Universal Monsters: The Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives! #1

Universal Monsters: Creature From the Black Lagoon Lives!

by Dan Watters, Matthew Roberts (cover_art), Dave Stewart (cover_art)

MINISERIES PREMIERE
A NEW HORROR DREAM TEAM RESURRECTS ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC MONSTERS 
Acclaimed creators DAN WATTERS (HOME SICK PILOTS, Lucifer), RAM V (The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, Detective Comics), and MATTHEW ROBERTS (MANIFEST DESTINY) rise from the depths for an all-new epic.  
Years after the events of the original film, journalist Kate Marsden hunts for a notorious serial killer in the heart of the Amazon. Hot on the trail of this madman, she soon encounters an unexpected new threat—but is it friend or foe? Or is it simply...THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON?

Genres: Comics, Horror, Graphic Novels

35 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 24, 2024

About the author

Dan Watters is a UK based comic book writer. His first book, LIMBO, was released through Image Comics in 2016. He has since written THE SHADOW at Dynamite Comics, and ASSASSIN’S CREED and WOLFENSTEIN for Titan Comics.

Currently he is writing the relaunch of LUCIFER for Vertigo’s Sandman Universe, as well as DEEP ROOTS for Vault Comics. Deeply rooted in London Town, and firmly of the Devil's party.

Reviews

[Benji's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty solid first issue. It's good to see my favorite Universal Monster, Gillman finally getting something new!

Journalist Kate Marsden is on the hunt for a serial killer--one who tried to drown her not too long ago. She has a lead, and it takes her to a location with a legend floating around about a creature in the lagoon who likes to drown his victims. It couldn't be a better lead than that, right? That's gotta be the guy. Right?

Well, about that...

Good art and a good story make this an exciting read! Looking forward to the next issue.

[sunny (jael’s version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

he’s always been my favorite movie monster and my hunny got me the first issue for valentine’s day! i cannot wait to read them all! im going to frame them in my house once i finish each one because the art is so freaking gorgeous. very happy with this series so far!

in fact, his head is in my profile photo🤭

[Doc · Rating 4 out of 5]

It comes from the depths

This is a review on all 4 comics of the mini series, Being about not only hunting a serial murderer but also a classic monster taking care of his own business this series may be hard for sensitive readers.

The Creature from the Black Lagoon is an iconic monster whose story is told in several movies (the last one had more of a Frankenstein feel though for lack of spoilers) so it is not a surprise to see it being reinvented for a modern audience set long after the main movie. With the main character knowing the horrors of drowning and the burning hatred for a murderer this story has horror, madness, and to a degree romance spreading over 4 volumes.

Honestly the creature is literally a being of few words save for the occasional half fish sounds so he is kind of a background character save for when his strength is needed or when the MC reflects how almost drowning twice has changed her. In addition the villain of the story is gloriously deranged as he eventually explains his methods and shows his mad workings at last.

Of course one of the things I really enjoyed the most about this series is the artwork. This is especially true when the MC finds herself hallucinating at times thanks to the brain damage from her past drownings showing not only vibrant colors but faces and symbols melding in the scenery in unusual ways. All in all it was not one of my favorite reads but I still found myself enjoying it anyway and it gets bonus points for bringing back one of the coolest fish people in lore. :)

[mooniepal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty sweet! Never seen the original Creature of the Black Lagoon; but this comic makes me want to 😸 I'm a slut for a spooky near death experience that changes the course of your life forever 🤌

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this!!! The writing, the illustrations, and the way the panels were designed worked great! This was definitely an exciting start to a new series!

[Yoshiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

POPKULTUROWY KOCIOŁEK: Zamiast bezmyślnego kopiowania treści i klimatu kina grozy klasy B, zaserwowano nam tu pełnokrwisty i niesamowicie gęsty thriller o wyraźnym zabarwieniu psychologicznym, w którym klasyczna groza ustępuje miejsca współczesnym lękom. Decyzja o przeniesieniu ciężaru opowieści z samej bestii na zmagającą się z gigantyczną traumą ludzką bohaterkę jest strzałem w dziesiątkę, pozwalającym na nowo zdefiniować, czym w dzisiejszych czasach jest prawdziwy strach.

Twórcy prowadzą narrację w taki sposób, że tropy nie układają się w prostą linię. Zamiast klasycznego śledztwa mamy raczej dryfowanie między hipotezami, intuicją i półprawdami. To sprawia, że historia nabiera nieprzewidywalnego charakteru, choć jednocześnie nie traci czytelności.

Nie uświadczymy tu tanich chwytów polegających na nagłym wyskakiwaniu potwora zza kadru czy przerysowanych scen paniki typowych dla starych filmów. Zamiast tego otrzymujemy powolne i metodyczne zanurzanie się w obłęd. Autorzy scenariusza doskonale zdawali sobie sprawę, że we współczesnym świecie to nie nieznane gatunki ukrywające się w nieodkrytych zakątkach globu budzą największe przerażenie, ale raczej drugi człowiek, pozbawiony moralnych hamulców i zdeterminowany do zadawania cierpienia.

Najmocniejszą stroną scenariusza jest sposób, w jaki zestawiono ze sobą dwie narracje. Z jednej strony mamy śledztwo prowadzone przez Kate, z drugiej narastającą obecność mitu o istocie wodnej, która od pokoleń funkcjonuje w lokalnych opowieściach. Te dwa wątki nie konkurują ze sobą, ale zaczynają się przenikać, aż w pewnym momencie trudno określić, który z nich jest bardziej realny. Ważne jest to, że Potwór z Czarnej Laguny nie pojawia się jako prosta atrakcja czy efektowny element grozy. Jego obecność działa bardziej jak cień, który przesuwa się po całej historii i zmienia sposób, w jaki czytelnik interpretuje wydarzenia.

Tempo narracji jest świadomie nierówne. Są momenty, w których akcja przyspiesza, szczególnie gdy Kate zbliża się do kolejnych odkryć, ale równie często historia zwalnia, pozwalając na budowanie atmosfery. To nie jest komiks, który dąży do ciągłego napięcia. Raczej taki, który pozwala czytelnikowi zanurzyć się w przestrzeni i poczuć jej ciężar.

Warstwa graficzna komiksu mocno wspiera atmosferę całej opowieści. Rysunki operują detalem, ale nie przytłaczają nim kadru. Największe wrażenie robi sposób przedstawienia wody i przestrzeni dżungli, gdzie światło i cień nieustannie się przenikają.

Postacie są rysowane w sposób realistyczny, co dobrze współgra z tonem historii. W ich twarzach widać zmęczenie, napięcie i emocje, które często nie zostają wypowiedziane w dialogach. Szczególnie dobrze wypadają sceny nocne oraz te rozgrywające się nad wodą, gdzie odbicia i deformacje obrazu budują dodatkową warstwę niepokoju.

Kolorystyka konsekwentnie utrzymuje chłodny, wilgotny klimat, który wzmacnia poczucie izolacji. Dzięki temu nawet spokojniejsze fragmenty nie tracą swojej intensywności. Całość sprawia wrażenie świata, który jest jednocześnie piękny i nieprzyjazny.

Największym grzechem scenariusza jest bez wątpienia nadmierne przeładowanie wątkami pobocznymi, które próbują walczyć o uwagę czytelnika na stosunkowo niewielkiej przestrzeni.

To przeładowanie postaciami i ich osobistymi dramatami sprawia, że tytułowe stworzenie, na które wszyscy z takim utęsknieniem czekali, zostaje niesprawiedliwie zepchnięte na daleki plan. Po lekturze całości trudno oprzeć się wrażeniu straconej szansy na znacznie głębszą eksplorację potwora i jego natury.

Zdarza się też, że rytm opowieści staje się zbyt rozciągnięty, a niektóre sceny mogłyby zostać skrócone bez szkody dla całości. W efekcie pojawia się wrażenie lekkiego rozchwiania narracyjnego, które nie niszczy odbioru, ale go spowalnia.....

https://popkulturowykociolek.pl/recen...

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you seen the 1954 black and white movie? I have. I was pleasantly surprised that the story starts off as a mystery rather than horror. It’s a different start. The story is focused on developing the lead character in Kate Marsden. Through that development you are able to be immersed in the world this story is set in. Not having Kate hunting down a mysterious creature for thei story was also a great idea. This direction allows Creature from the Black Lagoon to be talked about. With the focus on Kate investigating a shady person with a dark past to be the focus. In the process we see the antagonist of the story being built up. In his own way the person Kate is looking for has his own dangerous legend being shown in the forefront. It all plays well to work in contrast to how Creature from the Black Lagoon is developed in the background. This was an amazing experience for me to read.

It’s an an engaging start to a story that I found myself immersed in as soon as I open the comic book. Dan Watters and Ram V develop a story that is developed with each turn of the page. It makes the story be something that you are uncovering alongside the lead character. I have complete confidence that the book will become a horror novel as one reads the rest of this mini series.

Disclaimer: I received an arc of this comic from the publisher. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

[Joseph R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reporter Kate travels to South America in pursuit of a serial killer who tried to killer by drowning months earlier. She has a hard time keeping up with him because she has some serious post-traumatic stress and some brain damage from nearly drowning. Her desperate investigation leads her into the depths of the jungle where she gets more than she bargained for, i.e. more than one encounter with the Creature.

The art in this story is quite good, fitting the horror theme and Kate's mentally unstable state. The book describes it as anoxic brain damage which is a real affliction where the brain is damaged by extended oxygen deprivation. She is not depicted as a damsel-in-distress. She's a hero with a debilitating condition that heightens the drama. The story is well-paced and satisfying without being earthshaking or over-the-top. I liked it and might try other Universal Monster graphic novels.

Recommended for Creature fans.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Journalist Kate Marsden is chasing a killer, Darwin Collier, after coming close to death herself, at his hands. She hunts him down to the depths of the Amazon basin, Peru... and there she stumbles into the territory of the Creature and the drug gangs that Collier is working for. As the hunt unfolds and the waters are both metaphorically and literally muddied (and bloodied) Kate discovers how far she'll go to get her story and exact retribution, whilst the Creature looks on...
Matthew Roberts' art is excellent and going by the extra material at the end of the book it may well have worked just as well in black & white...

[John Shaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I truly did love those movies when I was a kid, THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON ( filmed in Florida! )and THE CREATURE WALKS AMOUNG US.
The Creature does not really translate to comics nor the 21st Century.
An FBI Agent is fervently on the trail of a killer, Who for what ever reason ends up in the Central American? swamps.
She runs into a scientist who is hunting The Creature. For some Godsdamned reason.
All in it would probably have made a decent RKO movie in the Before Times. As a comic.... meh

[Christian · Rating 3 out of 5]

That cover is legendary. Knew nothing about the character beforehand. The art is good but the writing just OK. The story seemed predictable even if I had no prior knowledge. The main character is typical and uninteresting. Haven’t decided if I’m interested enough in continuing it

[Femme Power Comix · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Lizzie Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t wait for the next issues!’

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amphetamine fuled drowning nightmare. The universal monsters comics are instant classics themselves.

[Shawn Robare · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little light with an off-screen story that feels very much unrelated to the Creature mythos. We’ll see where it goes…

[Nes🏳️‍🌈 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The covers for this series is what drew me in, I’m hoping the story can keep me entertained!

[Dennis Brock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid & interesting story. 3.75/5

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as the Dracula graphic novel, but as a sequel to the original movie it certainly wasn't bad.

[Nicole Geub · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great art. The story has drive. Let's see where this goes

[alejandro galvez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its decent.

I am intrigued so far. I will be checking out book #2 for sure. Give it a shot. You just might like it.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always wondered why this movie wasn't remade (I just jinxed it)
Not familiar with this writer, seems interesting so far.

[Luca Ruocco · Rating 3 out of 5]

In libreria è arrivato da poche settimane il nuovo capitolo a fumetti della collana Universal Monsters realizzata da Skybound e portata in Italia, in belle edizioni cartonate, da Saldapress.

Dopo Dracula e Frankenstein di cui vi abbiamo parlato qui e qui, è il turno de Il mostro della laguna nera, scritto da Dan Watters e Ram V, disegnato da Matthew Roberts e colorato da Dave Stewart e Trish Mulvihill.

Se i primi due momenti di questo interessante esperimento di attualizzazione dei classici Mostri della Universal si sono caratterizzati per un libero e creativo utilizzo dei romanzi gotici di partenza, oltre che dei film a cui il progetto Skybound si lega, questa nuova storia è al momento quella più libera e indipendente. Prima di tutto perché il film Il mostro della laguna nera non trae origine da uno scritto, romanzo o racconto che sia, ma dall’ispirazione presa da una leggenda popolare che voleva che alcune zone acquatiche dell’Amazzonia fossero abitate da creature umanoidi con il corpo da pesce. La scelta di Watters e Ram V, però, è di non utilizzare nemmeno il materiale narrativo che avrebbero potuto trarre dal film di Jack Arnold del 1954. Il fumetto è in qualche modo un suo sequel, ambientato circa tre decenni dopo i fatti narrati nella pellicola, a cui potrebbe anche non essere apparentato, se non fosse che le ambientazione e la creatura, Gill-Man, sono proprio quelli che abbiamo imparato a conoscere grazie al cinema.

Continua qui: https://www.ingenerecinema.com/2025/0...

[Musings of the Moonchild · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stunning art to accompany gorgeous prose. Beyond exciting to venture back into the deep.