Comic Spotlight: Erma

Creator: Brandon Santiago

Publisher: Webtoon and Tapas


To be honest, I’m a little surprised it took me this long to write about this comic. I mean, it’s only one of my favorite comics of all time! Anyway….

Written and drawn by Outcast Comics, “Erma” is centered around the adventures of, well, Erma. She’s a young child, has a lot of friends and a mom and dad that think the world of her. Nothing else. Nope. Nothing more to it.

Oh, and she’s a half human/half yokai. And her mom’s a yokai. And her mom’s entire family are supernatural beings as well. Oh, and Erma can fly, phase through walls, has telekinesis and her hair can take on all kinds of shapes. Yep, just a normal, everyday kid.

What drew me to this comic in the first place was the humor. It’s incredibly hilarious, woven well into the story, and balanced well by the more dramatic moments. The comic’s been around for some time and there are a slew of story arc, from the time Erma and friends found a race of talking rat-people (one of whom is among said friends) to the time she met her demonic family and her dark side was awakened. Yeah, there’s a lot to see and the pacing is such that each episode has a lot to discover.

The rest of the cast brings a lot to the table. Sam and Emiko Williams, her parents, help guide Erma through this wild thing called life in a world that isn’t quite ready for her. Felicia, Erma’s babysitter, is in my opinion part of some of the best storylines, and I love how she isn’t phased in the slightest that the kid she watches over is more of less the ghost from The Ring. Then there’s Siris, Erma's undead pet dog who is the reincarnation of Osiris. Really, we’re just scratching the surface here. Like I said, there’s a lot to the series.


The art here is amazing. Well-detailed, Brandon puts a lot into each scene, whether that’s the sights around their hometown, the varied members of the family, or the incredibly horrifying scenes when Erma lets loose. Trust me, it’s not something to miss.

All in all, this one gets the highest marks from me. It’s a lot to read, but after a few episodes, I doubt you’ll complain.

Citywide Comic Spotlight: Ryder

Creator: Austen Marie

Publisher: Tapas Media


If you asked me to choose my favorite webcomic of 2021 (please don’t, there’s too many options), “Ryder” would have to be among my picks. The titular character is a songwriter living the artist life in Los Angeles. When a mysterious woman leads her to a world of the supernatural, Ryder finds herself in a place that, for the first time, makes her feel like she’s finally home.

It was the art that first drew me in, but this series is far more than just amazing illustrations. The story of Ryder and her dreams of musical stardom is easily relatable, and there is much more to come. In the aforementioned supernatural world, she meets some unforgettable characters, including Landon Moon, a musician from (she thought) the human world that she’s a diehard fan of, along with Blithe, who’d also an artist with a complicated past.

The story touches on some serious topics, including relationships, mental health, and what it means to be truly happy. I really liked this aspect of the writing, and imagine some real-life elements have been woven into the story—it just seems the writer has a lot to say on these topics.

At the same time, there’s laughs aplenty, whether it’s Landon learning of the fan-fiction Ryder wrote about him or her conversations with Blithe as they discuss the rules of the supernatural world and explore a growing relationship. There’s a lot of depth here and the length of each episode means we get plenty of time to explore without feeling rushed.

But back to the art, which is absolutely stellar. The use of color is extraordinary, and really brings the story to vivid life, from the clothes to the buildings to the lighting. The scenes for the shows are very detailed and reminded me a lot of my time living in Boston. These scenes are among my favorite. I especially liked the varied outfits the characters wore, with each matching their personality.

The series appears to be taking a break. Whenever it comes back, you can bet I’ll be ready!

John Mantooth walks a haunted path with “Holy Ghost Road”

From the opening pages of John Mantooth’s newest horror tale, “Holy Ghost Road,” we’re plunged into the thick of the action. The story is seen through the eyes of Forest, a 15-year-old who’s just witnessed Pastor Nesmith forging a pact with a demon. She’s on the run to find her grandmother, the only person who can make sense of what’s happening and maybe, maybe put a stop to it.

Unfortunately, Granny is 40 miles away, and Forest is on her own with no car, no phone, and an entire congregation on her trail. To reach Granny, Forest will have to learn to see the world true, even as the demonic and the sacred wage war for her soul.

This book has been a great read, and so I’m very excited to talk all things scary with the author. John and I talk about the choice to make this a first-person viewpoint and how that influences the story. He shares some of the real-life influences and their role in the book.

John’s also a crime writer, having written three novels under the pseudonym Hank Early, and he talks about how the two styles cross over and which of the two genres is his favorite. We also go into his recent time with Cemetery Dance Publications—through which this book was released.

Ian Rogers talks Netflix deals and horror collections with “Every House Is Haunted”

Sam. Fucking. Raimi.

I think I can stop there.

No? OK then, onward we go! For this episode I'm continuing my interviews with amazing talent publishing books though Cemetery Dance Publications. Ian Rogers joins me to talk about his soon-to-be-released collection of 22 horror stories, “Every House Is Haunted.”

Perhaps the biggest news is that the book was optioned by Sam Raimi and a feature film of one of the stories, “The House on Ashley Avenue,” is currently in development at Netflix. Script by Jason Pagan and Andrew Deutschman, directed by Corin Hardy, helmer of “The Nun” and “Gangs of London.” We talk all about this, how Ian met Sam Raimi and what the process has been like.

Next, we dive into the book itself, of which the stories include:

• A mysterious double murder draws the attention of an insurance company with a special interest in the paranormal.
• A honeymoon cabin with an unspeakable appetite finally meets its match.
• A suburban home is transformed into the hunting ground for a new breed of spider.
• A nightmarish jazz club at the crossroads of reality plays host to those who can break a deal with the devil...for a price.

Ian talks about where the ideas came from, which story was the first to be published, and some of his favorites, as well as whether anything was changed from when they were first written.

The Pastor of Horror shares one his most terrifying tales

With a name like “The Pastor of Horror,” you just know this episode's going to be a good one! Author Ezekiel Kincaid joins me to talk about all things spooky, including his recently-released “The Dawning,” Book 1 in The Dreadful Death series. As always, I've got a little peek into what lies within the pages:

On a cold November night in 1817, a seven-year-old girl named Theodosia Whitefield finds a door leading to another world. She feels a pull towards a dark, celestial being who beckons her, and senses his presence growing each day. In an old rocking chair by her bed, a seeming friend appears and helps her navigate through this new world.

Little by little, Theo's innocence changes as the dark creature edges closer to her reality. The little girl begins to grow into something sinister and evil. Shedding her youth and innocence, her demon friend paves the way for Theodosia to meet the entity named Tetromet, The two meet and the horror and madness blossom in Theo, leading to unprecedented depths of terror.

The charming countryside of North Carolina makes the backdrop for the insanity and evil emanating from this child. She wreaks havoc on her family and friends as her power grows. It all comes to an insidious, nightmarish end, with questions of faith, sanity and above all, God and evil.

I've read some scary stuff over the years, and this may well be the best. Ezekiel and I talk about Theodosia, the dark being, and how she changes over the course of the series. We talk about the best ways to off a character and how it fits in with the overall story.

Ezekiel's 20-plus years in ministry have afforded him the opportunity to encounter people from all walks of life and in a myriad of situations and we talk about how this has factored into his work. We look at how he made the transition to writing and how the people in his life reacted to it.

In addition to his writing, Ezekiel has done some work in haunted house investigations and tells us how to tell the real deals from the bogus places. We also look at some of the most memorable sites he's been to. And of course, we lean how he came to be known as “The Pastor of Horror.”

It’s a world of daemons and magic in Alison Levy’s new book

I’ve been a longtime fantasy fan, and so it was a real pleasure to speak with Alison Levy’s new book, “Blue Flame,” part two of the Daemon Collecting series, out on Oct. 11 through SparkPress. The new book continues the adventures of Rachel Wilde, who comes from a dimension adjacent to ours. The people there have structured their society around daemon collecting: they locate, catch, and repair malfunctioning daemons (creatures out of phase with our world that tempt people to do good or evil).

While introducing Leda Morley, last of an ancient line of gatekeepers, to the ins and outs of her daemon-collecting work, Rachel Wilde encounters something far more dangerous than any daemon: a young boy who stands alone against an unseen yet terrifying enemy that has invaded his home—an inhuman creature who, hellbent on revenge for a minor slight, intends to harm the boy’s oblivious family. Meanwhile, Leda’s brother, Simon, is feeling left out of his maternal family legacy but is coping partly by helping Rachel’s friend Bach—a previously homeless man with unusual mental abilities—get his life back on track.

In the midst of all of this, Bach unintentionally but serendipitously makes contact with a capable otherworldly being who, with great reluctance, agrees to help Bach and his friends take on the dangerous creature that’s just become their problem to solve. Together, this group of unlikely allies must put aside their differences to save an innocent child, and his family, from a monster—before it’s too late.

Alison and I dive into the worldbuilding that went into this book and the new characters that we meet. She talks about the daemons and the system of magic she created and how it all works. We look at how writing this book compared to her first novel, “Gatekeeper,” and her plans for the release of “Blue Flame.” Along with being a writer, Alison is also a mental health advocate, and we go into how writing the new book helped and how it can be a platform to help others.

Gwendolyn Nix's new book explores Hell, magic, and a complex cast

On July 29, Gwendolyn Nix's new book, “I Have Asked To Be Where No Storms Come,” will hit physical and online shelves. But before that, kick back and enjoy this conversation on the story, characters, and a lot more. Here's a quick look at the plot:

The fact of Domino Bluepoint's afterlife is simple: he's a half-breed witch from a people without a name, living out a cursed Butch Cassidy existence… and no one wants to be stuck in Hell with witch blood. When he discovers bounty hunters are on his trail, and his brother, who wields insurmountable power, has struck an ill-made bargain with an ancient being of lighting and thunder, Domino is determined to fight his way out of the underworld no matter what the cost.

Yet, he soon learns an even darker power resides behind his cursed lineage, one buried deep in the earth and who will use his brother for its own gains. Desperate to escape their own destines, the two must decide if they will save the world… or let it burn.

Gwendolyn and I talk about Domino's character and where he stands—hero, or villain? We look at other characters and the roles they play in the story, which takes place in a detailed version of Hell. Believe me, we spend awhile delving into this. We also look at release day and Gwendolyn's plans for it.