Comics
Go To Hell – Dante’s Inferno #1 Review
A demo came out recently for the video game, Dante’s Inferno, which is loosely based on the literary work. Wouldn’t you know it that a comic is out which is loosely based on the video game. Video game comic adaptations have a sordid past, but how did this one fair? Read on to find out…
If you have played the demo for the game, the first issue of this comic will be no surprise. This issue mainly tells the story of Dante’s love interest, Beatrice. Through the journey Beatrice makes a deal with the devil that only Dante can free her from. Dante than searches for her and starts to fight through Hell to get her back. That’s where the issue ends which seems to be the right pace if it’s going to be a six issue story arc.
While I was satisfied with the writing, I could not figure out what I felt about the artwork. Diego Latorre’s artwork is extremely talented, but it seems like the best panels in the book are masked or ruined by computer generated effects of layering and noise. Maybe that’s his style or he’s trying to convey the madness of Hell, but I did not enjoy it.
If you are on the fence about this comic I would recommended if you are intrigued by the game, if you’re still tepid about it, maybe wait for the trade of the whole story. Although, I can’t wait to go back to hell.
The supernatural world of Korean folk horror movie Exhuma grows larger with the arrival of prequel spinoff webtoon Maengjong this weekend, Variety reports today.
Naver Webtoon debuts Maengjong on May 30.
The series hails from Haemuri (Olgami) and will trace the high school origins of how shaman duo Hwarim and Bonggil, played by Kim Go-eun and Lee Do-hyun in the 2024 film, came together to face occultish threats.
The story is set to begin when “Hwarim, who has been concealing her identity following a childhood encounter with a snake spirit called Jin, crosses paths with Bonggil at their school.”
Variety notes that Exhuma director Jang Jae-hyun participated in the project’s early concept stage.
“We are presenting ‘Maengjong,’ a new series capturing the appeal of the horror-occult genre, ahead of the full summer season,” said Lee Jeong-geun, Naver Webtoon’s Korea webtoon content leader. “With the high school story of Hwarim and Bonggil, who left a strong impression in the film ‘Exhuma,’ enhanced by Haemuri’s characteristic tense direction, we expect it will be a welcome work for genre fans.”
“It is meaningful that the spin-off story of ‘Exhuma,’ loved by many audiences, expands by meeting the new grammar of webtoon,” said Lee Hyeon-jeong, managing director of the film business division at Showbox, which distributed the film. “We hope it will be a fresh experience for both film fans and webtoon readers.”
Exhuma was a breakout hit in 2024, becoming the first Korean occult film to surpass 10 million ticket buyers and the country’s highest-grossing film of the year. I wrote in my review that “the intricately woven Exhuma delivers one of the year’s biggest surprises in horror so far.”
The bond between Hwarim and Bonggil was one of the film’s highlights, making this prequel webtoon a must for fans.
You must be logged in to post a comment.