Twisted Dark Vol 1
Written by: Neil gibson
Published by: T Publications
Read it here for free
Ever since I first came across T-Publications in 2012 I’ve been keeping an eye on their stuff. So when I got a free copy of the first in their awesome Twisted Dark anthology series, I was frankly a very happy bunny.
Consisting of a series of largely interconnected tales, usually dark and frequently darkly comic, the tales are written exclusively by Neil Gibson and drawn by several artists. The series showcases Gibson’s darker side, focusing on stories with a twist that can still send a chill through you. The stories lie primarily within the realms of ‘real life’ (if there is such a thing) with occasional departures into near-future SF territory that still remain rooted in reality. There is little of the impossible here, relying on the idea that everyday events and situations can be as unnerving, if not more so, than many supernatural concepts.
Gibson pushes two key themes through the stories he tells. The primary, cautionary, tale is simply an extension of John Dalberg-Acton’s famous quote: power corrupts. It doesn’t matter what form this power takes, whether it is a South American cartel boss or something as everyday as an oppressed worker tasting the authority of being a union official, any form of power can and does have a corrupting influence with inevitable consequences. The second warning is to not pick too vigorously at the veneer on the surface of society: underneath the seemingly normal facade people present to the world, any number of disturbing elements can lurk. Frequently, the everyday just masks a deeply disturbing darkness.
The artwork, as ever, is great. Under Caspar Wijngaard’s direction the stark black and white illustrations stand in heavy contrast to the more colourful world of companion story Tabatha and add to the air of darkness the writing creates.
Overall, the series has been nothing short of a joy so far. The first trade paperback is fairly hefty at about 200 pages but is more than worth it. Bring on volumes 2 and 3.
4 out of 5 Nerds
Dave Bowling
Dave was born at an early age to parents of both sexes. He has been a self-confessed geek for as long as he can remember, having been raised through the 80s on a steady diet of Doctor Who, Star Trek, Red Dwarf and (sigh) Knight Rider. Throw the usual assortment of Saturday morning cartoons into the mix and we have something quite exceptional: someone with an encyclopaedic knowledge of utter tosh; a love of giant robots and spaceships fighting; and the strange desire to leap tall buildings in a single bound while wearing his underpants over his trousers. The death ray is currently in the works and one day you shall all bow to him, his giant space station and fleet of funky orange space shuttles...
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