Exclusive Preview: Open Caskets, an anthology built around a support group for people who don’t fit anywhere – Graphic Policy

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Exclusive Preview: Open Caskets, an anthology built around a support group for people who don't fit anywhere - Graphic Policy

Exclusive Preview: Open Caskets, an anthology built around a support group for people who don’t fit anywhere

Open Caskets is a darkly comic horror anthology, published by Half A World Away Press, set inside a support group for people who don’t fit anywhere else. A counselor gathers a room of misfits and walks them through their own strange, often devastating histories — part group therapy, part confessional, complete with absurd self-help puppet videos. Each member’s story stands alone, but they interlock into one larger portrait of life on the margins. The humor is bleak, the feeling underneath it is real, and the artwork is heavy, hand-built black-and-white ink. Readers who go for Jeff Lemire or Roman Dirge will know the territory.

Out June 30, Open Caskets is written by Shaun Simon, co-written and illustrated by Neil Sabatino, with additional contributions from Jack Simon. You can get it on Kindle, softcover and hardcover on Amazon, and free to read on GlobalComix.

Open Caskets started as a one story collaboration, 8 pages about a lonely window washer called Half A World Away. Shaun and I had started talking about artwork and comics in the last 5 years just as he was wrapping up on Paranoid Gardens for Dark Horse and had asked if I would be interested in drawing a pin up. After the initial story was finished Shaun had a couple more ideas for short stories and so did I. By the end we had 8 stories and one day Shaun asked if I’d like to do a comic strip about an absurd puppet TV show. We soon after decided what if we connected all the stories into one book where our characters attend a support group for their flaws and we use the puppet TV show as a teachable lesson for them. It sort of all blossomed piece by piece very organically”

– Neil Sabatino (Artist for Open Caskets)

We have an exclusive preview of Open Caskets. Check it out and get it on Amazon or read it now on GlobalComix!

Cover of 'Open Caskets' by Shaun Simon and Neil Sabatino, featuring the subtitle 'Please Enjoy This Excerpt: Book Two' on a pink background.
A black and white comic-style illustration featuring a large black cat with prominent eyes, the text 'BOOK TWO' above it, and a person with glasses displaying a tired expression in the foreground. A fly is depicted hovering near the person.
A comic strip scene featuring characters discussing a book titled 'So Long Rupert Dreary' by Dean Reed on 'The Larry Clark Show'. The characters express uncertainty and ideas about a writing process, while one panel features an exaggerated laughter prompt 'LAUGH NOW'.
A comic-style illustration featuring a crowd of people laughing, with three characters speaking in the foreground. One character is addressing the audience, while two other characters listen attentively. A depiction of a cartoon bee with the text 'BZZ' surrounding it.
A comic-style illustration showing a man in a robe, frustrated by buzzing insects in his home. He is holding a fly swatter, expressing his irritation with a loud exclamation. The background features a messy living room and kitchen with scattered objects.
A comic strip featuring a frustrated man at a messy desk with a computer, expressing anxiety about deadlines and creative blocks, holding a cigarette and talking on the phone.
A comic strip depicting a man discovering a can of insect repellent labeled 'Bug Off' while searching in a cupboard. He looks determined and triumphant at first but quickly transitions to panic as he struggles to breathe and appears to be choked by a cloud of spray. The scene captures his expressions of fear and desperation as he gasps for air while crawling on the floor.
A comic strip featuring a character experiencing an intense moment of realization, depicted in a black and white, high-contrast art style. The character, wearing glasses and a robe, shows signs of frustration and contemplation in various panels, leading to a moment of inspiration where they exclaim an idea.
A black and white comic-style illustration featuring a woman with glasses and a man with a worried expression. The man is gesturing towards a black cat that appears to be on a windowsill. The woman and man are depicted in separate panels having a conversation about an idea that the man seems frustrated about, with speech bubbles expressing their thoughts.
A black cat with an expressive face is seen next to a person frantically reaching toward an open window, demanding the return of an idea. The person appears distressed, with a dialogue indicating urgency and frustration. In the background, a scream is depicted as sound effects enhance the tension of the scene.
A comic-style image featuring panels with dark, sketchy artwork. The scenes include a car with blood splatters, a black cat, and a character on the ground with blood, suggesting a tense and dramatic narrative.
A comic panel featuring a scientist with a bandaged hand discussing ideas while holding a cat.
A comic strip showing a character getting knocked over by a playful dog while a cat watches.

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