Discover Top Posts Tagged with #val halvorson

The Slasher's Apprentice #1 (2025)

Art by: Val Halvorson

#The Slasher's Apprentice #Val Halvorson #Rebecca Nalty #Justin Richards #Mad Cave #Mad Cave Studios #comic books #comics #comic book artwork

[PREVIEW] The Slasher's Apprentice #1 (April 30, 2025)

synopsis: Riley, a horror-obsessed podcaster with a slasher villain fixation, is seeking a new career path: Helping her favorite legendary slasher, The Hopton Valley Killer, regain their long-lost notoriety while learning the ropes herself.

#The Slasher's Apprentice #Justin Richards #Val Halvorson #Rebecca Nalty #Buddy Beaudoin #Mad Cave #Mad Cave Studios

[PREVIEW] The Slasher's Apprentice #1 (April 16, 2025)

#The Slasher's Apprentice #Justin Richards #Val Halvorson #Rebecca Nalty #Buddy Beaudoin #Mad Cave #Mad Cave Studios

The Slasher's Apprentice #3 (Mad Cave Studios, July 2025) cover by Val Halvorson

#val halvorson #the slasher's apprentice #comics #comic books #cover art #comic covers #mad cave studios

Out this week: The Slasher’s Apprentice #1 (Mad Cave Studios, $4.99):

Justin Richards and Val Halvorson tell the story of a horror podcaster’s attempts to gain an internship with her favorite legendary serial killer.

See what else is coming to your local comic shop this week!

#justin richards #val halvorson #the slasher's apprentice #comics #comic books #new comic book day #ncbd #new comics day #new comics #new comics wednesday #mad cave studios

The Slasher's Apprentice #2 (Mad Cave Studios, June 2025) cover by Val Halvorson

#val halvorson #the slasher's apprentice #comic covers #cover art #comic books #comics #mad cave studios

Finger Guns #2

Finger Guns #2 Vault Comics 2020 Written by Justin Richards Illustrated by Val Halvorson Coloured by Rebecca Nalty Lettered by Taylor Esposito The darker side of home life has Sadie pushing Wes to help discover more about their powers. The true discovery ends up being a friendship built—in no small part—around Bryan Adams sing-a-longs and a dog named Chester. If only the good days could stop the bad. I am only human, and I can’t find the air, I don’t know who I’m kidding imagining you care, and i could stand here waiting a fool for another day, as when this was announced and I saw what was being offered I thought oh no this isn’t going to be for me. Yet it comes from Vault so I knew I would be checking out the first issue at least. I was kind of intrigued, enough so to give this issue a try and after reading this one I have to say holy mother of Pearl Bailey’s Irish Creme! Yeah this is so much different than I had seen playing out in my head and if like myself you think this isn’t going to hold any appeal for you, then think again because it’s definitely going to. I am very much enjoying the way that this is being told. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented perfectly. I am a huge fan of the way we see Justin do the opening here. It is a variation on the then and now style of storytelling and it really allows us to get a much more in-depth look at Sadie. Which brings me to the character development we see in these pages. Unexpected, delightful and a stunning way for us to really get this bigger picture of these two and how they see their lives. Of course how they see them versus how others see them are more often than not two separate things. The way that the story is structured and how we see the pacing of the story is phenomenal. How we see everything working together to create the books ebb & flow is gorgeous. You will find someone to relate to, if not then circumstances for sure as there are a wide array of events that occur, see and learn about that have this universal kind of feel to them. While I hadn’t expected much in the beginning these folks have shown me the error of my thinking, now they ought to beware because my expectation level is now way up. The interiors here are a bit otoo on the all-ages side for my liking but by the same token it’s got this Maya & Miguel feel to it which I find interesting. I wish we’d see a lot more backgrounds being utilised here, it almost feels half finished and that kind of bugs me. If you are going to give us simple it best be impeccable all I’m gonna say there. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show this really good eye for storytelling. I am extremely impressed with the colour work we see here. The designs on the kilt style skirts, the patterning in Sadie’s purple top, these moments pop like you wouldn’t believe. It’s nice to see because of how we see much of the remaining being kind of flat, colourforms kind of feel flat. I like how we see the hues and tones within the colours utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work. I love Vault Comics, they are expanding the genre of science fiction as they continue to put out some groundbreaking new stories. If you haven’t found the Vault yet well it’s high time you did.

#Comic Books #Comics Reviews #Vault Comics #Justin Richards #Val Halvorson #Rebecca Nalty #Taylor Esposito

Finger Guns #1

Finger Guns #1 Vault Comics 2020 Written by Justin Richards Illustrated by Val Halverson Coloured by Rebecca Nalty Lettered by Taylor Esposito Two troubled teenagers discover they can manipulate emotions by firing Finger Guns. There will be laughs. There will be tears. There will be uncomfortable teen feelings and angst. Oh yeah... and chaos. So much chaos. I wasn't all to sure what this was going to be like but it's Vault and I yet to be disappointed by anything I have read from them. So far that stands. Though this the first all-ages I have seen from them which surprised me a little bit. The opening where we meet Wes is really well done and it does allow us to get to know him and understand a little about his life. This way what we see so quickly has that impact on how the reader is going to feel about him which is a bonding experience. This gets us invested quickly and there are few things more important in storytelling then being able to have your audience bond with your character so quickly. I like the way that this is being told is really well done. The story & plot development we see through how the sequence of events unfold and how the reader learns information is presented in a great way. That what we see is what we see and as of now there doesn't seem to be any type of explanation forthcoming I find that I actually prefer things this way. The character development we see is rather nicely done. The way that it's done feels almost as if we are seeing everything around him is showing us who Wes and I have never seen it done quite like this before and I don't we will again. The pacing that we see is superb and as it takes through the pages revealing the twists and turns along the way it helps to create the books ebb & flow. There is some amazing and unique utilisation in storytelling happening here and I have to say I really think that this feels a lot more innovate than I would have thought. The interiors here really have that all-ages appeal to it and they characters look like they belong in their age brackets which I really appreciate. The linework that we see is strong and laid down extremely well and I am thoroughly enjoying how we see the attention to detail as well how backgrounds are utilised. The way all of this works together and creates the depth perception, scale and brings this overall sense of size and scope to the book is remarkably well done. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a great eye for storytelling. I am enjoying the colour we are seeing as there some nice utilisation of both solid colour alongside seeing the colour blocking for shading and highlights so it really does make for some really interesting visuals. This wasn't anything like I was expecting it to be and I really really like that. The way we see this progress through the pages reveals such a delightful story. This will surprise and entertain you in ways you don't expect making this a dynamic new addition to Vault's line-up.