UNDER THE FLOORBOARDS (VOL. 1), by Berserker Comics on 1/31/24, presents eleven tales of terror, ranging from unlucky gamblers running into the worst kind of luck to spaceships crossing into unexplored territory.
The Details
- Written by: Various
- Art by: Various
- Colors by: Various
- Letters by: Various
- Cover art by: Simon Bisley (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $21.99
- Release date: January 31, 2024
Is UNDER THE FLOORBOARDS (VOL. 1) Good?
UNDER THE FLOORBOARDS (VOL. 1) is our first indie submission from Berserker Comics, and as far as indie creations go, the quality in this anthology is top-notch. The collection of short stories explores multiple sub-genres of horror, from psychological to supernatural to sci-fi, and all of them are effective on some level.
For the sheer volume of stories and quality of storytelling (both writing and art), UNDER THE FLOORBOARDS (VOL. 1) is a solid pick for horror comic fans.
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What’s UNDER THE FLOORBOARDS (VOL. 1) About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Anthology reviews describe each short in brief and what did or did not work.
Not With A Bang But A Wimper
The small town of Ashfield is suddenly beset by aliens intent on extracting brain fluids from humans and taking over the town to become their new home. When the job is done, the cycle repeats… for the aliens.
Baden James Mellodie and Andy Brown’s story about the circle of life with aliens starts off strong but loses its way once the invasion goes into full effect. It’s unclear why the aliens are extracting brain fluid, why they want to take over the town and live in the humans’ “lives,” or much of anything else.
A Rose For My Rose
Tom and Libby begin a flourishing romance. When Tom takes Libby to his ancestral home, she begins to see visions of an undead wraith speaking rhymes about abused wives and dead children. When Libby looks for safety and security in Tom’s arms, she learns the house echoes rhymes with a grain of truth.
Mark McCann and Andy Brown’s Gothic tale about the undead, curses, and the supernatural is an above-average ghost story. Libby and Tom’s love appears to be a match made in heaven, but when the ghosts of the past interfere, you won’t see the deadly twist coming. Really well done, moody horror.
Wake In Case Of Emergency
An alien city is under siege by a primitive band of mutates who storm their city in overwhelming numbers. The city’s only hope is to send two messengers to find and wake a mythical warrior with an unquenchable thirst for blood. When their mission succeeds and their city is saved, the messengers learn the truth behind the ancient warrior’s affliction and the pending doom headed for their planet.
Mark McCann’s mythologically-heavy tale starts slowly, particularly due to the rushed world-building, but once the ancient warrior is found, the story makes a lot of sense and packs in tons of original ideas.
Lucky’s Crabs
Mosely has a gambling addiction to horse races. When his debts get too deep with the local gangster, Mosely is given one shot to turn his luck around, starting with a good meal of crabs. Soon, Mosely figures out that a special meal is a ticket to luck and prosperity, but he may not be so eager to continue his winning streak if he knew where his luck comes from.
Mark McCann and Andy Brown’s tale reads more like a cautionary tale with a slightly mystical twist. Still, the ending is tragic, and you feel for Mosely’s predicament, so McCann and Brown succeed by creating a protagonist you can relate to.
Self Drive Self Clean
Ganga, a woman with a rude disposition and an obsession with cleanliness, pays a premium for the city’s new AI-powered rideshare. When Ganga messes with the rideshare’s self-cleaning controls to ensure her ride home is always pristine, she learns a valuable lesson about going overboard.
Obsession and prototype technology are rarely a good mix, so Mark McCann and Andy Brown’s tale about a nasty woman getting exactly what she asked for hits the comeuppance nail on the head. A solid tale about technology gone painfully wrong.
Incognito
‘Incognito’ recounts the events surrounding the famous Patterson/Gimlin Bigfoot film taken in California in 1967. The event that galvanized Bigfoot believers for years to come turns out to be much more than meets the eye.
Amusing. Mark McCann and Andy Brown take a historical event in cryptozoology and turn the concept on its head with a story behind the story that’s more bizarre than everyone thinks. While not scary, this short is certainly entertaining.
The New Frontier
A deep space mining ship runs into trouble during its fifth year when the crew shows signs of sickness and instability. Desperate to keep the crew from devolving into mutiny and madness, the Captain takes extreme measures to secure his crew when they encounter another mining ship in a place where it shouldn’t be.
Mark McCann and Andy Brown’s tale about space miners reacting to increasingly unstable situations is ripe with tension and paranoia. That said, the Captain jumps too quickly to a conclusion about his ship’s disposition, and the ending lacks punch.
A Fever Most Foul
Desiree Scott succumbs to a fever and has dreams of being someone and somewhere else. When her dreams lead to thoughts of murder, Desiree awakes to find she doesn’t know what’s real or a dream anymore.
Mark McCann and Andy Brown play with the idea of genetic memories, disconnected realities, and Jack the Ripper in an uncomfortable story. The circumstances and ending feel uncertain, probably due to lack of page space, but the atmosphere is effective.
Puff Puff Pass
Terry is dying of lung cancer. Disillusioned by his prognosis and his belief that his wife, Angela, is cheating on him, Terry gives up on trying to get better. One night, Terry encounters a curio shop with a proprietor who has a special vape pen that can cure Terry’s cancer… as long as he passes his terminal illness on to somebody else.
Baden James Mellodie and Andy Brown’s “monkey’s paw” tale adds a unique twist by making Terry the instrument of his own demise. Terry’s fitting ending is the type of tale that’s a perfect fit for this type of anthology.
The Loop
Cooper is the lone civilian witness of a UFO crash in the Nevada desert in 1974. Coop voluntarily spends the next thirty years working with the government and the military to find out where the craft came from and what it can do. Unfortunately for Cooper, he learns the truth much too late (or early).
Mark McCann and Andy Brown’s tale subverts your expectations about aliens by proffering an alternate explanation for technologically advanced ships that crash in the desert. Thankfully, you won’t see the ironic twist coming until it’s too late.
The Devil’s Helper
In Jerusalem, AD33, a man makes a deal with a dark proprietor for eternal life, wealth, and power as long as he agrees to betray the Messiah. When Judas Iscariot makes a deal with the devil, he soon learns his greatest reward will be to serve in the Church of Hell for eternity.
Baden James Mellodie and Andy Brown present the story surrounding Jesus’s betrayal with a supernatural twist and a continuation into the here and now. The story stays Biblically accurate but injects creativity with the story behind the story for a dark tale that sets up more intriguing nightmares in the future.
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Final Thoughts
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UNDER THE FLOORBOARDS (VOL. 1) delivers eleven creative and intriguing tales of terror with a little something for everyone, depending on your preferred flavor of horror. On the whole, the stories are imaginative, and the eclectic team of artists ensures each story stands on its own with memorable art.
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