HORROR COMIC

There’s been a resurgence in the world of underground comics in Scotland of late, as we’ve tried to reflect on these very pages over the last few months. Now Curt Sibling is back with more of his effervescent adult’s only humour. Total Fear 3 (a ‘Global Meltdown Special’) is a collection of shorts taking horror (most notably HP Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos) and sci-fi (a timely Star Trek spoof) spinning them into bawdy comedy.

Sibling’s obsession with large-breasted pneumatic female leads is eventually distracting. Pitched somewhere between Russ Meyer and Benny Hill, it’s fine to have strong female protagonists but why do they always need to be topless? It’s camp and irreverent but all too repetitive. Sibling’s art is especially strong though, reminiscent of the underground comix of the 60s and 70s, particularly Gilbert Shelton and Robert Crumb. It just needs a few stronger punchlines to underline the jokes.