The Dusk County Chronicles Review

The Dusk County Chronicles

• Metal Ninja Studios
• Written by: Joel Rodriguez
• Pencils by: Roman Gubsky
• Inks by: Roman Gubsky
• Colors by: Roman Gubsky
• Letters by: Joel Rodriguez

We all have stories that we remember fondly from childhood. Whether they were told via film, TV, books or comics, they’d transport us somewhere else for a while. Most of these stories were fun, imaginative, and had happy endings, but what if that scenario were to change? What would these stories look like if they were to take a darker turn? The Dusk County Chronicles gives you that answer.

The Dusk County Chronicles is the upcoming horror parody anthology from publisher Metal Ninja Studios. Within the book are four short stories that revisit popular tales but with a creepy twist. Versions of Toy Story, Peter Pan, Superman, and Goldie Locks all get the horror treatment.

The four stories, while presenting a different look at familiar characters, also explore different genres of horror. Each is different from the next while all taking place in the mysterious Dusk County. You can add Dusk County to your list of fictional places to never vacation.

The stories contained in this comic are:

• A Friend in Me : a road trip for a group of toys going horribly wrong
• Forever Young : anyone can go to Neverland, but there’s a price
• Mind Games :  a superhero’s enemies start vanishing
• Just Right : a young woman searches for help in the woods

These are fun stories, but I don’t want to give to much away. You should experience it for yourself.

Joel Rodriguez hits all the right notes in this book. He keeps it fast, fun and frightening. Each story is very short but that doesn’t limit the writer. He’s able to establish the characters as well as provide a beginning, middle and end to the story. That’s quite a feat considering each story’s length. I’m not sure if more adventures in Dusk County are planned, but Rodriguez does a bit of world building in each tale, so a trip back would be welcomed.

Roman Gubsky provides the art and his style fits the tone. It’s fun but with a slight grit that reminds you that this is horror. While he has a recognizable style, he shifts it from story to story to fit the genre being explored. Gubsky has a knack for visual storytelling as well. Each panel progresses the story while providing some creepy images.

Anthologies are something we don’t see a lot of these days. This is a format I enjoy and The Dusk County Chronicles does not disappoint. The stories  lend themselves well to the anthology format. Each one is a quick entry into the weird world that is Dusk County. My one quibble is that Joel Rodriguez hits on a few concepts that could be explored even more. There were a few stories, namely Forever Young and Mind Games, that I was wanting more of after the stories ended.

Dusk County Chronicles is a fun read. You can really see the time, dedication and passion by the creative team in each panel. That passion comes through, so you know you are really reading a labor of love. That’s rare in comics nowadays. The Dusk County Chronicles is a must for comic fans.

Metal Ninja Studios is launching a Kickstarter Campaign for The Dusk County Chronicles on March 1st. The book is scheduled for a mid-April 2019 release. However, you can sign up for a free preview here.

Visit Metal Ninja Studios on Facebook and on web for updates on Dusk County Chronicles.

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