Epitaphs From The Abyss Kinda Stinks

[@christopherrobyn1748]

So much hate online for these. They’re so not as bad as people are saying after #3 few left smile on my face so worth the buy.

[@davekolan862]

Most of today's writers have the subtlety of a wet fart at a funeral. Those two stories absolutely ruined it for me

[@vxcaver]

So for me round one goes to Hello Darkness, but I'm still looking forward to future issues of Epitaphs. I love the classic EC format as well and was nostalgically hoping for something more along those lines. For me, these stories were mostly enjoyable but too predictable, and the politics were plain old heavy handed. As for upcoming authors, I down for whatever James Tynion IV writes. This is my first visit to your channel, enjoyed the vid! Looking forward to more

[@anotherbooktubechannel]

Thanks for watching!

[@TGApuleius]

I thought the exact same as you. Even the best story is something I've seen on low-budget horror anthologies on Amazon prime. The second issue isn't much better. Disappointing art, too on-the-nose storytelling, and in its case, only three stories with a cover unrelated to any of the actual stories. A great example of the writers not knowing when to quit is the last page of the last story, they just couldn't help themselves and ruined a solid finish. Cruel Universe wasn't bad, but they announced SuspenseStories and Cruel Kingdom. They are going to need to do a better talent search for so many stories when they are absolutely struggling with just three issues.

[@anotherbooktubechannel]

@@TGApuleius I have issue 2 waiting for me for pickup today. If it stinks, I'm taking it off my pull list for sure. I thought Cruel Universe wasn't too bad. I liked the Jeff Lemire story quite a bit. Still nowhere near the talent level of the originals though

[@SketchIwerks]

Some of the stories were weak, but some I did enjoy. They still follow the EC Tradition, just not executed well. I agree that the Gravedigger should introduce and conclude each story and not just introduce 'Us vs. Us'. I know this is made in good intentions and respect because I've seen interviews with the publisher, Hunter Gorinson, and I've read the letter in the issue itself. But from what i heard from people, including this video, they don't seem to see that. But I'm optimistic about what's to come with the new EC comics, and I hope they improve within the next issues and titles.

[@petersvoboda5526]

Check out Bruce Jones' 'Twisted Tales'. This is how EC's revival should have gone in my opinion.

[@anotherbooktubechannel]

@@petersvoboda5526 I love Twisted Tales!

[@darkwoods1954]

He has an issue in the background of the entire video. But I agree, Twisted Tales was a great 80s style ECesque revival.

[@petersvoboda5526]

@@darkwoods1954 Yes, I only noticed that after I posted my comment. Surprised he didn't reference it in his video.

[@maxwashingtonmusic7000]

I’ll check out Hello Darkness! Sounds great. Reminds me of the Paul Simon song sounds of silence. I read Nice House by the Lake volume one and I enjoyed it. Tynion is great sometimes. I’ll check out Abyss out of curiosity. Great vid!

[@anotherbooktubechannel]

@@maxwashingtonmusic7000 I was mistaken, Hello Darkness isn't spearheaded by Tynion but he does have a story in it which will continue in later issues. I still have to read Nice House, I liked the first issue but didn't read on

[@Splinterfortyseven]

I agree these stories failed. Made me want to re-read Vault of horror stories

[@anotherbooktubechannel]

@@Splinterfortyseven Always a good idea to reread Vault of Horror

[@DaleCoreySanford]

I loved Cruel Universe

[@anotherbooktubechannel]

I enjoyed Cruel Universe much more. 2nd issue of Epitaphs also stunk, so it's off my pull list now

[@cRPGeek]

The best thing about this "EC revival" is the cover... The rest is okeyish at best, it actually got me a bit upset to the point I felt almost insulted by how dumb one of the stories is, guess which one :D and my hopes were not even that high tbh. Before the read I kept telling myself "if the stories are bad, then maybe the art will be good or the other way around". But neither is good :( I will get the 2nd issue, just bc I preordered the first two issues together, but if it won't get suprisingly better then I won't be spending money on this. On a more positive note, very nice review my guy, accurate, to the point, level headed, we need more comic reviews like this :)

[@anotherbooktubechannel]

Yeah the cover is dope, Lee Bermejo is great. Maybe they can get him to do an interior story and that'd help things. I appreciate the kind words, thank you very much!

[@arcadeassassin7176]

Cruel Universe is awesome though.

[@MrRuff-cc3lg]

Yeah, huge letdown. There’s better ways to make money than licensing your brand on crap. Edit: Your review is spot on. The lack of hosts for each story was definitely a miss. The Crypt Keeper, the Old Witch, and the Vault Keeper also provided the reader with a sense of consistency for all the differing stories. The ironic twist is also classic EC and was really missing in this issue. The cover nails the EC aesthetic and made me pick it up off the shelf! It definitely had the EC feel while being modern. It's a shame the interior in both the writing and the art didn't do the same. I completely agree with you about this being ham fisted. The nuance and subtlety was gone from this issue. It felt really dumbed down.

[@nom_nom_nom_]

I just grabbed it because i really like Brian Azarellos art............yeah 2 out of 4 stories being super political in your face is an immediate pass on further purchases of this comic. If they already let things like that slip through in the BIG NEW start issue its only going to get worse from here on

[@davekolan862]

The sister title Cruel Universe is pretty good and non political

[@jonr5962]

Yeah, I've read every issue including the 5th, today, hoping it would get better. It didn't.

[@EMSHWILLER86]

I've never purchased a copy (and never will), but from what I've seen, ALL of the "art" (line work, color, etc.) is done via computer software. Looks like shit to me...publisher should keep with the original EC look and feel by requiring real pencils, real inking, and real watercolor/gouache/even Copic markers for graytones or color. No matter how "advanced" these art software programs are, they all look fake and computerized.

[@serenitydagger]

I'm an EC fan, too, and unfortunately, I had the same reaction.

[@anotherbooktubechannel]

Glad it's not just me

[@serenitydagger]

@@anotherbooktubechannel I like the cover, though.

[@anotherbooktubechannel]

@@serenitydagger the cover is great. Lee Bermejo always delivers

[@brannonwestbrook8339]

If it's an "ec comic," it must be as it once was or not exist? Yawn.

[@anotherbooktubechannel]

@@brannonwestbrook8339 If you stayed awake for the whole video, you would have seen the part where I reviewed it as a comic on its own merits and how it failed at that too 😘

[@brannonwestbrook8339]

@@anotherbooktubechannel I stayed. I didn't enjoy the entire presentation. I just decided to focus on the worst aspect of your argument.

[@jasonhbush]

I couldn’t agree more. This was trash. Great paper though.

[@williampetrovic5427]

There is a difference between being political and writing a story that espouses specific party talking points. Excellent review sir.

[@thegeekeasy1]

There's no kinda about it. It sucks.

[@blasien1]

The stories were the disappointment for me. Id be ok with the uneven art and format departures from the old days, if the stories had nailed it. The stories mostly seemed like first draft scripts handed off to the artists. I'll give it some more issues and hope for story improvement

[@anotherbooktubechannel]

@@blasien1 Yes they felt uninspired and unoriginal

[@jacobrowan6724]

So disappointing. I’m really looking forward to Cruel Universe, but this has definitely doused my excitement….

[@anotherbooktubechannel]

@@jacobrowan6724 same, I'm not sure I'm gonna pick it up anymore

[@contempocomics]

​@@anotherbooktubechannelCruel Universe was an improvement to Epitaphs. Better art. No ham-fisted politics.

[@EugeneLorey]

Will not spend money on new comics, ever again.

[@anotherbooktubechannel]

I very rarely get new comics; my pull list is basically non-existent at this point. But once in a while I will pick up a trade of a newer title if it's a creator I like. There's lots of great modern comics being produced...this just isn't one of them haha