I'll be honest, I was never really into comics growing up and had no desire to ever pursue collecting them. That changed two years ago when my pal Sean Ellis hooked me up with the first issue of Eibon Press' Zombie comic series. I was immediately hooked and blown away by the palpable passion that oozed from each page and the sheer quality of the comic book itself. Long story short, these comics are fucking magnificent and I can't recommend them enough to fans of the horror genre.
It brings me great excitement to let you all know that on October 25th, the folks over at Eibon will unleash their four-issue comic book series based on Lucio Fulci's The Beyond, and in creating the first issue they've gone the extra mile to make it special, which means, by Eibon standards, it'll feature some insane extra stuff!
Here's what Eibon's Stephen Romano had to say regarding the issue:
"This first issue is a really special event for us in more ways than one. First, we’re talking about Fulci’s celebrated masterpiece, and we are honored to have partnered with Grindhouse Releasing to bring this epic comic adaptation to you . . . but our comic series is more than just a straight adaptation. It’s also an expansion and a prequel to the film, which fills in many derails and intriguing backstory elements only hinted at on celluloid. The first issue depicts the character of Liza Merrill, in her first “incarnation” in 1927, as she battles evil and learns of the Seven Dreaded Gateways to Hell. You’ll discover how she met Emily and the painter Schwiek at the Seven Doors Hotel and you’ll experience the cataclysmic events that lead to Emily’s descent into hell. It’s 40 pages of insanity and gore, Lucio Fulci-style, as only Eibon Press could have brought it to you. This one has been a real labor of blood-soaked love."
"You see, The Beyond had two theatrical releases here in America. The second was, of course, in 1998, when Quentin Tarantino teamed up with Grindhouse Releasing to put out Fulci's original vision . . . but we first saw the film as kids in drive-in movie theaters and on VHS home video, way back in 1981, under the alternate title Seven Doors of Death! Even though the film had been re-edited and re-scored, we loved it anyway. So to commemorate that lost version of the film, we tracked down the original master tapes of the complete alternate film score and made a deal with the composers to present it as an all-new world premiere soundtrack album on Compact Disc, re-mastered and presented with composer’s bonus tracks! That special album is available with EVERY EDITION of Lucio Fulci's The Beyond #1, complete with a dust-sleeve that features an all-new cover painting by Beyond comic artist Pat Carbajal."
Each issue of The Beyond comes packaged in special sturdy album jackets known as "Eibon Sleeves". They are unlike anything else on the market today, and each sleeve is packed with special stuff like trading cards, making each issue an instant collector’s item. And each issue comes in three editions, priced for every budget: You can get the standard sleeved edition, the signature edition (signed by Romano), or you can go all-in and order the special Psycho Fan Package, which is an embarrassment of riches this time. The Psycho edition for The Beyond #1 is limited to just 100 sets and comes with FOUR ALTERNATE COVERS. The Psycho Fan alternate covers are super limited, with just 100 units manufactured. The 7 Doors of Death alternate cover celebrates the 1981 version of the film. And only 100 of those covers have been created. Plus you also get a free hand-screened Beyond T-shirt and a cool Beyond enamel pin, limited also to just 100 units.
Check out some exclusive The Beyond #1 promos and a video sample of the soundtrack CD below.
Don't be a fool, mark your calendars for October 25th and visit Eibon's site at 7PM PST to snag your copy!
