Disciples

by David Birke, David Birke, Nicholas McCarthy

Marin County, 1978. In this graphic novel, teens Clara and Wendy get high one night alone at home. Before the night ends, they've disappeared ― until five months later, when Clara is found, disheveled, but alive, in Death Valley National Park. From Clara's mysterious reappearance in Death Valley, Disciples cuts to the present day, where stories of "The California Cult" and its enigmatic ― and never-caught ― leader, Billy Joe, are as much a part of the popular culture as the Manson Family. Clara, the lone survivor of the cult, has adopted a new identity to protect her and her daughter, Wren. And she mostly does, until one night when the past and present horrifically collide.
Disciples is a seamless collaboration between cartoonist Ben Marra and filmmakers David Birke and Nicholas McCarthy. Birke and McCarthy's script celebrates and reinvents a cult film ethos. It combines the best of 1970s era eerie-thriller-terror movies in a fresh and revelatory way, similar to how Marra has continued/reinvented the work of Abel Ferrara and George Cosmatos in graphic novels like Night Business .
Black-and-white illustrations throughout

Genres: Comics, Horror, Graphic Novels, Crime, Graphic Novels Comics

164 pages, Hardcover

Published July 5, 2022

Reviews

[B.J. Swann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't say much about this one without spoiling it. Very tight Manson Family-inspired horror story with a familiar but effective twist. Went great with a Church of the Cosmic Skull soundtrack.

[r. fay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hallucinogenic and bone-chilling. As a cult survivor its literally like a nightmare I've had before. Horrifying. Def wanna read this again in analog-form when it's released.

EDIT- HOLY SHIT JUST FOUND OUT THE WRITER OF THIS WROTE THE BEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME, ELLE (2016). AND he wrote the upcoming film Benedetta..... im peeing

"I've seen it all. The earth fucks the sky. The sky fucks the rain... The rain fucks the worms in the dirt... The worms fuck the dead in the ground, the dead fucks flowers to life... It's all a gas."

[Lana Revok · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun throwback to exploitation horror films of the 1970’s in graphic novel form with a story revolving around a creepy cult. Featuring some fantastic Charles Burns/Chick Bible track style artwork and a plot twist that I’m still throwing up over.

[Matt Graupman · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a Hollywood writer and director, Nicholas McCarthy is responsible for some truly excellent - and some of my favorite - horror movies. So, when I saw he was involved with writing a creepy graphic novel about a weird ass cult, that book, “Disciples,” co-written with David Birke and gorily illustrated by cartoonist Benjamin Marra, immediately shot to the top of my “to read” list. McCarthy’s movies are typically pretty grim and this comic follows that same pattern. At first, I thought “Disciples” was going to be somewhat like his own “At The Devil’s Door” (watch it, if you haven’t seen it; it’s an unsettling little flick) with a Manson Family bent but McCarthy really surprised me with the supernatural twist in the final act (he’s no stranger to a good third act twist, as he’s proven with both “The Pact” and “The Prodigy”). Marra’s art has a comix-y Charles Forsman-esque quality that works perfectly with the story, giving the book an underground I-found-this-old-comic-in-a-box-of-stuff-in-the-basement kind of vibe. I’m not gonna say “Disciples” is the best horror comic I’ve ever read but it’s a properly creepy late night read.

[Luca Ruocco · Rating 2 out of 5]

[...]

Marra è uno dei maestri del fumetto indie americano, e le pagine di Discepoli trasmettono tutta la sua libertà e intraprendenza grafica, mostrando al pubblico un tratto che corteggia l’autenticità ma non il realismo e che non ha remore a mostrarsi imperfetto e rapido. Uno stile che rimanda molto al fumetto nero degli anni ’70 e, perché no, che ha il sapore dei coevi b-movie tanto cari a registi come Tarantino [che non a caso nel suo ultimo film ha raccontato lo stesso ambiente e personaggi simili a quelli presenti in questa storia].

Con Discepoli il trio che vi abbiamo presentato, infatti, racconta una storia che mescola violenza e credo, portandoci all’interno della vita di una donna che è riuscita a sopravvivere e ad allontanarsi [o almeno così crede] dall’allucinatorio viaggio all’interno di una setta dal culto assai radicale, fondata da un carismatico e folle leader alla Manson.

[continua su https://www.ingenerecinema.com/2023/0...]

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exploitation that does not quite go far enough, yet manages to dodge some of the tropes of 70s storytelling. Having read a few of Marra’s creations, I was expecting a heavy slice of sleaze, including nudity and gore. But I guess since Marra didn’t write this, a lot of the sex and strongest violence is done off panel.

Another expectation was for the mother to be some kind of abusive, damaged, white trash bitch and the daughter some dumb girl who takes off her top a lot. Neither of those elements were a part of this story. This is great, because it lends depth to the story, but makes the mistake of cleaning up what could have been some great trash fiction.

As a discerning reader, I appreciate that Birke and McCarthy subverted expectation. But if they are going to write an homage, they needed to go further and include enough of those tropes that make these types of stories fun. Why is the gore avoided til the end? Why can’t we get some fun trash background or dialogue from the cult leader? Why does it end so squeaky, clean?

[Dan Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not the type of story that will make you feel better about the world. Knowing Nicholas McCarthy, who cowrites, is coming from the world of film the execution of this story does make a good deal of sense because I could see how this would fit even better within that medium than comics.

Still, what you have is this chilling tale of a person who escaped hell and never really left. Feels very inspired by true life events akin to the cult surrounding figures like Charles Manson. Although this ends quite differently than the recent Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

It pushes the boundaries of violence and sexuality at times to an almost uncomfortable degree so if you are at all squeamish skip this one.

[Estibaliz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

This was dark and disturbing, somehow akin to one of those old racy horror movies that leave you looking behind you every other minute, for fear of what might be there, lurking in the shadows.

At some point, this cult story evolving into something closer to horror classic was almost deserving of the four stars; but that ending and how confusing things got at times had me settling for the visible three stars.

Enough is enough...

[Rick Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an enjoyable enough romp involving death cults and '70s era cult films. Marra's ability to dictate pacing with his stilted artwork is unparalleled. It's perfect for the tone of the story, and why I don't regret picking this up. The story is really bolstered by the artwork - Marra knows just how much to push the depravity and violence without it feeling like excess. Otherwise, this mostly reads as a mashup of more fun '70s thrillers.

[Ruz El · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

Solid comic that plays with the "Satanic Panic" fears by remixing the Manson cult and what not. The story and ideas sell it. The art is good, maybe more sketchy than Marra usually does but it works. The story kind of peters out and the end feels a bit missed. At the end I couldn't help but feel like this was originated as a film project. Not the strongest of Marra's work, but it's not a bad time.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 2 out of 5]

A horror homage to seventies cult films in the Manson/Satanic panic arena with smudgy/scratchy black and white drawing feeling like cheap pulp (so appropriate) by Benjamin Marra. Hollywood writer and director Nicholas McCarthy teams with David Birke to do the writing. Supernatural elements in the end. Brutal, but not over-the-top with the sex and violence. If you know any of these guys on the team it may be of interest to you. But I just thought it was okay.

[Sibel · Rating 1 out of 5]

La historia no es muy original y va demasiado rápido. No pude conectar ni entender a ningún personaje. No sabría decir si la novela tenía potencial o no. Me quedó con ganas de leer otra novela más desarrollada.

[Greg Shantz · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extra star for the art.

[Tracy Schillemore · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a quick read. I found it a little confusing at times.

[Dair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story was a bit ho-hum but the art was very good.

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Obviously Manson-y but still pleasantly creepy.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not for everyone. If you have a strong stomach and want to be freaked the ef out, read this. Made my skin crawl, hard to read but really cool.

[Elia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brutal, bloody, gory, sexual and disturbing. What more could you want in a comic about an extremely disturbing hippie vampire cult?