Decay #13 (2012)

Sex :
Violence :
Editor Darren "DK" Koziol Reviewer :
Publisher Dark Oz Productions
Writers Darren Koziol, Matty Currey
Art and Colours Frantz Kantor, Charith Wuewardane, Lee Smith, John Higgins, Dave Heinrich, Cristian Navarro, Jason Paulos, Colin Wells, Hayden Fryer, Tom Green, Erin McGregor, Melissa Waterman
Cover Frantz Kantor
Genre Compilation
Tagline Australian Horror Sci-Fi Fantasy
Country

Review

"Tender? Yesss I love tender men" -Danikah

Since the inquisition hasn't caught up with Darren "DK" Koziol yet, he has taken the time to create Decay #13 for our edification. Dubbed the "hot red chick" edition by the team here at ScaryMinds, which you have to admit is a better name than "Bob", we're talking a bumper edition that might point to another change in direction for Australia's premier horror mag. We get a total of eight stories, the Hosts being vastly reduced, and of course some photo spreads as Decay continues its excellent coverage of the local Speculative Convention circuit. Let's crack on and see what might be lurking under the covers.

Well I guess the most controversial aspect to #13 will be the reduction of Hosts to make room for additional story pages. I'm not against that development, firm believer in the single host through out a horror mag, but I know a lot of people dig the multiple host approach so imagine DK and the Editorial team may be facing some fire via email. If you feel you simply have to protest, I would suggest graffiti and Tony Abbott's car, it may not change editorial policy at Decay but it would certainly demonstrate your democratic right to be outraged by something. For those wondering Danikah, The Sisters, does admirable work holding down the Host slot for the magazine.

So what do we get in terms of stories considering more room has been made for them in this issue? Glad you asked, it's what we're here for yo! For fans of The Sisters, those devilishly cute and thoroughly lethal vamp sisters, you get two stories. School's Out, script Darren Koziol and art by Cristian Navarro, demonstrates the Sisters would have more impact on a day care center than a mob of Michael Jacksons. There's also the faint hint of a story arc, that may or may not be coming up in The Sisters standalone release, who the hell is Uda? Anyway for those who bemoan the death of little ones in horror outings, suck it up. One of my new favourite ever stripes from a Decay magazine is Shotgun Wedding, the second Sisters encounter in #13. I'm all shock up as Darren Koziol drops a script on us simply brimming with Elvis the Pelvis song quotes, in amongst the gore of course. Danikah certainly won't be left crying at the chapel as Thomas Green provides some solid artwork to the sort of insanely brilliant idea we all love in horror mags. I was rocking out to this one, Decay #13 is worth a purchase on this cautionary tale about how only fools rush in to quick marriages.

Naturally DK is keeping his readership happy and so also tosses two Oz Zombie tales our way. You have to wonder what sick mind would come up with Adelaide Zombie Chainsaw Massacre, oh wait that script was by DK as well, that mixes a post-apocalyptic aerobics workout with chainsaws and the sort of twist ending that will have you grinning into your morning cereal. I should also mention that artist Charith Wijewardane has spent far too much time looking at Playboy or other similar mags - not that we're complaining of course. In keeping with a recent upgrade to Decay magazine the stripe comes in full glorious colour as well. The second Oz Zombie outing, Zombies Don't Shop, see's Darren Koziol touch base with zombie Godfather George A Romero as a couple find themselves stuck in a shopping mall with a horde of flesh eaters. Art here is full retro by the legendary Jason Paulos of Eeek fame. I'll leave it to the Reader to discover the dark delights hidden in this particularly fiendish tale.

There are four additional stories to discover in #13, including one in the increasingly popular Tales 2 Tremble By, but I'll leave it to the Reader to discover those for themself. Expect the normal Decay twists and turns through either gore soaked back roads, or via the hidden tracks of brooding dark genre thoughts. I should also mention that Matty Currey provides a particularly delicious morsel in Legend of the Black Horse of Sutton Forest. If you are a budding comic script writer and having something fiendish then contact the Editor over at Dark Oz Productions to see what may happen kids.

Besides the serious depraved and infinitely readable stories you get not one, but three photo essays going down. Supernova Sydney and Melbourne 2012 is covered. Come to think about it we never heard back from the Sydney organisers about venturing to the event this year, god alone knows the spec world sucks in being able to promote itself in this country! And we also get Comic Con Melbourne and Adelaide to view. Can't say Decay aren't doing their bit for the wider community. Slave Leia seems to have been a big hit around the circuit this year.

Okay that's a run down on the contents for Decay #13, which I for one had some serious good times reading and viewing. You get vampires that are predators not sparkling emo fracking vegetarians, more zombie action than you can take a head shot at, and some insanely brilliant dark genre stories to warm those cold winter nights. What more do you need friends and neighbours, DK has you covered. As ever Decay is the Downunder horror magazine that all the cool kids are reading, lock your teeth onto a copy, you won't be disappointed with the taste.

Decay #13 is available via any comic emporium worth the name, and online through the Dark Oz Productions Official Site. The issue will set you back $8 plus P&H, which is a pretty cheap date. While on the site check out the back catalogue and make some additional purchases, there's any number of great tales lurking in the dark corners of the website.

ScaryMinds Rates this read as ...

  A very solid issue of demented ideas and great artwork.