so, he goes to lay low in an old abandoned theater. Lifeform once more rises from the muck and meets Mercy who takes him to the Hulk as she thinks the two monsters can be friends, and this, of course, is a bad idea as they fight and burn the place down. To say sorry, she turns George back to human for a short time and when turning back to Lifeform he kills Lamar who is infected and has a damaged spine in what’s looked at as a mercy killing. Geroge/Lifeform is really split now as the human side wants to die and the virus side wants to live and spread sickness and eat human skin! The Hulk in this Annual is the grey mean-spirited one who comes out during the fullmoon, and his anger is out of control, as he once more just wants to be left alone but trouble seems to follow him. He also takes the Daredevil approach in fighting Lifeform and uses fists to try and stop this infected puss bag. Plus watching Hulk dress as a hunchback and delivering lines from the film Young Frankenstein is pretty amazing. Mercy is an odd bad guy as she thinks she is helping people who are depressed by killing them, but when she is told people say things they don’t mean like “I want to die” she decides to try and help Lifeform who’s George side is begging to be killed. Plus its cool to see Hulk get annoyed just by the sight of her. In the story Mercy also takes the form of Bruce Banner to try and talk The Hulk into becoming Lifeform’s friend and its cool to see the two interact. It’s also cool to see Lifeform look at the fake Bruce as dinner! This issue is filled with a monster vs. monster fight and brings a coolness factor out of this annual, as does the fact it’s being told by George who has been cured for a short time and is telling this story to Lamar before he eats him! The art of the issue is done by Angel Medina and is what I expected for Grey Hulk storyline and issue. Check below for how Lifeform looks in this annual, which I must also note is my favorite look for him thus far in the mini series.

From the brute force of The Hulk to the cosmic energy of The Silver Surfer is how we are going to end the sad saga of George Prufrock, a man who is becoming a walking virus Lifeform.

Silver Surfer: Annual # 3 ***
Released in 1990 Cover Price $2.00 Marvel Comic #3 of 9

The Silver Surfer returns to Earth from space to share news with Captain America that Thanos has been killed by his hands during their last battle. While at the hospital Lifeform goes on a rampage eating doctors, nurses and patients and keeps growing into a large blob of flesh and teeth that now wants to eat anyone it sees! Nick Fury of S.H.E.I.L.D. contacts Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four to check up on the hospital, and while doing so, Reed runs into Silver Surfer who agrees to help him on the massacre that they stumble onto. It’s chaos and death as Lifeform has made a path for the ocean and is now eating fish. Reed and the Silver Surfer follow, and Lifeform springs from the water and knocks Reed senseless, then sets his sights on killing and eating the people watching from the docks. But Silver Surfer has seen enough and allows Lifeform to eat him and by doing so he uses his cosmic power to make Lifeform float into space and onto a planet this is void of life. The Silver Surfer bursts out of Lifeform and as he does so, the spirit of George once more comes through and he begs Surfer to kill him. This is not what the Silver Surfer does, so he leaves Lifeform alone on a planet in space.

It takes cosmic power to put a stop the rampage of Lifeform who in this short mini series had killed many of people by infecting them as well as eating them! This issue’s plot has George losing all control and the virus Lifeform taking over causing him to grow into a grotesque blob creature who kills humans and sea life before being stopped by The Silver Surfer who takes him to space and leaves him on a planet that has no life, thus making the Earth safe and poor George stuck with his sickness and not finding the death he so greatly wants. Silver Surfer is a very powerful and noble hero who saves Earth even though he hates visiting here due to bad memories. He understands that Lifeform is a major threat and removes him from Earth so he can no longer spread his sickness. The pure power and heart of Silver Surfer has always made him a very interesting character in the Marvel Universe. Lifeform in this issue is a pure killing machine who seems to not be able to get his fill of flesh, blood and bone as all he wants to do is eat and eat like me at a cookout serving steak. Lifeform, while very much evil, is also a very sad character as he almost has a Larry Talbot Wolfman appeal to him as his human side hates what the monster side does and would love nothing more than to find peace in death. It was nice to see Captain America, Nick Fury and Reed Richards in cameos, and one thing that made me smile is how useless Reed was in the battle as one hit knocks Mr. Fantastic out of the fight game worse than Marvis Frazier being knocked out my Mike Tyson in 30 seconds in the first round. While this was a great issue with lots of mayhem and action I still can’t help but feel a little cheated with the way Lifeform was beat. While it’s cool that it has to stay in cold space on a planet that is lonely and bare for the rest of it’s life, I would have much rather seen Lifeform destroyed or kept in a cell and used again at a later date to fight the likes of Iron Man, Spider-Man, Man-Thing and Captain America in another annual mini series. The art for this one was done by Ron Lim and just like the others is top notch 90’s stuff. Check out the final look for Lifeform George below and see what the fate of others could have been if it wasn’t stopped.

So all along the virus of Lifeform could have been stopped early if only The Punisher would have shot him into space, think about all the lives that could have been saved if instead of a bazooka he used a rocket ship to stop George. But all kidding aside, I found myself really enjoying this weird little storyline that spanned many characters 1990 Annuals. I love how through out the series George grew more and more grotesque and with each transformation, his human side kept dying little by little and the virus ate away at his brain and soul. One thing that made me chuckle was how come The Punisher and Daredevil never contacted the virus as they both had run ins with him and both are mortal with super athletic abilities, but both had contact with a man who was a carrier for a very contiguous disease. I mean I understand how Hulk and Silver Surfer didn’t become infected, but DD and The Punisher by all accounts should have. It would have been nice to also seen this storyline be in the 1990 Annuals for Captain America and Spider-Man as both were in New York at the time of this outbreak and Cap even had a cameo in Silver Surfer showing that he was around. Marvel, to my knowledge, never did use Lifeform again and have left him in space since 1990, makes me wonder why they never brought him back because this time around he also could have been a carrier for a space born virus and finds away back to Earth via a rocket ship and now sets his sights on infecting mankind with his sickness and pain! It could have been a cool idea, but with Marvel in the comic world now not focusing on the past and “updating” things, I am sure Lifeform really is dead in space. Our next update will be Rotten Ink’s big Christmas Eve update, and once more we will be visiting the DC Comic Theater as we take a look at the film adaptations of Superman. So make sure to comeback for that one! Until then, have a safe holiday, read a comic or three and as always support your local horror host.