Zenescope Entertainment presents Horror & Fantasy Illustrated, out this week with an extra-sized edition with this one-shot story - Cradle Of Shadows.
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An eccentric billionaire gets more than he bargained for when his vanity trip to the moon goes horribly awry. What began as a mission to claim untapped resources soon becomes a nightmarish descent below the lunar surface, forcing the expedition’s crew members to confront unspeakable terrors along the way. Will they conquer the lunar abyss, or succumb to the horrors that lurk in the shadows of the moon?
Writer: Joe Brusha, Artwork: Saint Yak, Colors: Leonardo Paciarotti, Letters: Taylor Esposito (Of Ghost Glyph Studios), Editor: David Wohl, and Production & Design: Christopher Cote
Diving into this, even with the above blurb on what to expect, I wasn’t sure as to what was coming.
What does come is an entertaining horror story on the moon, full of twists and turns.
It is full of suspense, with the build-up going well and the tension of the rocket going into space before the shadowy government can catch up to them. It’s a race against time, and it’s well played out with some excellent moments and a sigh as they escape.
That lasts until they reach the moon before the true story of what is up there unfolds. It’s an excellent story with the hallmarks of Aliens or something more, as there is some unnatural intelligence up against the group travelling there.
I like how it takes you by surprise, with some excellent sequences and taking advantage of the larger-sized-story to slow down the pace slightly.
The art is excellent, with good dynamic panels, set-piece action, and larger spreads. A real variety of artwork is needed here, and the team will get right onto it.
As a one-shot story, it is excellent and should entertain those who enjoy Aliens, Independence Day or similar.