Why I’m Talking Comics Instead of Movies
I usually keep my claws sunk into film reviews, but every so often a comic lands in my lap that demands attention. That’s what happened with Cul-DeSac, the new blood-feast from writer Mike Carey with artwork by Jonathan Wayshak. The art? Gnarly. Vicious. Reminds me of Steve Niles’ 30 Days of Night, scratchy, raw, and dripping with atmosphere.
A Mall, A Hunt, A Bloody Start
The book doesn’t waste time. We open in Washington state, inside an abandoned mall that feels like it’s been waiting for something terrible to happen. Enter Lisa and Paulus, a pair of vampire hunters looking for a fight. Cue steel against fangs, blood against linoleum, and a reminder that malls are graveyards now, whether the vampires show up or not.
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The Flashback That Burns
Just when you think you’re on steady footing, Carey yanks the floor out. We flash back to happier times, the kind of sweet setup horror loves to ruin. And ruin it does. Because in one of the nastiest twists I’ve seen in a while, a group of kids discover their parents aren’t just authority figures. They’re something worse.
Meet the Necratil
Parents, in this nightmare, aren’t just boring, they’re the apex predators. The Necratil. A species sitting above even vampires, draining lifeforce like it’s a cocktail hour. Watching kids learn that bedtime stories were cover-ups for monstrous appetites? That’s the kind of coming-of-age horror that leaves scars deeper than any crucifix.
Back to the Hunt
Snap back to present day. Lisa and Paulus are still hunting, still scarred. They track a vampire nest to a suburban home so ordinary it could’ve belonged to your neighbors. Inside, the vamps lounge like wine snobs, sipping blood and debating vintages as if it were Merlot. It’s a sharp, twisted contrast, PTA meeting on the outside, sanguine cult on the inside.
Visceral Gore, With a Beating Heart
I won’t spoil the finale, but Carey doesn’t hold back. There’s blood, bone, and more than a few moments that’ll make your stomach twitch. Trust me under all the gore, there’s heart, a pulsing core of loss, survival, and fury. Lisa’s hesitation on the anniversary of Martin adds weight. Every drop of violence feels tethered to memory, grief, and the kind of pain you can’t just bury.
Final Bite
Cul-DeSac isn’t just another vampire story. It’s a jagged mirror held up to family, loss, and the monsters wearing familiar faces. The art gnaws at your eyeballs. The story slices between past and present like a silver blade. If you like your horror with meat still clinging to the bone, this is your feast.
Verdict: A comic with bite marks that’ll linger. Keep the lights on when you read it.
