I get this question quite a bit. I I could take a horror movie property and expand upon it in comic book form, what movie would I pick? I usually have an answer close at hand. Of course, those answers change from day to day. I thought it might be fun to put some structure around these dream (nightmare?) projects and share them.
I established a couple of ground rules for myself before I got started.
First of all, I’m focused solely on horror here. Horror adjacent doesn’t count. Sci-fi and fantasy, either. I’ll cover those in another entry, maybe. For now, though, it means no BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, or PREDATOR, among others.
In addition, I’m leaving off horror titles that I’ve already published something for. So… as much as I would really love to get a crack at a new PUMPKINHEAD book, it won’t be on the list.
I’m also focusing on projects I’d want to do something in the comic books space. Even though I have dreams of one day writing a remake of SHAKMA or THE STUFF as movies, that’s not what we’re messing around with here.
Some of the projects listed here have been on my radar for a long time. Some of them, I’ve pitched to various producers and publishers. Some, I just started thinking about as I put this list together.
We’ll do this as a countdown of my Top 10… with a few bonus items to be presented exclusively to my Patreon supporters.
Let’s get the show on the road.
10 - HOUSE
HOUSE is very near and dear to me. I first watched it late one night in the 80s. It aired on HBO (or Showtime or whatever) back-to-back with FRIGHT NIGHT, and it was one of the most magical movie watching experiences I’ve ever had. Anyhow, I have this notion of an ongoing comic book series taking place in the weird, haunted, multiversal hallways and dark corners of the house. Roger and family have moved away, but Harold still lives next door, and he remembers all the strange goings-on. Doorways open into other, horror-filled worlds. A strong mix of horror, adventure, and comedy. I admit, some of this might be influenced by HOUSE 2, which I also love, and maybe we’d bring ol’ Bill Towner (Electrician and Adventurer) into the mix.
9 - THE CABIN IN THE WOODS
Spoiler alert… the world ends at the end of THE CABIN IN THE WOODS… so this might require a bit of retconning… or maybe it is just all set in an ill-defined time before the awakening of the gods. But, man-oh-man, wouldn’t it be fun to explore the various histories and mythologies surrounding the different creatures in the corporation’s collection? I’d want to explore this world in a big, wild ongoing. Part of it would follow the different horror events (almost like an anthology). Part of it would follow the people working for the corporation. Part of it would follow the other branches in other parts of the world! And there is even room there for rival corporations, spies in the organization, saboteurs working at cross purposes and for rival gods. And, let’s face it, it’s a love letter to horror in general.
8 - THE MIST
Talk about the opportunity for an amazing apocalyptic survival tale. I’d want to introduce a new group of survivors who are lost in a world where the mist is slowly expanding, covering everything. These survivors struggle against these horrific monsters (because there’s so much potential for all sorts of terrible nasties). A group would be planning on making a trek to the Arrowhead Project to figure out what happened and stop the mist. And we could have another poor, hopeless group that are in parts of the world not yet touched by the mist… but it is slowly, inexorably… approaching. As I type this out, I realize I love it so much. Maybe it needs to move up in the list.
7 - THE THING
There was a really cool comic back in the early 90s that expanded on the mythos of The Thing From Another World. I’d love to do just that. What if The Thing somehow escapes from Outpost 31. What if it starts a kind of silent invasion of our world. And what if a ragtag group of heroes comes together to form the resistance against these impossible odds. Even though in my heart of hearts I know MacReady dies at the end of the movie, I’d want to bring him back in the comic and have him join this group of heroes.
6 - THE EVIL DEAD
A cheat, maybe, since I’ve written some ARMY OF DARKNESS comics. This, though, would be focused on the darker aspects of these movies, maybe the first film and the two most recent films. The focus of this series would be an occult researcher and his team of allies who are exploring the world in which the Necronomicon has influence. It could be relatively episodic, seeing how demonic infestation impacts different families in different parts of the world, with (of course) an overarching story revolving around the Necronomicon (there are three!) and the cult that follows its teachings.