Comics
Interview with Book of Dolor Author Rock Florino
This weekend we added our exclusive in depth chat with horror author Rick Florino, the man behind the “Dolor” series. The first book, “Lila”, is available for FREE at the official website, with pre-orders now available for “Chrissy”. Click here to read the interview or go beyond the break for more info on DOLOR.
“After receiving widespread critical acclaim for “DOLOR: Lila | Book I”, author Rick Florino will release “DOLOR: Chrissy | Book II” February 11, marking the second in the series of ten illustrated mystery/horror novellas. A limited number of signed paperback copies of “DOLOR: Chrissy” will be available for $15 at BookOfDolor.com, with digital downloads available for only $5. As an introduction to the series, Florino and his New American Deities production company also continue to offer the DOLOR: Lila download for free at BookOfDolor.com. Limited edition signed and numbered physical copies of Lila are also available for purchase.
With DOLOR: Chrissy, Florino–author of DOLOR: Lila | Book I, Do the Devil’s Work for Him, founder of Ruin Magazine and Editor of ARTISTdirect.com–expands his foray into his true passion: fiction writing and the horror genre. The text is exemplified by the bizarre, dark and dreamlike artwork of Kristel Lerman. Says Florino: “Chrissy has one of my favorite scenes in the whole series, because it’s so delightfully sick and twisted. Kristel’s artwork gave those moments a violent vibrancy that’s as undeniable and gorgeous as it is heartbreaking and horrific. She steeped every one of her drawings in blood, and the series shines even more because of it.”
Here’s a short excerpt from Chrissy:
Rob is having a really bad day.
After getting stood up by a date, he leaves the Dolor Mall during a blizzard. As he’s walking into the storm, a car suddenly sideswipes him out of nowhere, speeding off and leaving him covered in blood. Awakening in the hospital, Rob finds out from Officer Caleb Taylor that he’s in way more trouble than he thought. However, things get really strange once Rob’s kidnapped from the hospital by someone too perfect and beautiful to trust…
“There’s a certain evil that the story explores that’s very prevalent during Lila but much more understated,” Florino reveals. “The veil of what really is going on in Dolor begins to slowly lift with Chrissy. At the same time, Chrissy preserves the sardonic humor and social observations that made Lila strangely fun at all the right (and wrong) times. If Lila was about the horror of unrequited love and losing control, Chrissy’s concern is with loving the wrong one and how absolutely terrifying that can be. There’s something hypnotic about the horrific, and I’m just as entranced by it as my readers,” he concludes.
Fans can get a glimpse behind the scenes now through a special DOLOR: Chrissy video trailer below!”
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.
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