Product Description

One of the most popular horror movie series of all time spawned a landmark comics anthology edited by the Master of Horror himself, Clive Barker. Featuring short stories written/illustrated by top-drawer comics talent like Alex Ross, Mike Mignola and colleen Doran and written by New York Tiems Bestsellers Neil Gaiman and Baker himself, among others. Checker has collected the absolute best of the Hellraiser stories in this gorgeous full-color package.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #199373 in Books
• Published on: 2002-06-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 232 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780971024922
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
"Eleven tales. . . that are definitely worth reading. I, for one, wouldn't mind seeing a second volume." -- D. Emerson Eddy, Comic Book Galaxy, October 2002

And speaking of being subjective; the story entitled ;Life Flies to Wanton Boys; from 1990, written by Bunny Hampton-Macks and illustrated by Scott Hampton, is a stunning story, perhaps one of the best ones I've ever read. Stefan Isaksson --Glomie Production

COLLECTED BEST is a fascinating look at the work of some of the current comic book industry’s finest talents. -- Christos Gage, Fanboy of Fear

Comics stories ought to work visually as much or more than verbally, and horror stories usually cry out for visual pyrotechnics, which is what they got in the Hellraiser comics. --Booklist

Overall, the stories achieve to avoid the clichés so often found in horror. With an interesting amalgam of writers and artists, these tales, though most over a decade old, still don t quite sit well in the stomach. They question the world, and the hell beneath it. Jacob Malewitz --Paperback Reader

Take it from someone who's seen too much: the film franchise-owners should treat this book like the Bible. -- Rue Morgue Magazine, March/April 2003

From the Publisher
A top quality package: Full-color throughout, including many painted pages (Alex Ross, especially), and high-gloss paperstock.

About the Author
Best-selling author Clive Barker was born in Liverpool, England, and he began his literary career writing, directing and acting for the stage. Following the publication of his short stories The Books of Blood in 1984, Barker went on to write numerous best-selling novels, including The Great and Secret Show, Weaveworld, Imajica, The Thief of Always, Everville, Sacrament, Galilee, The Essential Clive Barker and most recently his Hollywood ghost story, Coldheart Canyon.

As a screenwriter, director and film producer, he is credited with the Hellraiser and Candyman pictures, as well as Nightbreed, Lord of Illusions and Gods and Monsters.

An accomplished painter and visual artist, Barker has had exhibitions in New York and Los Angeles. He lives in Los Angeles, California with his partner, the photographer, David Armstrong.

Customer Reviews

Excellent Graphic Collection
This collection of comics from the Hellraiser series is a must-own for any Hellraiser fan. The stories are entertaining, often complex, and beautifully drawn by the artists. Certain stories will keep you on the edge of your seat, while others will send you into a contemplative quandry for a time. The artwork alone is worth the price. Highly recommended for both Hellraiser and comic book fans.

I Forgot How Bad The Original Series Could Be!!!
The Hellraiser comic series is like going to the greatest comedy club ever. All of the greats are there to perform for you: Jerry Seinfeld, George Carlin, Jay Leno, Robin Williams, Garry Shandling, etc. Jerry Seinfeld starts: "Why did the Chicken cross the road..? To get to the other side!" Robin Williams is next: "How many Blondes does it take to screw in a light bulb? To get to the other side!" Pretty soon you realize that no matter what the set-up may be, the punchline is always going to be "To get to the other side". That pretty much sums up Hellraiser in a nutshell. Different creative teams telling different stories that all have the same ending: A bad person gets his comeuppance from The Lament Configuration and The Cenobites. Wow.

I had collected the Hellraiser series when it was initially released, and was never really impressed by it. I always kept being lured back to the next issue by the stellar creative teams, and kept feeling let down. Stupid me, I actually ordered the Limited-Edition Leatherbound Hardcover of "Collected Best", thinking that maybe I just didn't "Get" the stories as a teen-ager. No, they really DID stink....

There ARE a few good ones, don't get me wrong. Dead Man's Hand and Like Flies To Wanton Boys break from the standard Hellraiser mold, Dear Diary and Wordsworth hew close to that selfsame mold, but are well-told nonetheless. For My Son starts strong, but falls into the "Same Punchline" trap outlined above. It doesn't so much end as just STOP; I think there might be a page missing from the end of the story because, for a Fifty Dollar Limited Edition, the book is riddled with production errors. The final, crucial, dialogue panel of Mazes of the Mind is blank, thereby rendering the whole story pointless, and the final story, Losing Herself In The Part, has the majority of it's pages printed out of order. Not that the sloppy story is any better when read the right way. The two-parter "The Harrowing" was NOT written by Clive Barker, as widely advertised. He came up with the plot, and three other so-called "Writers" did the wooden dialogue. The Harrower stories were some of the WORST Helraiser stories EVER, and I really have to question their inclusion here. (One of the heroes is a little blue Cherub that kills Cenobites by FARTING on them, another is an escaped Death-Row Inmate who has lethal SPIT! Pure, unadulterated [stuff].) I'd advise any but the most hard-core fans to avoid this at all costs. A few good stories, but they're FAR outweighed by the awful ones.

If you never read the hellraiser comics, read this.
I have collected about 15 Hellraiser comics over the years, but there were many stories here I had not read. Though not written by Barker, they are well researched and keep the myth alive. We would not have hellraiser 3,4 and 5 without the comics and whether thats good or bad they are still worth the indulgance (and Franchise). Alot of the artists used were fresh talent at the time, so there are some interesting spins on the traditional cenobites. Still v. bloody and sadistic. Created for all die hard fans.