31 Days Of Horror.
Around these parts of the internet, that’s what October is all about: Biff Bam Pop’s annual (official) look at all things that either go bump in the night or shiver the timbers during the day.
Of course, the comic book world is replete with terror-tinged offerings at all times of the year, but many of the publishers save certain, special, spine-tinging tales for this particular month.
And that totally makes sense.
Stalwart Biff Bam Pop! contributor, E.A. Henson, served up some delicious releases, including a horror-themed anthology, from some of the smaller comic book publishers in his weekly Heroes & Villains column earlier today. You should head over there to check it out.
But the larger publishers are in on the game, too.
Today sees the release of a more pop-culture mainstream horror title in Arkham City: The Order Of The World #1.
Now, I’m not one to follow the Batman universe of comic book titles religiously these days, but I’m always paying attention to ongoing storylines and more major inflection points in the Dark Knight Detective’s exploits.
I know that the more recent narrative has seen the Joker unleash his madness on Arkham Asylum, killing and/or freeing all of the denizens of that frightening hellhole of a hospital for the criminally insane. Arkham City: The Order Of The World #1 is perfect fodder for the season and a perfect start for new and continuing readers into the ongoing Batman mythos.
Really, when it comes to 31 Days of Horror, does any comic book hero have a more frightening stable of rogues than Batman?
No. No one does.
Written by Dan Watters (House of Whispers, Lucifer) and darkly illustrated full of shadows, perfectly strange angles and menace by Dani (The Low, Low Woods), Arkham City: The Order Of The World focuses its attention on a number of key, if obscure, Batman villains who have settled themselves within the confines of Gotham City since their grand escape. Here we find: Professor Pig up to his crazed meat-cleaving tendencies, Nocturna in need of human blood, the Mad Hatter fleeing to his mad Wonderland, and the harrowing Ten-Eyed Man who sees all.
Of course, the one remaining doctor who survived the Joker’s original assault on the infamous institution, Jocasta Joy, must round up her former patients. It’s unholy work in an unholy time.
Arkham City: The Order Of The World #1 is a fearsome foray through a city’s darker corners and its more grotesque and unimaginably heinous residents. Perfect reading for you during this 31 Days of Horror!
Make the run to your local comic book shop today and pick up Arkham City: The Order Of The World #1 and enjoy the feeling of unease it gives you as trembling hands turn the page after page of villainous fright!
