PERMADEATH #1, by Dead Sky Publishing on 8/21/24, delivers two shots of terror for your horror-loving heart. A group of senior men in a nursing home go on an unusual joy ride, and a lonely teenager looks for meaning in all the wrong places.
Credits:
- Writer: Jonathan Chance
- Artist: Rafael Lanhellas, Dell Barras
- Colorist: Damián L. Felitte, Omar Estévez
- Letterer: DC Hopkins, AndWorld Design
- Cover Artist: Rodel Noora (cover A)
- Publisher: Dead Sky Publishing
- Release Date: August 21, 2024
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover Price: $5.99
- Page Count: 48
- Format: Double-Sized Issue
Covers:
Analysis of PERMADEATH #1:
First Impressions:
Jonathan Chance’s two-shot of terror exemplifies the topsy-turvy horror twists of a Creepshow comic, complete with shocking gore. Chance’s stories latch on to the concepts of people in tough situations who want happiness and love but find horrific consequences when they go about their searches in all the wrong ways. On the whole, this is a solid issue.
Plot Analysis:
The Big Game
A group of elderly men in a nursing home secretly gather to partake of a Native American brew that allows the consumer to astral project into the world to experience consciousness without the weariness of age or pain. When Eugene gets his turn to fly, his randy ways urge him to use his newfound freedom for sinful purposes, leading to a shocking outcome.
Jonathan Chance’s first tale of woe successfully taps into the weary longing of elderly men who recognize that life is nearly over. Rafael Lanhellas’s artwork is strong, especially when the horror elements kick in, and the conclusion has a satisfying twist.
That said, the down points are the weak introductions and the dialog. Readers are introduced to the characters only in passing, so it takes a while to figure out who’s who. Plus, the dialog doesn’t clue you into what “the game” is until much further into the story. Also, the elderly men use phrases that don’t sound right coming from elderly men, e.g. “ghosting” and “I feel you.”
Scattershot
Doyle is on the tail end of a marathon video gaming session that’s streamed all over the world. As he plays, he laments the lack of parental love in his life, and his sadness is compounded by the fact that his best friends are leaving soon for college. Hoping to accomplish something… anything… that will give his life meaning and accomplishment, Doyle goes to the extreme to achieve glory.
Chance’s tale of a sad young man whose lack of familial love and human connection is oddly relatable in our terminally online world. Doyle’s situation is understandable, but he takes the overwhelming sense of sadness to levels that tempt you into viewing him as pathetic, which may be why the ending is more sad than shocking.
Regarding the art, Omar Estévez does a commendable job of using colors to reflect Doyle’s mood during his streaming marathon. The color palette is reminiscent of the electric blue and red saturations you’d see in a Creepshow comic, which is a big plus for this story.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Final Thoughts:
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PERMADEATH #1 gives you two horror tales that play on the idea of finding happiness in all the wrong ways, leading to gory consequences. Jonathan Chance successfully invents relatable protagonists who pay the price for making bad choices, and the art teams turn in above-average visuals.
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