Spotlight: Horror Comics - Origin Point

From Antarctic Press

May 22, 2024

An exciting look at Horror Comics from Antarctic Press, with their four-issue arc covering issues #30-#33 with the story Origin Point.

"Origin Point, Part 1 of 4"
As treacherous forces assault an illegal underground lab, bleeding-edge mad scientists attempt to salvage their unnatural creations. The resulting time-travel experiment scatters immortal monsters across history, ravaging their way back towards their ORIGIN POINT.
Part 2: "Origin Point, #2 of 4"
As Darwin awakens in the past, he finds himself confronted by two unnatural creations from the same lab-but are they friends or foes?
Part 3: "Origin Point, #3 of 4"
Darwin is adopted by a local monastery, while a local village attempts an assassination against his nemesis, Hannibal, setting in motion their final confrontation.
Part 4: "Origin Point, #4 of 4"
THE PULSE-POUNDING FINALE! Who will survive the last stand between Darwin's peaceful congregation and Hannibal's nefarious forces?
(W) Dino Caruso, Shawn Richison (A) J. C. Grande

As a four-issue arc entitled Origin Point, this does exactly what it wants to. It gives you a wide-ranging story over the years (many) and leaves the rest to your imagination. Although I would like to see a return to this storyline in the future.

I enjoyed the ‘origins’ of this story as it mixes horror and science fiction really well. I was thinking of a Frankenstein/Dr. Jekyll style of horror, where there is creation and mad science. This then combines with some more fantastic elements—time travel and more1.

Thrust by this mad science into the past, we get the impact of these monsters in the olden times. Around modern-day Romania. Ok, think Transylvania, and you get the idea. The addition of these monsters builds into our classic myths, giving them a new twist and a new reason for being what they are and what their reasoning is. It’s cleverly done and gives us several different stories combined into one brilliant thread.

The artwork combines the modern-day sci-fi aspects with horror in very pleasing ways. From dark city locations to the countryside, pitched battles and the medieval aspects. The monsters are very well crafted, and the humanity inside Darwin is exceptionally well shown.

Classic horror fans and newer horror fans should check this out.