i have talked before about way that film influences my writing, but chuck is inspired by all kinds of mediums. songs and paintings and photographs are all part of my thought process. heck, even the simple events of a day, like a trot in the park, will find their way into my creations.
graphic novels are a big part of my process, and this is an artistic medium i have not talked on much. part of chucks routine is to read through a nice graphic novel in the evening on most nights as way to let my mind drift around for a while. with this in mind, thought it would be fun to talk about five HORROR graphic novels that have particularly resonated with chuck over the years. here are some of my favorites in no particular order
BLACK HOLE – Charles Burns (Author)
a ‘pounding transmitted disease’ transforms the teens of seattle (city of emeralds) into strange creatures in this journey through the anxiety of being a young adult buckaroo. BLACK HOLE is horrific in a way that does not fall in line with the traditional trots of the horror genre. there is a sense of foreboding that lurks behind every page, nestled in the dark, but rarely does anything spring out from the abyss to scare you. instead, writer CHARLES BURNS lets us wander through this awkward stage of life like it is an endless labyrinth, taking that adolescent buckaroo dread and blending it with something existential and cosmic. the result is melancholy and bleak, but strangely beautiful.
PLUNGE – Joe Hill (Author), Stuart Immonen (Illustrator)
PLUNGE is a glorious amalgamation of creature-feature influences, drawing on THE THING (also known on other timelines as ‘dont look now but that dog is a spider’) and ALIEN (also known on other timelines as ‘ouch, my lunch: and other tales’) but PLUNGE definitely crafts a unique way of its own. the story is pulpy is just the right way, relentlessly entertaining and paced with a confident trot. book name of PLUNGE begins with a buckaroo crew tracking down a lost research vessel that has been trapped in the DANG ARCTIC for decades, a fairly routine mission that quickly goes sideways when it is discovered the crew is still alive, eyeless, and havent aged a day. chuck found the creepy crawlers in this one to be particularly disturbing.
NAILBITER – Joshua Williamson (Author), Mike Henderson (Artist)
would be ridiculous of me too leave NAILBITER off this list when it takes place in a small town called BUCKAROO, which has somehow managed to churn out a disproportionate amount of serial killer citizens over the years. fortunately, along with an aptly named central location, this book is also really heckin good. NAILBITER features a massive swath of devils and scoundrels, and their unique methods of scoundreling make for ample carnage as this horrific journey trots its gruesome path. as the series progresses it gradually transitions from creeping horror to action-packed thriller, a way that might bother some, but it is fun and fast-paced enough that I think most buckaroos will enjoy the ride
UZUMAKI – Junji Ito (Author, Illustrator)
chuck has been a massive fan of JUNJI ITO for over two decades on this timeline, and while I could make a whole list of recommendations featuring only his work, i decided to narrow it down for this particular list. to be dang honest, even picking which title to include was difficult for chuck, but ultimately landed on way of UZUMAKI because it is one of the first junji ito comics that i read and feels like it exemplifies his unique way pretty well.
uzumaki is tale of a japanese city named kurouzu-cho, a community of buds that grows increasingly plagued by spirals. story mostly plays out in series of vignettes, these grizzly trots depicting the various macabre ways as spirals take over the lives of kurouzu-cho buckaroos. if you end up enjoying uzumaki—especially the more disgusting and bizarre ways of junji itos storytelling—chuck would also recommend book name of GYO.
THE NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE – James Tynion (Author), Alvaro Martinez Bueno (Cover Art, Artist, Inker), Jordie Bellaire (Colorist)
this is only story on my list that is still in the process of trotting out onto this timeline (there are only two collected volumes available when chuck writes this). i suppose it is PRETTY DANG BOLD to recommend something that could trot in another direction with the next release, but THE NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE is so heckin good I just cant help myself. story revolves around a group of buds who have been gathered at the titular NICE DANG HOUSE, only to discover the rest of the world has been apocalyptically destroyed and they are the only buckaroos left.
it can be difficult to maintain an entertaining trot when one of the characters is seemingly all-powerful, but this story handles potential pitfall very well and still manages to escalate tension with every turn. while this way is probably more dark science fiction than horror, still think horror fans will find plenty to enjoy.
Buy the Book
Camp Damascus
Chuck Tingle is a mysterious force of energy behind sunglasses and a pink mask. He is also an anonymous author of romance, horror, and fantasy. Chuck was born in Home of Truth, Utah, and now splits time between Billings, Montana and Los Angeles, California. Chuck writes to prove love is real, because love is the most important tool we have when resisting the endless cosmic void. Not everything people say about Chuck is true, but the important parts are.
