Maniac Killer Strikes Again!: Delirious, Mysterious Stories Horror Book Review

Delirious, mysterious short stories by The Chuckling Whatsit‘s Richard Sala.  Maniac Killer Strikes Again! is the tongue-in-cheek title of this “Greatest Hits” collection of “mysterious and delirious” comic strip stories by Richard Sala, hand-picked by the author from three of his long out-of-print books. Sala has selected ten of his favorite macabre tales that showcase his unique niche as a master storyteller lurking beneath the b-movie visual tropes. Included is the entire multi-chapter serial “Thirteen O’Clock” (which was the genesis for his MTV serial “Invisible Hands” on the cult classic Liquid Television) as well as such gleefully spooky stories as “The Fellowship of the Creeping Cat”, “The Awful Secret of Dr. Coffin” and “The Impostor”. Each story has been reworked and reformatted by the artist for this wonderfully designed 8” x 8” trade paperback.

  Mix noir-ish suspense and late-night horror movies, add a dose of whimsy and a touch of German Expressionsim and you get these delightfully creepy tales featuring: The shadowy snooper Mr. Murmur; a living, disembodied head; evil plastic surgeons; a museum of stuffed birds; a woman-eating plant; secret societies; hidden identities; girl detectives; and a birthday party that turns out to be anything but happy. Plus, Sala has created new art specifically for this volume. Maniac Killer is the perfect primer for those unfamiliar with Sala’s brand of whimsical horror, as well as a must-have for fans of his comic book series Evil Eye and his books Peculia, The Chuckling Whatsit and The Ghastly Ones.