1 star.

This volume consists of Issues 1-4. These are….not good, as far as the stories go. I’m not a big comic book person but I thought I would expand my horizons and try these out, and I definitely don’t know enough about comics to judge the art, so it may be wonderful. The stories, though, aren’t scary, nor are they entertaining. A big miss for me.

2/5

Une lecture qui ne m'a pas convaincue, alors que j'avais hâte de relire du EC comics ! J'ai trouvé les histoires peu abouties. Soit celles-ci étaient trop courtes, soit il m'a manqué quelque chose. Je ne me suis pas sentie investie dans ma lecture malheureusement.

As a long time ago fan of the EC comics I was intrigued by Epitaphs from the Abyss. It comes across as a loving tribute with some call back to the original style mixed in with very modern art work and storylines. Sure, some of the stories work better than others and there are occasional 'modern day issues' that will not work quite so well for some depending on their political/ ecological/ other al stance, but I enjoyed this as an updated approach to the old classics.

Thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

This reminded me of the comic anthology version of the Reddit subreddit “one sentence horror”. Incredibly cheesy and not even remotely scary. There’s some really high calibre art here but the incredibly short stories come across as rushed and juvenile.

Phenomenal as always. I LOVE the EC archives and I can’t recommend them enough. The artwork is fantastic and the individual stories are always captivating.

I’ve always loved these anthology type horror (and sci-fi) comics, they are so ripe for playfulness and experimentation. Or just running with the classic tropes and enjoying themselves.

and I’ve got to say Epitaphs has really embraced the second of these with a great breadth of sub-genre works.

I really was just in the mood for this anthology coming off a binge read of a single author it was nice to read a nice mix from different authors with all the great artists joining in.

Each of the four volumes are introduced by the Grave-Digger (Crypt Keeper, et al) with pithy asides relating to each story in the volume.

For me there wasn’t a weak story in this anthology, though some were stronger than others, they all hit the mark. Whether that was humorous and a wee bit gross (US vs US), the dark home invasion (Family Values), fun zombie (Gray Green Memories), or Hillbilly fun (Dead From Exposure) I was kept rapt throughout and once more finished this in a single sitting.

I loved the how the anthology used so many different artists, it is always good to see such a varied collection of art styles and I’ve now got a little list of artists to look out for 😉.

I received this from Oni Press and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved Tales From The Crypt as a child on HBO. It’s hard to find but well worth it. So, when I saw a reboot of this type of comic, I was thrilled!

I haven’t read a lot of comics so this was another exciting endeavor. I enjoyed the four episodes and there were plenty of good stories. Quick read. Entertaining.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review.

I've always enjoyed horror anthologies and back in the 50s no one did it them better that EC Comic under Bill Gaines.
So even if this collection as got a star studded list of comic creators, they must have all felt the pressure of filling some very big shoes. I quite enjoyed that at the back of the book you get a bit about both Max and Bill Gaines as well a list of all the contributors to ECs original publications.
The stories where good to grea and all of them looked very good.
I especially enjoyed the interstices with the classic Gravedigger recaps and comments.

I so badly wanted this to be a five star read - EC Comics are legendary and I even have some of their old horror comics that used to be my dad's, so I'm thrilled they're back to doing what I want them to be great at. Unfortunately the first few issues was not full of bangers as I'd hoped but a rather mixed collection of some I really enjoyed (Gray Green Memories was sad), some good (Under the Influence amused me), and one or two mehs (Bloodtype - kind of boring?). I think that's a solid three stars.

I fully plan on continuing to recommend EC to horror readers though, and I will continue picking up future issues should they release them. I miss the days of a comic host and while The Grave-digger isn't as much fun as The Cryptkeeper, I still enjoyed his presence and introductions lol And the artwork was all A+, I especially loved the fun call-back covers to the classic days. It really made me want to crack out some of my old comics.

God, I just really really miss Tales From The Crypt!! And to be fair, Epitaphs from the Abyss scratched that itch. It just didn't scratch long enough or hard enough for me to be satisfied. I want more!

"Epitaphs from the Abyss Vol. 1" is a very fun anthology that is rife with quick-witted and timely stories, as well as traditional horror tales. It's such a fun read, whether it be for the stories or the art style, this compilation is just a ton of fun. As per usual in anthologies, there are some stories that are stronger than others, but this collection really doesn't have any boogers. I absolutely had a great time reading this, and genuinely cannot wait to see what comes next from this series.

A nostalgia trip gone awry. It tries hard to channel the spirit of classic horror anthologies but fails. It's familiar in style (I love the retro vibe) but lacks the bite. The art is striking, and some stories are creative(shoutout to "Gray Green Memories"), but the collection as a whole is uneven, with most stories disappointing.

Now, these stories are all horror bites - extremely short and I know it makes doing the horror right difficult. Still, to me, they lacked the darkly ironic justice or clever twists known for example from Tales From The Crypt. Instead, we get endings that feel either rushed, unsatisfying, or grim for the sake of being grim.

2.75⭐

Rating for induvial stories go as followings:
Story #1 - 3 stars
story #2: 2 star
Story #3: 3.5 ⭐
Story 4: 1 ⭐
story #5: i guess a 3, i really didn't feel anything towards it
Story #6: 4 1/2 ⭐ (the first one i enjoyed)
Story #7: 3.75⭐
Story #8: 2⭐
story #9: 2⭐
Story 10: 3⭐
story 11: 2⭐
Story 12: 2 1/2 ⭐

Though I enjoyed some of these stories, many of them fell flat for me. It's hard to land a short story And the lack of more pages is the majority of their downfall. I'd still read more and an happy EC is back!

EC IS BACK, BABY!

Well, okay, EC has been back for a little while, but I was so excited I just wanted to write that.

Netgalley provided me with this book in exchange for an honest review. So here it goes.

Sure, it was mostly a mixed bag. Some stories, such as Killer Spec, Family Values, and Gray Green Memories stand out more than others. However, at the end of the day, every story here was fun. It seemed like the entire creative team of each story was having a great time making this.

The artwork is stunning, filled with so much detail and expressive characters that practically leap off the page. And of course, this has some of the best cover art I've ever seen. Lee Bermejo has been one of my favorite artists for years, and his art alone is worth the price of this book.

Read it. Enjoy it. Have fun with it. It's campy, pulpy, and silly. I loved every second of it!

A well-illustrated and written collection of horror stories. While some of the stories were easy to predict how they were going to turn out, the overall book was an enjoyable read. The artwork is well-done and does a great job in complementing the story. A good escapist read.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.5/5.0 Stars

EPITAPHS FROM THE ABYSS Vol. 1 – 4 Graphic Novel – Dark Horror

The Artwork Throughout Is Amazing!


‘In our seminal first collection of Epitaphs From the Abyss, witness shocking tales of torment and tension in the immortal EC tradition—as wrenched from the grave by the vile intentions of acclaimed writers…’

The Following Stories Are My Favorites:


‘Killer Spec’ – HAHAHA—Love The Ending!

Writer: J. Holtham
Artist: Jorge Fornés
Colorist: Dan Jackson

‘Senator, Senator’ – Creepy! Side Note: You Can’t Help But Wonder

Writer: Chris Condon
Artist: Peter Krause
Colorist: Michelle Madsen

‘Family Values’ - Dark And Creepy!

Writer: Stephanie Phillips
Artist: Phil Hester
Inker: Travis Hymel
Colorist: Marissa Louise

‘Us VS.Us’ – I Like The Ending

Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artist: Vlad Legostaev
Colorist: Brittany Peer

‘Gray Green Memories’ - My Heart!

Writer and Artist: Tyler Crook
Colorist: Michelle Madsen

‘Sounds & Haptics’

Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Jorge Fornés
Colorist: Michelle Madsen

‘A Hand In It’ - I Love The Ending!

Writer: Jay Stephens
Artist: Leomacs
Colorist: Iñaki Azpiazu

‘Blood Type’ – Love The Ending!

Writer: Corinna Bechko
Artist: Jonathan Case

‘A Crossroads Repetition’ – That Was Good!

Writer: Chris Condon
Artist: Charlie Adlard

‘Dead From Exposure’ – Whoa, Love The Ending!

Writer: Jay Stephens
Artist: David Lapham
Colorist: Nick Filardi

‘The Perfect Pearl’ – That Ending—My Heart!

Writer: Amy Roy
Artist: Claire Roe
Colorist: Brittany Peer

‘Under The Influence’ – Love This One!

Writer: J. Holtham
Artist: Leomacs
Colorist: Iñaki Azpiazu

Thank you, NetGalley and Oni-Lion Forge Publishing, LLC. (An Entertaining Comic), for providing me with an eBook of EPITAPHS FROM THE ABYSS at the request of an honest review.

Scheduled For Release: May 6, 2025 (Subject To Change)

With horror anthologies undergoing a revival in the US comics market, it makes perfect sense that someone would try exhuming the big name that got them shut down last time around. And the publisher's letter sounds like it has the right idea; this isn't about slavishly imitating the original EC books, but imagining how they might look today had they not been poleaxed by a postwar fit of performative morality. Except it turns out that applies more to the topics – influencers, gaslighting, smartphone addiction – than the craft. There are some fairly big name writers here (Brian Azzarello, Jason Aaron), but I had to go back to the credits page to have any idea which stories were theirs; even more remarkably, I'd managed not really to register when I was looking at art by Charlie Adlard, Klaus Janson, Tyler Crook, all of whom had been rendered near-indistinguishable by the retro colouring. Compare and contrast this flattening with how distinct the different contributions feel in ostensibly similar books at other publishers, such as Hello Darkness, Creepshow, or even the various DSTLRY one-shots. There could maybe be something here if the straitjacket were loosened a little, but for now it's come off hokey, at most ghoulish, rather than effectively horrific or even very much fun.

(Netgalley ARC)

These feel like the old comics. Short, menacing stories with horrifying twists. The pacing is more modern, of course, and the art familiar from recent comics.

Like most short-form horror many of these stories are inspired by current events and the concerns they inspire. Some of these will hold up to the test of time, while others will feel dated in just a few years. They are all brief enough that the twists make or break the story.

The best of the comics in this collection seem to fall into one of two categories: old-school classic, new takes on the old genre. I try not to play favorites, but one offering in particular feels like a rediscovered classic, or a flawless adaptation of a John Collier story; “The Perfect Pearl” is an amazing piece.

It's interesting that people are DNFing this book. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for dnfing books that don't bring you joy but this is a comic book and every story is different. Sure, there were some I didn't like but there were some I did. Had I dnf'd it, I wouldn't have known there were better stories.
Anyways, that being said, this is an interesting collaboration of stories. Most of them I felt were too short. A few didn't make sense. My favorite was the second to last story with the pearls. I could see that being a fun full short story. The art work was amazing. If anything else, all the panels were beautifully illustrated! Even though some of the stories I may have skimmed through, I did not skim on the art. It was gorgeous!
All in all, I see how this style might not be someones cup of tea, but it's close to mine.

Thank you Netgalley for this early edition in exchange for an honest review.

I am so excited for EC to be back in such a bombastic way ! The stories in here are sometimes political, sometimes goofy, and always gruesome. I had so much fun with this!