We got us a press release from the Soska Sisters today, and while my usual charm and wit is what makes this site great… I’m just gonna copy and paste the release here- these girls are nuts!

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE SOSKA SISTERS:

For sure! And Hi!

Needless to say, we’ve been at it again.

It’s no secret that a major influence on us and our work have been graphic novels. We truly feel some of the greatest stories ever told have been through them. They exist, by in large, without censorship and without budgets, allowing some of the most provocative, unapologetic, honest, and unforgettable story telling there is limited only by their creators’ imaginations.

Today is a glorious and happy day for us as we announce our very first original graphic novel, KILL-CRAZY NYMPHOS ATTACK!, our collaboration with one of our favorite and most inspirational graphic novelists of all time, Daniel Way.

Kill-Crazy Nymphos Attack! is an original graphic novel presented in a grindhouse/exploitation film style. It’s irreverent and raw but, at the same time, it’s a story–an actual story with a beginning, middle and end–that’s infused with relevant social commentary.

The story centers upon Purvis Gunt, a malcontent and pervert who works at a pharmaceutical lab. Purvis is obsessed with having rampant, porno-style sex with nearly every woman he sees but it’s never gonna happen for him because, in addition to the fact that he’s married, he’s revolting in every possible way. So he turns to science for a way to cheat the situation, using the resources of the pharmaceutical lab to create something that will cause women to lose any and all inhibition or restraint and fill them with uncontrollable lust. Purvis, however, is a terrible scientist. What he cooks up is a virus that fills women with not only a lust for sex…but for blood.
When the virus gets out and infects the female population of the small town where Purvis lives, carnage ensues and it’s up to Purvis, disgraced priest Father Osorio and super macho but sexually ambiguous SWAT officer Mack Diesel to contain the situation before woman-hating US President Pole drops a nuke on the whole goddamn mess.

Interior art by Rob Dumo, cover by Dave Johnson, and colors by Joe Totti.
As with our films, you’ll see us tackle some serious social and gender issues in a loud, take no prisoners, whimsical, and altogether maniacal manner. The graphic novel will be filled with iconic, complex, cosplayable characters, including ourselves, for the first time, appearing in graphic novel form as the “Sister Sisters”.

This project is in full creative control of ourselves and the brilliant Daniel Way, so we’ll be launching it via Kickstarter. The Kickstarter is more of an online store where we are offering exclusive items and experiences that are only possible by donating. Our incentives are our way of giving back to our fans who have been so incredibly supportive of us and our work.

And KILL-CRAZY NYMPHOS ATTACKS! is exactly the unadulterated insanity free from any restrictions, creatively or budget wise, that our audiences have been waiting for.
Our campaign launches tomorrow, but you’re special, so you get a sneak peak (lucky you), so here’s an advanced look at our campaign:

CLICK HERE

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Daniel Way: After being awarded a Xeric grant in 2000 for his first self-published work, “Violent Lifestyle”, Daniel Way was immediately approached by Marvel Comics and asked to contribute to the Spider-Man series, “Tangled Web”. Over the next 14 years, Way wrote nearly all of Marvel’s major characters, including lengthy runs on “Wolverine: Origins” and “Deadpool”, a series for which he wrote a record number of issues. In addition, Way was the lead writer for Activision’s Deadpool videogame, released in 2013. A lifelong fan of horror and exploitation films, Daniel is excited to bring his wildly irreverent, darkly humorous and action-packed style of writing to this project.

Rob Dumo: Rob is an artist from Buffalo, New York. Currently art director for Broken Icon Comics, he’s also a regular contributor to the web comic The Gutters. Other past work includes “Robyn Hood” for Zenescope Entertainment and “Nightmare Unknown” and “Chosen & Forsaken” for Broken Icon Comics. He’s also artist and creator of the upcoming “Eccentrix”. His online portfolio can be viewed at www.robdumoart.com.

COMiXchannel LLC
Founded in 2012, COMiXchannel is a multimedia entertainment company that works with established creators to bring original, comics-based content to the market through both traditional and non-traditional means. Inquiries should be addressed to comixchannel@gmail.com.

TWISTED TWINS PRODUCTIONS
Canadian identical twin sister writing and directing duo Jen and Sylvia Soska, known as the “Twisted Twins”, first broke onto the scene with their DIY love letter to Grindhouse filmmaking, DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK. The film quickly grew into an award winning, critically acclaimed, cult classic sensation, even getting the attention of director Eli Roth (HOSTEL) who praise it saying, “it’s fucking awesome”. The Twins went on to follow up their break through indie gem with the accomplished and genre defining AMERICAN MARY that place horror icon KATHARINE ISABELLE in the title role of Mary Mason, a medical student who gets drawn into the world of body modification and underground surgeries. “Fucking amazing. Extraordinary. A really superb picture. Katharine Isabelle is awesome”, hailed horror legend Clive Barker (HELLRAISER). The Soska Sisters have gone on to be very outspoken about equal rights across the board including but not limited to the LGBTQ community. They’re actively involved in promoting blood donation and create a new PSA for it every February in celebration of Women In Horror Month, on which board they serve.

2014 was a big year with the Soska Sisters bringing a new life to SEE NO EVIL 2 where they resurrect the WWE Studios franchise with WWE Superstar Glenn “Kane” Jacobs reprising his role as Jacob Goodnight and scream queens Danielle Harris and Katharine Isabelle appearing together for the first time. As well, the Twins will be part of the all star director line up on ABCs of Death 2 in a segment that will both shock audiences and be destined for cult status where they reunite with AMERICAN MARY break out star Tristan Risk and numerous other familiar faces from the horror scene. Always ones to surprise their audiences and keep everyone guessing with what they’ll do next, the Soska Sisters completed their first film outside of horror, a balls to the wall, no holds barred action film with Lionsgate and WWE Studios called VENDETTA starring Dean Cain, Paul “The Big Show” Wight, and Michael Eklund like you’ve never seen them before. www.twistedtwinsproductions.net

THANK YOU SO MUCH for your incredible continued support of us and our work. We would absolutely love if you could help share our news and get the word out when we launch tomorrow.

Thank you again!
Jen and Sylv

All about that base… no rebels.

Stuck in your head for days… you’re welcome!

-ZK

Heya Shamblers,

Gonna hand over to the site to one of our roving reporters to provide a unique look at the recent Festival of Fear show (part of Fanexpo) in Toronto, introducing: Amy Jane Von Purr!!!
(By the way- all the Pics get bigger if you click on them!)
-ZK

Little Ghoul in the Big City:
Your Grisly Guide to Fan-Ghouling at RUE MORGUE’S FESTIVAL OF FEAR 2014
By Amy Jane Von Purr

I woke up on Friday morning to my alarm going off signalling that the wait was over. It was finally here; we were going to Rue Morgue’s Festival of Fear. Every year, I impatiently wait for the end of summer to arrive and bring with it my beloved Fan Expo. At some point in June, when I feel bogged down by chaos, commitments and summer heat, I count the days until the Festival of Fear (affectionately referred to as FoF) and suddenly, everything seems tolerable… surmountable… transitory… For it is only a short wait until we venture forth to the big city and let our inner geeks out to play.

Now, the wait is over. On the days leading up to the last weekend in August, Facebook lit up with teaser photos of booths and set-ups awaiting fans and celebrities alike. The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is transformed into another realm- one full of demons and devils, Storm Troopers and sonic screwdriver-wielding doctors, Batmans and Spider-mans- there are wings, tails, hoop skirts and top hats as far as the eye can see. Smack dab in the middle of the busy city streets, costumed crusaders punctuate the crowds and the air is tainted with a mysterious magic. Fan Expo has arrived.
But for now, I am struggling to get out of bed, throw on my pre-chosen outfit (choosing is no small feat- many people have their costumes and clothes chosen months in advance) and hit the road to begin our adventure. Like every year, I have my best friend Steve and my mother, Paula in tow. This year marks our six year anniversary of Fan Expo madness- a tradition that started by accident six summers ago when I tried to talk my mother into joining us for our first ever Festival of Fear experience. Despite her initial reluctance, I was rather surprised when she agreed. Being a retired teacher, mom prefers not to spend her days walking endlessly while squished into small spaces with youngsters. However, she agreed to come that first year and from then on, she was hooked. We all were.

We drive to Whitby and hop on a Go Train to Union Station. One year, our train was delayed due to the police discovering a body on the train track. It seemed sinisterly appropriate, but this year- no bodies, no wait and we are off! The scenery rushes by- the beautiful Rouge Hill stop perched on the edge of the shimmering water. Another year, a bridal party stood atop one of the rock plateaus at Rouge Hill and we watched as they soaked up the magical view. But they were missing out- WE were headed to Fan Expo after all.

After what always seems such a long trip, we arrive in downtown Toronto. We have poured over the map from the information package received in the mail months ago- sent early no doubt to inspire longing and anticipation. We make a plan to head to the horror section of the South Building first, as well as Artist’s Alley, before moving to the North Building and Rue Morgue’s Festival of Fear. That way, our time can be divided to make the most out of our afternoon. Of course, nothing ever goes as planned…
Every year, we order advance tickets. And every year, we are thrown into a crowd of people, we cross the Skywalk, end up outside the Convention Centre and are told to walk to the other side of the building to get in. My mother, who turned sixty this year, always dreads this walk and frankly, so do I. It is sad that those who purchase in advance are always put out in this way- it makes more sense to buy your tickets when you arrive so you don’t have to march all over the area in search of the right entrance (which is on the exact opposite side of the building, but with no ease of access- you must circle the entire centre in order to get in). After a hot, crowded and long walk, we finally see our entrance. And… we are in! We made it!
Instantly, we realize our map is useless. We were not given programs or guides upon our entry (mom scooped one up off of a table in the other building on our way out). There are no signs to indicate where you are, save for the giant hanging posters advertising films, companies and collectives. It takes us a while to realize that we are in the North Building- the site of the Festival of Fear. Though this was not the plan, we decide to do this building first and then, make our way to the South Building. In years past, our first stop was the “Vampire Wear” booth to have matching fang bite-marks (temporary tattoos) applied to our necks and to purchase jewelry. The past few years, the Vampire Wear booth has been MIA. Come back, Vampire Wear, we desperately miss you!
So, we dive right in. Mom and I are both collectors, so we stop at a booth of toys, figurines and comic books. Mom buys a Snow Miser from the retro classic The Year Without a Santa Clause. I spot an adorable father-son team of Luigi and Captain Canuck.

I ask them if I may snap their picture and they were all too happy to oblige. I had seen on the Rue Morgue website that the FoF section, and the Rue Morgue booth in particular (my holy grail), were situated below a large banner for the upcoming Goosebumps film. When I spot this banner, I tell mom that we need to start heading in that direction. Steve, a comic-book and video game fan (more so than horror, at least), wanders off to find his treasures. Mom and I continue on.

We spot a fantastic Edward Scissorhands

and I stop a sexy Freddy Kruegar

outside the HMV booth. Freddy is my favourite, likely inspired by a strong childhood fear of the burned, scar-faced villain, so I find another Freddy

and ask for a picture. I find out later than this Freddy discussed his costume in a panel and did his own makeup. Very impressive. He bids me adieu in his growly, Freddy voice.

I see a bloodied, zombie girl and I stop her as well.

There are so many amazing costumes! I cannot help but wonder if someone of these poor folks are melting from the heat under their thick makeup and elaborate outfits. I find myself feeling thankful that I wore my beloved Sourpuss retro Hallowe’en cat dress, as it is light and airy. I see a Pyramid head and wonder how he can see to walk in the crowd. We see TROMA ENTERTAINMENT INC. and they are handing out “Free Candy”.

The Ontario Ghostbusters have a lovely booth set-up, so I stop for a photo-op with Vigo the Carpathian, Stay Puft and some friendly Ghostheads.

Steve mysteriously re-appears from the crowd and points to Ted Raimi and Lisa and Louise Burns (better known as the twins from The Shining). I bounce gleefully up to their lines, but there are a ton of people waiting and I do not have the time nor the inclination to stand in a line. Must… keep… moving… I notice that it costs $60 for an autograph with the twins- I’m guessing it’s a two-for-one kinda deal- and I daren’t check the price for a photo-op. I snap a pic from a distance and one of the twins glances over at me with a smile. Can’t play with you now, twins, so much to see!!

We turn a corner and see a set-up for the new film Annabelle- a loose prequel to the smash-hit The Conjuring. There’s a crowd gathered around, but I ask if I can pose for a quick photo with the set. The lady running the booth smiles warmly and tells me to “get right on in there”. I tentatively move closer to the creepy doll and mom snaps my picture… just then, the doll lurches to life and grabs for me! I squeal and run off! No time to play with you either Annabelle, still so much to see!

I see Lisa Ladouceur working at the Creepy Christine booth and I run up to speak with her. I had the pleasure of seeing Ladouceur speak at an event in Ottawa and she is an absolute delight. I own her books, Encyclopedia Gothica and How To Kill a Vampire- and I am quite the fan. I feel humbled when I introduce myself and she says, “I know who you are.” She agrees to a photo and I feel ecstatic.

Then, mom spots SUSPECT VIDEO. And all hell breaks loose. She came with the intention of finding certain DVDs for her collection. She came to look. She came to conquer. And she does. After looking through every single title at their booth (I am NOT exaggerating), she holds up a Black Christmas DVD triumphantly! “It was the very last DVD in the row!” she announces, clutching the case as though it were gold.

The fellows working at Suspect Video are kind and funny- talking us through the choices and showing us items which may be of interest. I happily purchase two posters- one from Lucio Fulci’s The Black Cat and the other Herschell Gordon Lewis’ Blood Feast. The Suspect guys tell us about Horror-Rama, an upcoming horror convention brought to us by Suspect Video and FANGORIA MAGAZINE. I was already pumped for this event in November, but hearing their enthusiasm added to my excitement. Mom continues to dig through DVDs, so I wander off to find more treasures.

Then, I spot the beautiful Paige Reynolds and her amazingly talented partner, Justin Erikson of PHANTOM CITY CREATIVE.

Erikson has gorgeous prints for sale, so I snap a pic of the booth. Though I was a little disappointed that Paige wasn’t selling her fabulous jewelry, she informs me that she will be a vendor at the THE BAZAAR OF THE BIZARRE in October. And right across from Phantom City Creative is the GHOULISH GARY PULLIN booth!

I have been a fan of Ghoulish Gary for quite some time and I am overjoyed to meet his beautiful wife, Nicole. I ask her to pose with his booth and snap a pic of the fabulous art for sale. So much talent in such a short period of time! I am getting overwhelmed and fan-girling- err… ghouling… pretty hard!

Next we come across the SUSPIRIA ART booth and I am beside myself with excitement. An incredible artist is giving a patient and inked gentleman a Captain Hoody (from The Exorcist) tattoo right there! We see tables of these disturbingly cool “Terror Tots”- grim and ghoulish toys for the freakish!

I nab a wicked “Attack of the 50 ft. Vampira” poster and take photos of the booth. Then… after all the waiting… after all the build-up… we are here. We are at the RUE MORGUE booth.

I am tired, my feet hurt and I’m fairly certain that I am dehydrated- but it doesn’t matter. Rue Morgue is here. I am home. In years past, Rue Morgue has had some pretty exciting and elaborate set-ups. There are usually large creatures to pose with and endless tables of Rue Morgue merch to purchase. I have to say, that this year was the most “minimalist” Rue Morgue booth that I have ever seen! There were issues of the magazine to buy and t-shirts- but that was pretty much it. I bought my treasured Rue Morgue mug at my very first FoF many moons ago, so I always look forward to the Rue Morgue swag, but this year was sorely lacking. Only two creatures stood by for photos and the table seemed small.

I admit that I felt slightly disappointed that there wasn’t a grander set-up, but I had finally made it to Rue Morgue and nothing could diminish my elation. I eagerly scooped up a Rue Morgue logo shirt that I had long desired and tried to chat with some of the people working the booth. However, they were understandably busy and distracted, so I left with my shirt in search of more horror goodness.


At this point, we hadn’t even left the North Building, so we made a plan to head over to check out the South Building and Artist’s Alley. When we get there, we are informed that the horror section labelled on our original map didn’t actually exist and everything was mixed in together. We lose, find, lose and re-find Steve again and make our way slowly through the crowded vendor booths and tables. I am a jewelry nut- and I was specifically looking for horror-themed jewelry- something I acquire every year. However, we don’t see much in the South Building for us and eventually, mom and Steve found a place to sit down. I wander off to try to find more jewelry, but instead, run into my good friend and horror/sci-fi academic Derek Newman-Stille. We laugh about the crowds and detail some of our finds, but before I know it, I am swept up into the sea of people yet again… Searching… but not finding… So tired… Must stop…
Deflated, I return to the table where Steve and mom had settled to announce that I hadn’t found any horrific jewelry and that I was feeling rather exhausted. They share my sentiment and we decide that our day had come to close. More walking… so much walking… We find an exit and make our way out into natural light. Costumed fans wander about, pose for photos, laugh and share their stories. I snap a photo of Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn as we exit the convention centre grounds and find our way back to Union Station.

On the train ride back to Whitby, I have time to mull over my adventure. A few things became clear. Firstly, we are so exceptionally lucky to have such a fantastic convention in Toronto. The crowds rival some of the biggest conventions in the US and it is an experience that I highly recommend to any and all fans and collectors. With any large event, there are some issues which should be rectified. Advance tickets should be easy to pick-up and maps should be distributed to everyone upon admission. More signage would help their cause- some of us are there for very specific areas of fandom and it would save time (and energy) if people could get right to it. While some people are genuinely kind and thoughtful, there is an abundance of rudeness, pushing, shoving and aggression. Let’s all remember that we are lucky to be there and should treat each other with respect and compassion. This is a safe-space for all types of nerds, geeks, fans and cosplayers- please keep this in mind.

As we keep our tradition of stopping at Harvey’s on the way home, we discuss this year’s Fan Expo and our individual experiences. We struggled to get everything done in an afternoon- a practice that I do not recommend, as one needs more time to truly get through it all. We had vowed to buy what interested us, as in years past we have eyed something but decided to keep looking in case we find something better or for a different price. DO NOT do this- buy it when you see it or you won’t get it! I am still lamenting over not purchasing a pair of beaded skull earrings and a certain Living Dead Doll.
As always, the Rue Morgue Festival of Fear was extraordinary. I spend a great deal of time looking forward to it each year and then, as soon as it is over, I feel a slight sadness that it is another year before it comes again. However, it is a spectacular event for fans and one that should not be missed. Regardless of how long you have to spend- just an afternoon of shopping or a weekend of screenings and panels- I highly recommend that you venture down to the Convention Centre and get your geek on. Our support keeps this going and personally, I hope it never ends.

Zombieking here, with another fun filled article and review of John Schneider’s ‘Smothered’. Take a look at the talent that ol’ duke boy rounded up (Yes…it’s THAT John Schneider!)

First – lest’s all take a peek at the trailer:

Now I get to rub it in. I got to see the full movie (at least a screening cut) and I get to hold that over all of you… but what you really want to know is HOW IS THE FUCKING THING?!?!?

It is full of horror icons starring as seemingly as other horror icons…kinda (you’ll see what I mean when you see it) and pretty much looking like they are having a blast in doing so. First off, it is a horror/comedy that puts the onus on neither, and finds a perfect balance between both. I think that that is probably the hardest thing any filmmaker can do, and John has done it wonderfully. It’s a tip of the burnt up fedora to horror fans who love the genre and these guys all seem to be tipping their hats right back to us. Notably when a fan in the film says “You guys have the best job in the world!” and the film is portraying pretty much the opposite, R.A. threatens a cohort by saying “If anyone tells them any different I’ll hang them by razor wire and eat their heart…”

POTENTIAL SPOILERS:
The crux of the film is 7 horror guests ditch a convention that is ‘dead’ (no pun intended) to make some money haunting a trailer park…but one of the ‘tit’ular girls has a different idea… er… titular. Sorry, couldn’t help myself there…

CLICK FOR FULL SIZE!

THE GOOD:
-Seeing all of the icons interacting was really fun, no other way to put it.
-The music was perfect for the film
-great practical effects
-Some great laughs, funny stuff followed by OH SHIT! moments.

THE BAD:
-The timeline jumps around a bit making certain moments a bit hard to follow
-The investigator at the beginning and later in the movie makes no sense as to how he ties in with Agnus and D.D.
-Some scenes are a bit dark in places.

So as you can see the movie really only suffers from some MINOR things, it’s not like the story blows moose (or alligator in this case because it was shot in Baton Rouge LA) or anything like that, no- this is a loving depiction of the horror convention scene and it’s fans, as well as a fun bunch of murders to brighten up your day- so what I am saying is this: See ‘Smothered’ when you can (no release date as of publication) because this movie is the film every horror fan wishes they were in…oh wait…they are!

Smothered is:

Met these guys in Vancouver Fanexpo last week, and again in Calgary Comic Expo… You need to see this!

Howl baby, HOWL!

-ZK