Hammer Head #1 (Mad Cave Studios, 10/14/26): Writer Ed Brisson & artist Damian Couceiro find an addict and criminal in deep trouble when her prison sets the stage to relive her past with a serial killer. The debut issue is strong on gore and conspiracies to get you primed for the Halloween Season. Verdict: Curious and bloody.
Credits:
- Writer: Ed Brisson
- Artist: Damian Couceiro
- Colorist: Dee Cunniffe
- Letterer: Pat Brosseau
- Cover Artist: Damian Couceiro (cover A)
- Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
- Release Date: October 17, 2026
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 42
- Format: Oversized Issue
Covers:
Analysis of Hammer Head #1:
First Impressions:
Slasher stories are a dime a dozen, especially when the leaves of Fall start to turn. So, I was pleasantly surprised when Ed Brisson came up with a slasher concept with a twist that’s more like The Cabin In The Woods (2011) than Friday the 13th (1980).
Plot Analysis (SPOILERS):
The issue begins with an introduction to Jules McCormick (Jules), a junkie who has spent many years trying to forget a traumatic past that involves a killer called Hammer Head. The masked killer’s name derives from his habit of crushing victims’ skulls with a sledgehammer.
During her latest attempt to score mind-numbing drugs, Jules is captured by the police and sent to a strange prison. She can only see six fellow inmates, all arrested for violent crimes, and the group is mixed gender. At least one inmate believes the strange circumstances may be part of some experiment.
One day, the group is ordered to dress in civilian clothes and forced out into the prison yard. Jules soon finds that an exact replica of her hometown, which burned down during the traumatic incident with Hammer Head, has appeared. The issue ends with more than just the town coming back to haunt Jules.
How is the story in Hammer Head #1?
Ed Brisson hits the ground running by establishing Jules as a broken individual running away from a troubled past. Through exceptionally tight dialogue and scenes, we learn about the prison, the warden’s troubled feelings over the experiment, and the nature of the conflict.
Arguably, the setup is so quick that some readers may struggle slightly to keep up and put the pieces together, but by the end it all comes together.
How is the art in Hammer Head #1?
Damian Couceiro is not afraid of gore, which suits the script perfectly. Jules’ capture and detox are violent, and Hammer Head’s modus operandi is gruesome enough to almost qualify as splatter gore. Couceiro almost makes great use of shadow to emphasize a grim, oppressive atmosphere, even in the brightly lit prison setting. Plus, Dee Cunniffe’s coloring work helps to emphasize the mood and tension.
That said, the character designs are not terribly distinctive, especially since one of the prisoners doesn’t survive the ending. It would help if there were a little more distinctiveness in the characters’ physical personalities beyond slightly different body types and hair.
Characters
Jules is the focal point of the issue, and Brisson goes a long way toward layering her with trauma, fear, anger, and more. The nature and details of her past encounter with Hammer Head are not explained, which is a little bit of a downer, but Jules’s psychological/emotional damage comes across loud and clear.
Originality & Concept Execution
Again, slashers are nothing new. Halloween Season is the time and place for those types of stories to come out of the woodwork in drives, BUT the prison experiment twist is less common and super intriguing, as presented by Brisson here.
Pros and Cons
Art Samples:
The Scorecard:
Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): 3.5/4
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): 3.5/4
Value (Originality & Entertainment): 1.5/2
Final Thoughts:
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Hammer Head #1 kicks off the Halloween Season in a slasher story with a twist. Ed Brisson’s central concept builds intrigue from start to finish, and Damian Couceiro’s artwork delivers a healthy mix of gore and atmosphere.
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