Welcome back to The Valley Of The Rage…oh wait, I mean Rotten Ink and for this “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” update we will be taking a look at the 2007 indie horror film The Rage that was created by FX man Robert Kurtzman and the Fangoria Comics series based around it. The Rage is one of those films that often gets over looked when it comes to direct to video horror films from this era as it slipped under the cracks, but it’s very cool that it ended up getting the comic book treatment and it’s about time it also gets the Rotten Ink treatment. So if you are ready, let’s dive into The Rage and see what this creepy infected humans undead twisted zombie film is all about!
Let’s start by taking a look at Dr. Viktor Vasilienko, a mad scientist that is working with The Rage Virus that turns people living and dead into deformed maniacs that have a lust for violence. He created the virus after he created a cure for cancer that was hidden away by his home country and never used by America who bought it as they wanted treatments not a cure, and this drove him into a madness. Dr. Vasilienko is from Russia and is a man who does not value human life any more, as he would rather take a life than save a life at this time all in his quest to control the virus he created as a plague. His lab is in the woods among a junkyard of cars, and he not only has his lab equipment but also his experiments that are infected people with the virus. When a normal person, he is not very threatening looking as he appears to be a very normal person, but when he is infected by The Rage virus, his appearance is ghastly as he gets bumps, sores and all his skin gets misshapen and gross looking causing his appearance to scare those who see him. Even when infected by The Rage Virus, good old Dr. Vasilienko retains his smarts and skills as his goal is to find a full cure for the virus, but he also has an idea to create a new race of people infected to make the world a different place. The infected Dr. Vasilienko is very strong and can toss a normal person around like a rag doll, he also can with stand lots of damage as being stabbed and burnt does not seem to bother him at all. He also can bite a person and in turn infect them with The Rage virus making this sickness spread. He also has minions that are like him, infected and very mean and dangerous with one being Gor, a massive blind flesh eater. The other is the little person The Misfit who sometimes dresses like a woman and loves to torture and kill his prey. Dr. Vasilienko also seems to love dealing out pain to his victims as well as his helpers as he is truly a madman now. But while the infected Dr. Vasilienko is strong, he still can be killed as if you destroy his brain he can no longer function and so ends his reign of terror. While Dr. Vasilienko and his Rage infected minions might not be the most dangerous villains we have ever covered, they still are very much dangerous as they love to kill and can infected the world with their bites.
Now that we have talked about Dr. Vasilienko and his infected minions, we should take a look at the film they are from and that of course is The Rage. Like always, I will be taking the film’s write up from our friends at IMDB and after that I will be writing about the film’s production and then about my thoughts on the film. So if you are ready, let’s dodge the infected vultures flying around and see what terrors await us in The Rage!
The Rage (2007)
“A crazed scientist experiments with a rage virus on innocent victims in a laboratory in the woods. When his monstrous subjects escape and vultures devour their remains, they became mutations seeking to feed on humans.”
The Rage is an indie horror film that was from the mind of FX Master Robert Kurtzman, who not only directed the film but also co-wrote the script with John Bisson that takes place in a small town in Ohio and a mad scientist that has raged filled experiments running wild all cause of a rage virus. The film had a low budget with it rumored to be around $200 thousand, and when casting such names as Erin Brown, Andrew Divoff, Reggie Bannister, Ryan Hooks, Rachel Scheer and Alan Tuskes being some of the leads. The film focused lots of its budget on practical effects as they created zombie people and animals and lots of blood was used. Once the film was done and ready for music, the score was done by The Midnight Syndicate and the band Mushroomhead did a few songs for the film. Screen Media would pick up the film for distribution, and it would be released on home media and would show at many Horror Conventions and Screenings. The film was making a small buzz among horror fans as the effects as well as Erin Brown were a draw for them to give it a view. But once released fully, it was met with very mixed reviews from both critics and fans who seemed to not like the film’s plot and found it to be messy. But over the years, the film has gained a cult following thanks mostly to the film being viewed with more modern eyes and it being enjoyed for it’s more over the top parts. The film in 2007 was released alongside such other horror films as 28 Weeks Later, P2, Trick ‘r Treat, I Am Legend, Paranormal Activity, Wrong Turn 2, Hills Have Eyes 2, Halloween, Teenape Goes To Camp and Inside, to name a few.
The film is one that I seen when released on DVD, and it was on my radar for a while thanks to the Fangoria Comic series, the fact that I would see the band The Midnight Syndicate all the time at Cinema Wasteland Convention as well as the fact I was a big fan of Erin Brown aka Misty Mundae…plus you can never go wrong with a strange undead creature feature that was said to be a bloodbath! After watching the film I was not disappointed as I found it to be a very fun ride that was filled with very cool zombie like creatures as well as some very solid practical effects. The one downside was some of the digital effects looked really cheesy, but to be fair in 2007 they still were being perfected in smaller budget films. Seeing actor Andrew Divoff in another role besides The Wishmaster was very cool as he played another messed up creature this time a mad scientist who is hell bent on destroying the world after they would not allow him to save it, as I am sure you guessed it, he plays Dr. Viktor Vasilienko and does a great job in the role. My favorite bad guy character is The Misfit who is a very strange character that dresses like a woman, talks weird, is very mean, likes to use knives and is one violent little person! I also like Gor, a massive blind raged filled infected person who wants to eat human flesh and make people dead! Sure some of the acting is also a little cheesy, but I for one think that it is very fitting for this film’s plot and helps add to the classic cult film feel. After all these years and watching this film again in 2023 for this review I still found myself a fan and wished that it would have gotten a sequel as it would have been cool to see the return of Dr. Viktor Vasilienko and see where the story would go next. While The Rage might not be for everyone, if you enjoy the 2000’s direct to video indie horror films, this is one you might find yourself enjoying like I do. I mean, who doesn’t love seeing zombie vultures attacking zombie humans?!
The Rage might not be a household name when it comes to horror films, but it is a very cool cult film that brings lots of splatter and some cool zombie effects and as zombie vultures attacking zombie people! We are now at the point of this update that I will review the comics based on the film, and in this case it was Fangoria Comics that made the comic series back when the film was released. I would like to thank Mavericks Cards And Comics for having this comic in stock and making this update possible. I would also like to thank Fangoria Magazine for making a comic branch that sadly they folded up way to soon due to poor management. And lastly I would like to remind you all 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 if you are ready, let’s head to the lab of Dr. Vasilienko and see who or what he has infected this time around. And on a side note, it has been a very long time since I first read these comics so it will be nice to revisit to see how I feel about them now.
Beneath The Rage # 1 ***
Released in 2007 Cover Price $3.99 Fangoria # 1 of 4
At an insane asylum in Guatemala, doctors and Agent Sadko watch as a man who has been infected by The Rage virus dies before their eyes in a very gruesome way. The man was Sadko’s husband and she would like to talk to the creator of the virus who is also an inmate named Dr. Viktor Vasilienko. Once in the room with Dr. Vasilienko who is chained up and in a straight jacket, she asks him to tell her about the virus, and he says if he tells her, it will cost her life. She blows off his threat and starts from the beginning. Dr. Vasilienko explains that at a young age both of his parents passed away from cancer and as he grew up he himself found a cure for it, but it was stolen by his home country and sold to pharmaceutical companies to buried it as he himself was locked away in a asylum. He escaped and later when messing with two cops sent to arrest him, he stumbled on a street that housed a place that showcased Circus Freaks and inside he meets Misfit a little person with ghastly features and learns from him that a witch cause him to be this way, and when a cop finds Dr. Vasilienko, it’s Misfit who saves him from being arrested by stabbing the cop in the back. Meanwhile the other cop who is looking through Dr. Vasilienko’s room triggers a trap that explodes and kills him. And then both Dr. Vasilienko and Misfit escape into the night and a twisted friendship is born.
This is such a fun issue as it really does a great job of going into the backstory of Dr. Vasilienko as well as shows his first meeting with his friend Misfit, not to even mention it starts off with a bang as we see a man vomit and poop out his insides all because of the Rage virus. The plot has an agent visiting the asylum that houses Dr. Vasilienko to learn about the virus he created and why he created something that if set loose would kill so many people very painfully, and he is willing to tell his tale. Dr. Vasilienko is a man who really just wanted to help save lives who turns bitter and cold when his country and the medical world turn on him for finding a cure for cancer, as they want to treat it to make more money. And with his Rage virus, he thinks that he is showing mankind his anger and this is his revenge on everyone who he thinks wronged him as well as stolen from him. Misfit is a foul person who has been cursed by a witch, is locked up and used in a sideshow due to his gross appearance and who is very blood thirsty and mean. Agent Sadko is there to do a job and needs to find out what she can about the Rage Virus, but she also really wants to kill Dr. Vasilienko as the man she watched die horribly was her husband…but she has a job to do and is trying to remain calm. I really like that this comic shows just how Dr. Vasilienko and Misfit meet as the two are a very odd couple together, but we all also know that the two will go on to do some pretty twisted stuff. The issue is packed with blood, guts and gore and holds true to the feel of the film it’s a prequel to. The cover is very eye catching and is done in the style of an old circus sideshow banner that would be in front of a tent. The interior art is done by Stephen Thompson and is really great stuff as the way he draws the gore is top notch. Plus he does a great job of making the characters look like the actors who played them. The first issue really held up for me, and I am very much looking forward to re-reading the second issue and see if it does as well.
Beneath The Rage # 2 ***
Released in 2007 Cover Price $3.99 Fangoria # 2 of 4
As they are walking, Dr. Vasilienko is getting more information from Misfit about the witch that placed this curse on him as her name is Solia The Eternal Queen and she lives in the jungle that is called The Valley Of Rage. But Dr. Vasilienko gets upset at Misfit after he kills a streetwalker for no reason, and makes Misfit promise to be his servant if he ever wants to be cured. The next day they go to a man named Gor, who sets them up to travel to the valley and their guide is a scumbag named Dirty Sanchez as he is the only one willing to take the gig. But Gor has set up Dr. Vasilienko, Misfit and Sanchez as he and the men he sends with them are all connected to Solia and he wants the three men to never make it out of the jungle…and the orders are understood. Once in the jungle, the group stumbles on a bunch of infected people on crosses, placed as a warning to those entering the valley and by mistake Sanchez shoots one in the head and this alerts the tribe that strangers are near. And worse, the group get captured when Gor’s man on the inside brings to life flesh eating zombies! While Gor himself is being forced to go to the jungle by Agent Sadko and Ivan, her husband, who are tracking down Dr. Vasilienko to bring him back to the asylum to face justice. As Dr. Vasilienko wakes up, he learns that Misfit has set him up as he is working with the Queen as she promised to cure him if he brought her a man of smarts.
The second issue is just as entertaining as the first and the plot thickens as Dr. Vasilienko and his band of weirdoes head into The Valley Of The Rage in order to find out the secrets of the virus. The Queen of a tribe created to make people into mindless monsters. But Dr. Vasilienko soon also finds out that he cannot trust his own “friends” as Misfit is working along side the Queen and lured him into the jungle. Dr. Vasilienko is driven by his quest for revenge as well as studding this new unknown virus, and he will kill and set up whoever stands in his way. Misfit is a crude man who loves killing and as well set up a group of people with the hopes of getting a cure for his illness from the person who cursed him. Meanwhile Gor is learning that while he was trying to do right by the Queen, he soon will find himself being tested as he is being forced back to the jungle by the Russian agents that are after the Doctor. What is bad for Dirty Sanchez as well is that he and other men are being used as pawns in this sick game of power as many of them are losing their lives for other people’s gains. The big plot details in this issue that come to light is that Misfit was ordered by The Queen to bring her a smart person and that Gor and his right hand man are working for The Queen as well. The issue has lots of death that includes blood, guts and gore and will please horror comic readers who love the red stuff all over the panels. The cover is pretty great and has Dr. Vasilienko, Misfit and Dirty Sanchez surrounded by rage-infected zombies. The interior artwork by Stephen Thompson is great stuff again, and truly he understands the mood and nature of the characters as well as the world of The Rage. Over all another solid issue that brings scares and gore to horror readers who enjoy the film The Rage.
Beneath The Rage # 3 ***
Released in 2007 Cover Price $3.99 Fangoria # 3 of 4
Dr. Vasilienko and his men as prisoners head deep into the cave kingdom and witness a man’s soul being taken as a tribute to allow them inside and closer to the Queen. Dr. Vasilienko also notices that there are some members of this tribe who are more mutated and are begging for death as they have all become immortal but the mushroom that helps them has been less affective on some and that is why he has been called on as they hope he can find a way to help these more mutated men and women. In a short time Dr. Vasilienko, along with Misfit and Dirty Sanchez, are brought to see Solia The Eternal Queen who rejects them all as she says they are insane and would poison their god with their madness if he were to drain their knowledge. She does however vomit into the mouth of Dr. Vasilienko given him some of her knowledge so he can understand the virus and how its made and effects. Later Dirty Sanchez is chosen to make love to the Queen as behind her back some of her men are going to allow their God to take the thoughts and knowledge of Dr. Vasilienko, but things go wrong as Dr. Vasilienko’s madness effects the God that shakes and causes the cave to crumble. Meanwhile Gor has been taken by the rage and is attacking and killing the Russians that have entered the jungle with him.
Sadly this third issue was the final issue released in print as Fangoria Comics would close up for the first time and that made this story end on a cliffhanger and for us horror comic readers to not know how the story ends. In this issue, Dr. Vasilienko is taken to see the Queen and shares his knowledge and madness and in turn gets his own reward of getting knowledge passed into him. And while Dr. Vasilienko is a bad guy who has allowed his anger to take over his want to help the world, he still is clearly a man of science as he wants to understand this virus and get a cure for it…but still has ideas to use it against his enemies once he can master it. Misfit as well is a true scumbag who plays both sides of the fence and will take a life and do horrible things to the body afterwards. Dirty Sanchez is just a dirt bag that treats ladies poorly and took this guide gig of taking Dr. Vasilienko into the jungle for money. Agent Sadko, Ivan and the Russian soldiers are also dangerous, but they are on a mission to stop Dr. Vasilienko as they know that his madness could do the world harm. But the true evil of this issue is Solia The Eternal Queen and all her followers as they are all killers, cannibals, zombies, infected and all take lives with zero remorse, and worse they are immortal and some are in constant pain…they are just terrible people who only care about themselves. The fact that they are cannibals and love the taste of flesh and enjoy chopping up people makes them truly scary monsters. The issue has lots of splatter like the past two issues and this is a great thing for fans of the film, as truly I think this comic does justice to the film it’s based on and the creators involved all did great work. It’s a true shame that Fangoria at the time could not get their act together and pulled the plug before almost any of their comic series were finished, and I truly think that it would be awesome of the new owners of the classic Horror Magazine would reopen the comic branch as well. The cover for this issue is pretty creepy and has Dr. Vasilienko in a room surrounded by weird rage filled infants as a soul is being dangled in front of him. Like with the other two issues, artist Stephen Thompson did the interiors and does a fantastic job as I really do like the way he draws the gore an the characters like Misfit and Gor once he rages out…and yes, I get the vibe Gor when normal was based off Tor Johnson. Over all Beneath The Valley Of The Rage was a great comic series based around the indie horror film The Rage as it helped flush out the backstories for many of the film’s bad guy characters, it really is a shame that Fangoria Comics dropped the ball by not finishing all their comics before closing up shop and its even more a shame that Scream Factory would release the final issue as a digital release only in the day when like .1% of comic readers bought digital. Check out the artwork below to see the style used by Stephen Thompson in this series.
As I was saying above, Fangoria Comics would close shop in 2007 and would do so in the middle of their mini series never giving readers the stories conclusions…this reminds me of Star Comics the kid branch of Marvel Comics that use to cancel series with no warning. And while it was cool that Scream Factory did release the missing issue digitally, it would have been nice to have print copies as I have stated back most comic readers did not read digital at this time and most horror comic readers enjoy their comics physical. But sadly so much time as passed and with Fangoria changing ownership hands many times over the years and with no sign that Fangoria Comics will every make a return, I fear that the time to get a printed version of Beneath The Valley Of The Rage # 4 has long passed and with no digital versions floating around the internet, this one is just lost to time. However here is a look at what the cover looked like for the Scream Factory release.
The Rage was truly a great pick for Fangoria to give the comic book treatment as the characters from the film had such weird personalities that needed to be explored, and this comic did just that by showcasing their backstories. I truly miss Fangoria Comics as they along with companies like Topps Comics, Dead Dog Comics and IDW is what made me fall in love with reading comics again back in the 90’s and early 2000’s. And in these modern times I hope that Blood Scream Comics is a publisher that has made it a fun and spooky for some of you. But our time with Dr. Vasilienko and his Rage Virus has come to an end, so I think that its time for me to tell you all that our next update will be about the slasher film The Tripper that was directed by David Arquette. So until next time, read a horror comic or three, watch a horror movie or two and as always support your local horror host. See you next update for a killer good time with a psycho wearing a Ronald Reagan mask!
