The Evil Inside #4

THE EVIL INSIDE #4

APPROBATION COMICS
WRITER: Bart A. Thompson with Steve Doty
ARTISTS: Serena Guerra, Steve Doty, and Cary Lee Baker
LETTERS: B. Alexander Thompson
COVER DESIGN: Bart A. Thompson
28 pp., B&W, $3.50

After a jam issue with fellow Approbation Comics anthology, Amour, The Evil Inside is back all by its bad self.  The Evil Inside #4 presents three tales of terror with an emphasis on mischievous cheesy and supernatural retaliation.

In “Bloody Mary,” a babysitting duo finds a supernatural gag to be heart-stopping (drawn by Serena Guerra).  Cowards find redemption or damnation in the Vietnam War short, “A Thousand Deaths” (drawn by Steve Doty).  It’s that voodoo that you do so well… or maybe too well in the prison drama, “The Reprieve” (drawn by Carl Lee Baker).

THE LOWDOWN:  The entries in the current issue of The Evil Inside aren’t as strong as some of the stories in previous issues, but each one contains something noteworthy.  For instance, Serena Guerra’s art in “Bloody Mary” has that sweet exterior/decayed interior feel of the film Creepshow, although the story is a riff on an off-camera scene from the early 90’s horror flick, Candyman.

The combat scenes in “A Thousand Deaths” are well-paced and riveting, and more Vietnam-set horror tales of this type would be welcomed.  Elements of “The Reprieve” recall 1988 horror flick, Child’s Play, and 2005 suspense thriller, The Skeleton Key,” but this has a humorous “Twilight Zone” ending.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Without a big publishing company behind it or the pedigree of star creators, the delightful The Evil Inside is under the radar of the majority of horror comics fans, but this is good stuff.

B