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The Monstrous Collection of Steve Niles and Bernie Wrightson
One modern horror mainstay combines with one legendary master in this showcase of Bernie Wrightson's beautiful black and white art.
200 pages, Paperback
First published November 29, 2011
13 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Steve Niles
894 books450 followersSTEVE NILES is one of the writers responsible for bringing horror comics back to prominence, and was recently named by Fangoria magazine as one of it's "13 rising talents who promise to keep us terrified for the next 25 years."
Niles is currently working for the four top American comic publishers - Marvel, DC, Image and Dark Horse. He got his start in the industry when he formed his own publishing company called Arcane Comix, where he published, edited and adapted several comics and anthologies for Eclipse Comics. His adaptations include works by Clive Barker, Richard Matheson and Harlan Ellison.
Steve resides in Los Angeles in his bachelor pad with one cat. While there's no crawlspace, there is a questionable closet in one corner and no one is quite sure what is hidden in there...but we have an idea.
--from the author's website
Niles is currently working for the four top American comic publishers - Marvel, DC, Image and Dark Horse. He got his start in the industry when he formed his own publishing company called Arcane Comix, where he published, edited and adapted several comics and anthologies for Eclipse Comics. His adaptations include works by Clive Barker, Richard Matheson and Harlan Ellison.
Steve resides in Los Angeles in his bachelor pad with one cat. While there's no crawlspace, there is a questionable closet in one corner and no one is quite sure what is hidden in there...but we have an idea.
--from the author's website
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 26, 2020
Well, that was certainly odd. First the good (and the primary reason this gets a 3 star)-the artwork is stellar. The bad? The stories, by Steve Niles, are at best a pedestrian Hellboy/BPRD knock off.
There are three stories in this volume: Dead She Said, The Ghoul and Doc Macabre.
The first one involves a mysterious actress that seems to be some type of immortal being.
The second highlights a character called the Ghoul (think poor man's Hellboy) and his fight against demons infesting a town.
The final one is Doc Macabre, about a brilliant boy named Dr. Macabre who foils a strange haunting event.
Primarily these stories seem to be a vehicle used by Steve Niles to highlight the gorgeous black and white art work of Bernie Wrightson. The stories are nothing special, at best they are mediocre, but the art is quite good. The remaining 40 pages or so are just different prints by Mr. Wrightson.
It is primarily the wonderful art that makes this a great addition to my collection, otherwise, this one might have been donated to a used book store. So this is one you will appreciate for the art. I certainly did, including the random sketches that make up the remainder of this volume.
But as far as Steve Niles, if this is representative of his creative genius then I am afraid he is something of a hack. From the Ghoul to Doc Macabre, it is pretty much a rip off of the far superior Hellboy/BPRD series by Mignola. If you are looking for quality horror comics go with that (Also Mignola's art is nothing to sneeze at either) instead, but if you want to enjoy some quality B&W horror art this is quite good. Kudos to Mr. Wrightson!
There are three stories in this volume: Dead She Said, The Ghoul and Doc Macabre.
The first one involves a mysterious actress that seems to be some type of immortal being.
The second highlights a character called the Ghoul (think poor man's Hellboy) and his fight against demons infesting a town.
The final one is Doc Macabre, about a brilliant boy named Dr. Macabre who foils a strange haunting event.
Primarily these stories seem to be a vehicle used by Steve Niles to highlight the gorgeous black and white art work of Bernie Wrightson. The stories are nothing special, at best they are mediocre, but the art is quite good. The remaining 40 pages or so are just different prints by Mr. Wrightson.
It is primarily the wonderful art that makes this a great addition to my collection, otherwise, this one might have been donated to a used book store. So this is one you will appreciate for the art. I certainly did, including the random sketches that make up the remainder of this volume.
But as far as Steve Niles, if this is representative of his creative genius then I am afraid he is something of a hack. From the Ghoul to Doc Macabre, it is pretty much a rip off of the far superior Hellboy/BPRD series by Mignola. If you are looking for quality horror comics go with that (Also Mignola's art is nothing to sneeze at either) instead, but if you want to enjoy some quality B&W horror art this is quite good. Kudos to Mr. Wrightson!
August 31, 2018
El mítico maestro del terror Bernie Wrightson une fuerzas con Steve Niles, una de las nuevas voces modernas del mismo género. El resultado es bastante satisfactorio, historias simples y entretenidas, dibujadas como los dioses en un ritmo narrativo no muy común de ver en el artista. Me dejan gusto a poco las historietas donde el dibujo supera ampliamente la historia pero no puedo calificar mas bajo por el maravilloso arte a lápiz crudo casi.
February 24, 2019
A friend of mine turned me on to this recently, knowing how much of a Wrightson fan I am. It made me sad the day I heard of his passing and this book came into my hands the other day. I just sat and read it and enjoyed the art from all three stories and the included art gallery section, in one sitting. This is phenomenal! The art displayed here is ranking almost as high for me as Wrightson's Frankenstein. Both of these are masterpieces and a glimpse into an artist of such unique style and original eye, that we will never see his like again. That is the rub here. It's very difficult to think of him being gone....
The three stories here about Coogan, the undead Private Eye, the supernatural hunter and all around badass, The Ghoul, and the young and plucky genius, Doctor Macabre. They move through each of the three stories and are featured within the others, only for a panel or two. Very well done and Steve Niles writing was wonderful for this book. All in all this hit me when and where I needed it and it was great to read something new and enjoy the art, and yet makes me sad that I know there are no more coming from one of the greats.
This one is a keeper for generations!
Danny
The three stories here about Coogan, the undead Private Eye, the supernatural hunter and all around badass, The Ghoul, and the young and plucky genius, Doctor Macabre. They move through each of the three stories and are featured within the others, only for a panel or two. Very well done and Steve Niles writing was wonderful for this book. All in all this hit me when and where I needed it and it was great to read something new and enjoy the art, and yet makes me sad that I know there are no more coming from one of the greats.
This one is a keeper for generations!
Danny
March 19, 2022
Un disfrute bizarro y macabro de principio a fin, como todo lo de Bernie
December 10, 2017
Comics were never the same when horror writer Steve Niles (30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre) and artist Bernie Wrightson (Frankenstein Alive, Alive, Nevermore) collaborated on the three-issue miniseries, Dead, She Said, back in 2008. They went on to collaborate on The Ghoul and Doc Macabre, and all three stories have been bound into The Monstrous Collection of Steve Niles and Bernie Wrightson out from IDW Publishing this week. In addition to the stories, several pages of Wrightson’s drawings from the 1960s-1970s are included in the art gallery section at the conclusion of the book.
For those not familiar with the three miniseries, Dead, She Said is about a Los Angeles gumshoe detective who wakes up dead and consequently spends the rest of the story looking for his murderer. Detective Lieutenant Klimpt seeks to prove that the Atwood movie starlets are one in the same, with the help of an unusual partner in The Ghoul. And in Doc Macabre, readers follow the Doc and his robot Lloyd who accept credit card payment to solve unwanted incidents of the supernatural kind. A few of the characters overlap from one story to the next, which lends a cohesive thread through all three stories....
Please read my full review at Fanbase Press: http://fanbasepress.com/index.php/pre...
For those not familiar with the three miniseries, Dead, She Said is about a Los Angeles gumshoe detective who wakes up dead and consequently spends the rest of the story looking for his murderer. Detective Lieutenant Klimpt seeks to prove that the Atwood movie starlets are one in the same, with the help of an unusual partner in The Ghoul. And in Doc Macabre, readers follow the Doc and his robot Lloyd who accept credit card payment to solve unwanted incidents of the supernatural kind. A few of the characters overlap from one story to the next, which lends a cohesive thread through all three stories....
Please read my full review at Fanbase Press: http://fanbasepress.com/index.php/pre...
January 3, 2020
Sólo por ver el dibujo de Wrightson en este formato ya merecería la pena leer el cómic. Pero el guión de Niles es sólido y solvente y nos dibuja un mundo de investigaciones paranormales donde se mezcla humor y aventura.
August 20, 2023
Prawdziwa gratka dla fanów horroru pulpowego! Oczy mi się świecą, dusza się raduje na widok tych obrazków, a ręce chcą jak najszybciej przewracać kolejne kartki.
Porządne wydanie w dużym formacie, solidny papier. Mamy tu trzy prześwietne historyjki: "Stwierdziła: zgon", "Ghul", "Dr Makabra" i dodatkowo "Galerię prac Berniego Wrightsona". To wszystko jest takie retro i noir! Dostajemy mroczny klimat dodatkowo okraszony czarnym humorem.
Rysunki są czarno-białym mistrzostwem, i zdecydowanie jest na czym zawiesić oko. Oglądanie tego to sama przyjemność! Znalazłam tu ogrom motywów, które uwielbiam! Już pierwsza historyjka sprawiła, że przepadłam! Żywy i zarazem martwy detektyw z bebechami na wierzchu. Czujecie? Och! Panoptikum osobliwych postaci karykaturalnych, powykręcanych upstrzonych strupami, duchy, demony i wiele innych. Jest absurdalnie i groteskowo.
To wszystko jest takie rozkosznie potttworne!
Jestem zachwycona i chcę więcej!
Porządne wydanie w dużym formacie, solidny papier. Mamy tu trzy prześwietne historyjki: "Stwierdziła: zgon", "Ghul", "Dr Makabra" i dodatkowo "Galerię prac Berniego Wrightsona". To wszystko jest takie retro i noir! Dostajemy mroczny klimat dodatkowo okraszony czarnym humorem.
Rysunki są czarno-białym mistrzostwem, i zdecydowanie jest na czym zawiesić oko. Oglądanie tego to sama przyjemność! Znalazłam tu ogrom motywów, które uwielbiam! Już pierwsza historyjka sprawiła, że przepadłam! Żywy i zarazem martwy detektyw z bebechami na wierzchu. Czujecie? Och! Panoptikum osobliwych postaci karykaturalnych, powykręcanych upstrzonych strupami, duchy, demony i wiele innych. Jest absurdalnie i groteskowo.
To wszystko jest takie rozkosznie potttworne!
Jestem zachwycona i chcę więcej!
October 25, 2022
Fajnie narysowane, straszne potwory, dobrze się czytało.
Chociaż to horror, to przypominało mi momentami taką gazetkę ,,Już czytam".
I budziło jakiś zamierzchły, nieodgadniony vibe.
Może ktoś ma ,,Już czytam" i da?
Chociaż to horror, to przypominało mi momentami taką gazetkę ,,Już czytam".
I budziło jakiś zamierzchły, nieodgadniony vibe.
Może ktoś ma ,,Już czytam" i da?
May 17, 2024
The highlight of pen and ink comic artistry
Bernie Wrightson is the master of cross hatch and ink shading. The details in his work is amazing. If you appreciate the classic art style of pre computer graphics check this out.
Bernie Wrightson is the master of cross hatch and ink shading. The details in his work is amazing. If you appreciate the classic art style of pre computer graphics check this out.
October 1, 2019
Hits me between Tales of the Crypt Keeper and Hell Boy. Great little read.
February 10, 2020
I only read the first story as it was already overdue at the library. It's okay.
October 19, 2020
Brilliant!
October 5, 2021
Splitting the difference here. The writing’s only about 2 1/2-3 stars while the art is a 5 stars easy.
October 24, 2022
Dead, She Said, ☆☆☆
The Ghoul, ☆☆☆
Doc Macabre, ☆☆☆☆
Art Gallery, ☆☆☆☆
The Ghoul, ☆☆☆
Doc Macabre, ☆☆☆☆
Art Gallery, ☆☆☆☆
January 22, 2013
Actually, if it weren't for the nice over-sized hardcover edition of this book, it might not really be worthy of a full five stars.
Don't get me wrong the stories are good. But I got the feeling that Wrightson didn't put his full concentration on the art. The art IS nice, but not up to Wrightson's usual level of performance. Maybe it just lacked his usual attention to detail, maybe the inking was done in a more full blacks instead of his etching style?
Be that as it may, it's a very nice over-sized edition of art and stories that I had not senn or read so far.
Don't get me wrong the stories are good. But I got the feeling that Wrightson didn't put his full concentration on the art. The art IS nice, but not up to Wrightson's usual level of performance. Maybe it just lacked his usual attention to detail, maybe the inking was done in a more full blacks instead of his etching style?
Be that as it may, it's a very nice over-sized edition of art and stories that I had not senn or read so far.
October 31, 2012
One of my favourite artists and a writer who does great, great horror, all in a wonderfully over sized package. Mostly I wish all comics were this size.
June 5, 2014
Good old school horror
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews