Fobia Vol. 1

Note: Product received for free in exchange for a copy of Powers Squared Vol. 1 and an honest review.

When you’ve dedicated yourself to creative works, it’s natural to want to branch out and try new things when inspiration strikes. One such medium creatives have branched out to is comic books, whether they’re actors, like Keanu Revees (BRZRKER) or David Dastmalchian (Count Crowley), or content creators, like penguinz0 (Godslap) or Jacksepticeye (Altrverse). Now, Derrick Acosta of Mega64 fame has thrown his own hat into the ring with Fobia, a horror anthology inspired by other anthologies like Tales from the Crypt and Slow Death, among others. In an impressive feat for a first-time independent comics creator, he managed to raise $34,671 on Kickstarter to bring Vol. 1 of his dream to fruition, with physical books on the way and a Vol. 2 already in the works. As an independent comics creator myself, it’s nice to see someone else with a burning passion for the medium and, as a Mega64 fan, I was curious about his latest venture.

Of course, it’s worth mentioning that horror is subjective. I myself have found that I like a wide range of horror works regardless of the medium: video games like the Resident Evil and Silent Hill series; comics like Stray Dogs and Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees; movies like The Thing (1982), the original Saw and Five Nights at Freddy’s; and even internet originals like Welcome Home and Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared. However, I generally prefer psychological works overall and am not the biggest fan of stuff like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre or Hellraiser. As such, it’s natural that not all of the thirteen stories (technically twelve) in Fobia would land with me, especially since Acosta casts a wide net by dipping his toe into multiple sub-genres. The “throw horror at the wall and see what sticks” approach makes sense when you’re a newcomer who hasn’t found their niche yet, though future volumes could be improved with a more focused approach.

For example, I couldn’t get invested in “Love is Dead” because I kept questioning the premise while reading, a similar reaction that I had when reading some of the stories in the Tales from the Pizzaplex series (in this case, “Who would watch this?”). Similarly, I wasn’t a fan of “Hat Hair” because I questioned the plot too much and I didn’t like “KFP” due to my own personal horror preferences. I also felt mixed on other stories like “The Goo,” a different take on The Blob told in two parts while teasing a third, and “The Pit,” which by the end felt like a gorier version of Juni Ito’s The Enigma of Amigara Fault. It didn’t help that the “issue” format created some odd pacing and rushed endings and that the occasional spelling and grammar error took me out of the story when it occurred, as well as a moment of odd lettering in “KFP.”

I couldn't quite get behind "Love is Dead" (art by Swami Tsunami).

With that said, certain stories did click with me pretty well. The volume itself got off to a strong start with “Hell Tapes,” which put a sinister spin on the premise of Angel Hare (a series I recommend), though I only wished it were a little longer. “Murder a la Mode” took better advantage of its length, with a unique premise and a great twist at the end (I won’t spoil it here). “Decrescendo” also had an interesting premise and executed it quite well for the space that it had. The last highlight is “Night of the Dweller,” which had a nice air of supernatural suspense that I appreciated as someone who craves tension.

Following the twelve stories, this collection also includes four bonus stories that were cut for one reason or another, but presented as a look at what once was. I honestly didn’t disagree much with the choices that Acosta made here, like how “Invasive” felt very rushed, but I did think that “Undead” could have easily made it into the main book with some tweaking.

As with the horror elements, the art can be hit and miss at times, though Acosta managed to find fitting artists for the stories he wanted to tell. Though certain artists appear more than once, the idea of having art styles as varied as the stories themselves works wonderfully for an anthology, as it helps give each one a unique identity. Personal standouts include Kasey Williams (“Hell Tapes”), Max Johnson (“Baked Beans,” “The Pit”), Jason Strutz (“Murder a la Mode”), C Thomas Anderson (“Decrescendo”) and Santipérez (“Night of the Dweller”).

Max Johnson has a fitting art style.

Although imperfect, Fobia Vol. 1 embodies Acosta’s evident passion for horror and the drive to contribute to the genre with his own personal touch. I know from experience that the act of completing and releasing a comic this ambitious is itself no easy feat and I applaud him for that alone. Once he finds his niche, his full potential could really shine.