Edited by Ben Meares

Lettered & designed by Christian Francis.

Seraphim Comics, Hardcover & Digital Download (www.realclivebarker.com), out now

More Sights to Show You…

If you read my review for the first volume of this impressive new series of Hellraiser anthologies, you’ll know that I absolutely adored it. Now, sequels are hard to pull off – and often get compared unfavourably to the original. Luckily, in the Hellraiser universe, that’s not quite the case – after Clive Barker’s original we got Hellbound, for example, which opened up the mythology even more and without that entry you wouldn’t even have these books. Reflecting this is Daniele Serra’s cover, which easily equals the brilliance of the one adorning the first volume – but then what would you expect from this year’s winner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Artist?

So, what delights are on offer inside this time for fans of the mythos? To start with, we have a tale that’s one of my favourites in the book – and maybe of all time – ‘Occupational Hazard’ written by Ben Meares and illustrated by Hector Casanova. Ever wondered what happens to their victims once the Cenobites are done with them, and who cleans up the mess? Here we’re introduced to the podgy worker demon who handles all the crappy jobs, moaning as he goes. A perfect example of how the mythology continues to expand in this format, it also gives us tantalising glimpses of the giant ‘Searcher’ who hunts for escapees (security was tightened after Frank’s little jaunt) and Hell’s ‘dumpster’ Caesar. An excellent way to kick things off.

‘Nameless’ follows, a one page prose poem by Christian Francis which is illustrated by BOOM! Hellraiser alumnus Nick Percival. Told from the point of view of a victim who used to be known by all, ‘treated like a queen’, she is now only fodder for Hell’s  magnificent superbutchers: specifically the queen there, the Female Cenobite. ‘Quietus’ – written by Zac Thompson and Lonnie Nadler, and illustrated by Christian DiBari with colours by Simon Gough – tells the story of a frazzled young guy who fixes antiques and toys, given the task of ‘mending’ a certain puzzle box. While ‘Beguiled’ by Hellraiser: The Toll author Mark Alan Miller, ably illustrated by Riley Schmitz, is another one pager that really brings home the cruelty of Hell and its infernal tricks.

‘The Test’ is Ben Meares and Christian Francis’ commentary on animal testing, illustrated by Mark Torres. A fine story with an apt twist, that you get to see the genesis of at the back of the book. And Francis and Meares provide a poem next, about a terrifying creature even demons fear called ‘The Ancient One’ – who Clive Barker himself, working with Riley Schmitz, brings to life in full colour on the following page. The much anticipated prose story ‘Prayers of Desire’ comes after that, Nicholas Vince’s take on the Chatterer’s origins – and who better to relate them than the man who played him? I was warned that it would be disturbing and emotional in equal parts, but not even I was prepared for the power of this one, illustrated by ink drawings from Clive. A tale every Hellraiser fan needs to read.

The return of a favourite character from the first anthology, ‘PIN-Occhio’ is celebrating his birthday in this new adventure. Another example of a great sequel from Meares and Francis, with Schmitz illustrating, this has the titular character getting his dearest wish… and it isn’t to become a real boy! ‘For Each Little Hurt’, written by Ken Winkler with Nino Cammarata art, will have long-time fans of the mythos leaping for joy as it features a cameo from a fan favourite – this time in rather unusual circumstances. And ‘Collect ’Em All’ – penned by Matt Murray, with Schmitz visuals – is a terrific take on the trading cards craze from the ’90s, Hellraiser-style.

In ‘Hallowed Be Thy Shame’, Ken Winkler and Riley Schmitz do in two pages what it takes many creatives an entire comic to achieve. While ‘Octagon’ brings the bloodthirsty sport of cage fighting to the Hellraiser universe, courtesy of David Ian McKendry & Rebekah McKendry’s words and Mark Torres’ brutal yet beautiful art. But if you’ve ever wanted to know how those Lament Configurations get from place to place, ‘Like Shipping’ – written by Meares and Schmitz, from a story by the latter, and with Jim Terry art – has the answer. ‘Confession’ meanwhile, written by the winning combination of Meares and Miller, with stunning Serra art, is a tale of obsession, unrequited love and regret, that will have your skin crawling in places.

‘Like Whispers’, written by Meares from a story by Schmitz, with Jim Terry artwork, could almost be setting up a new mythos of strange monks who worship the box. But in the next story… ‘The Next Town’, actually, Christian Francis – with art by Devmalya Pramanik and colours by Schmitz – takes us into Carnivale and AHS: Freak show territory, showing us the lengths one circus owner in the ’30s will go to in order to attract the attention of Hell’s minions.

We end, as always, with the ‘PIN-up Gallery’ of Hellraiser artwork, complete with artists’ details. However, this time there are two surprise extras in the form of a look behind the scenes of ‘Hell-Bound’ at Monsterpalooza 2017, where FX artists Cris Alex and Stephen Imhoff, overseen by Clive, re-designed and shot the famous Pinhead make-up – with Christian Francis modelling – to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the first movie. And we have the aforementioned ‘Making of The Test’, a rare glimpse into the process of creating one of the strips for the book, with sketches and layouts.

If the idea of a sequel is to expand upon the original, to produce something that might perhaps even rival it, then Volume Two of this series has certainly achieved its objective. To quote the Lead Cenobite from the end, if you pick this one up you’ll definitely find yourself exploring ‘the further regions of experience’.

Verdict: This definitely is for your eyes…   10/10                           

Paul Kane