Review: The Creeps Magazine
Uncle Creepy and Cousin Eerie Approve of this Message
Recently, I visited Mexico City. Years ago, in the ‘90s, I had read that after Japan, Mexico produced more comics than any other country including the United States, and I was excited to find native work in any comic store I visited. I was destined for disappointment. In the shop I visited not one single Mexican comic could be found. Most were reprints of American comics and most were in English. Even the proprietor could not cite a single example of a comic originating in Mexico. One single consolation--I discovered “The Creeps”.
Inside issue 24, Nicola Cuti and Rich Sala as editors name and was enough to make that my purchase. Reading on the Uber drive back to our hotel, I was immediately overwhelmed by the resemblance to the Warren magazines, Creepy and Eerie. And it was intentional. Magazine sized, printed in black and white on newsprint, hosted by “the Creep”, under the banner “A Warrant Magazine”, written by psuedonymic representatives of the original Warren writers, made visual by a stable of artists of significant skill and varied styles, each tale consisted of the traditional springboarded story with, most often, the tried and true twist ending.
“The Creeps” is exactly what fans of “Eerie” and “Creepy” love; an anthology of traditional, modern, science fiction, and historical horror. Artwork ranges from Santos “ZAB” Zaballos’ frenetic crow quill, to the almost manic perfection of Reno Maniquis. Each month “historic horrors”, stories and art submitted by “The Creeps Club” members, ads for classic and cult horror and scifi films, books, merchandise, occasional appearances by classic Warrent artists like Sanjulian and Richard Corben, and an active lettercol fill the crevices between stories centered in the same schlock horror indulged in by an audience who read about EC comics “back in the day”. Warrant produces other analogs to Warren books: “Monster Bash” and the new “Vampiress Carmilla”.
While my love for “The Creeps” was enough to motivate an immediate subscription and club membership, there are weaknesses as well. So far, the editors (Rest in Peace, Mr. Cuti) seem completely satisfied to continue on in the Warren tradition, but not to excel beyond it. I would like to see more daring stories, thematic issues, longer tales, even serials. And though the least artist is sufficient to the task of each tale, “The Creeps” has not evolved over the Warren magazines as they evolved beyond the EC books of the fifties. Despite crediting artists over writers, and an attempt in “Vampiress Carmilla” to center stories on female characters, few stories are clearly “great”; the magazine seems mired in the mediocre.
It appears, as well, that this whole operation is run by two guys out of a garage! Twice, my original subscription was dropped. A quick email cleared it up each time, but, when I ordered “Vampiress Carmilla” #1, I received over a two week period no less than three copies with the accompanying premium poster. Not complaining; I distributed them amongst others I thought might subscribe. And, to their credit, each error was followed up with and email and a special gift to make up for the missing mags.
Ultimately, I will resubscribe. At $53 for six issues ( thats under $9 and issue including postage and handling), its way cheaper than the new “Heavy Metal” and its a joy to see this artwork so crisp and black on new clean newsprint.
Go ahead and go on over to www.thecreepsmagazine.com and get yourself a subscription!
