A few years before Heavy Metal illustrated science fiction and fantasy magazine hit the stands to worldwide acclaim, it’s mother, Metal Hurlant would shake the rafters in a revolutonary new approach to comic books and illustrated magazines.
Part one of a long series on both Metal Hurlant and Heavy Metal illustrated science fiction and fantasy magazines. Metal Hurlant was formed in France in 1974 by Moebius, Druillet, Dionnet, and Farkas aka Les Humanoides Associes. Two years later, National Lampoon would publish Heavy Metal magazine which more or less reprinted the comic book stories from Metal Hurlant. We take a good look at the new 290 page illustrated book “Metal Hurlant 1975 – 1984” the prime early years of the magazine featuring art by Moebius, Druillet, Caza, Claveloux, Bode, and stories by Dan O’Bannon, Dionnet, and more. Buy the book here on sale now
The original film is based on Heavy Metal magazine 1977 which was published by National Lampoon publisher Leonard Mogel who discovered the original French version Metal Hurlant when he was in France trying to sell National Lampoon magazine to a European audience.
Metal Hurlant sprang from the French publication PILOTE. Many of the Metal Hurlant artists had already appeared in the pages of PILOTE prior to the birth of Metal Hurlant but artists Phillippe Druillet and Jean Giraud aka Moebius wanted to create a science fiction and fantasy based magazine that would scrap the rules of traditional illustrated magazines, so Metal Hurlant was created with additional partners Jean Pierre Dionnet and the money man of the operation, Bernard Farkas.
Originally, Heavy Metal was largely reprints of Metal Hurlant but soon they would add many American artists and writers to the magazine.
The 1981 Heavy Metal animated film was a Candadian production helmed by Gerald Potterson, produced by Ivan Reitman (Animal House, Ghostbusters). This is why Canadian actors including John Candy, Eugene Levy, Joe Flaherty, and Harold Ramis lent their vocal talents to the production.
The film utilized a lot of rotoscoping technique which consists of filming live sequences and drawing over the images to give it an animated effect.
rotoscoping technique on heavy metal 1981
Several animation studios from around the world provided the animation for the film.
Harry Canyon, Den, and Captain Stern segments were taken from the magazine.
The Taarna sequence was written specifically for the film and was loosely based upon Arzach by Moebius although he was strangely not credited for it.
Elmer Bernstein composed the music and a variety of rock artists supplied soundtrack material including Don Henley, BOC, Cheap Trick, Black Sabbath, and DEVO.
Due to soundtrack copyright issues, the movie was not released on VHS until 1996. Kevin Eastman (TMNT) bought the publishing rights to the magazine and worked out the legal issues surrounding the soundtrack.
heavy metal vhs 1996
Heavy Metal 2000 (2000) aka Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K.² featuring voice work by Julie Strain, Billy Idol, and Michael Ironside, is based upon The Melting Pot comic book (1993) co-written by Kevin Eastman.
In reality, this comic book and the movie is loosely derived from the Taarna segment in the original film with very similar set ups.
In Taarna, the titular character seeks to kill the man who was transformed into an evil tyrant by the green glowing lochnar lava and wiped out her people.
In HM 2000, A miner named Tyler is exposed to The key to the chamber, a glowing crystal that can lead the bearer back to the fountain and drives anyone who possessed it insane.
Tyler invades the planet Eden, and kills many of the Edenites, capturing some so he can extract the immortality fluids from their bodies. The lead character Kerrie (voiced by Julie Strain) an Edenite, seeks revenge on Tyler.
In 2008, there were plans for a Heavy Metal movie remake to be directed by David Fincher but it was scrapped. In 2011, Robert Rodriguez bought the rights to the movie in order to make another film. After a few years, the project eventually morphed into the Netflix series “Love, Death, and Robots.”
Métal Hurlant Chronicles is an English-language Franco-Belgian live action television science fiction anthology series that ran from 2012 – 2014 to very mixed reviews. Heavy Metal 1981 Blu-ray and Heavy Metal 2000 are now on sale and available to rent.
If you’ve been to a Dollar Tree lately, chances are you’ve seen a comic book called FINAL FACTION or a number of their related action figures along with some animated videos available on Youtube.
Final Faction hit the Dollar Tree shelves in 2021 and has been steadily releasing a variety of toys featuring members of the Alpha Team led by Sargeant Steadfast and his trusty dog Churro who jumps into a larger mechanized canine to help his friends battle the evil Kharn.
In addition to the regular Final Faction action figures and accessories, there are emerging limited edition toys including the very popular but kind of rare VENOM series of Kharn creatures that appear to be showing up at selected stores only. Watch this Final Faction video to learn more about the universe and new toys they’ve added.
As winter approaches, I thought it would be a great time to review comic book artist Graham Nolan’s tale of terror based upon American Indian mythology, THE CHENOO.
This graphic novel was made possible through a very successful 2020 Indiegogo campaign and sent to backers in 2021.
The year is 2020 and western New York is in the middle of a massive snow storm with stranded vehicles, power outages and general mayhem for the local residents. But they will soon discover that all of that pales in comparison to the impending terror of the monster known as THE CHENOO.
Please see the video description to find out where you can get a copy of this great horror comic book and Nolan’s follow up project, THE GHOSTS OF MATECUMBE KEY!
Join us Sunday, Dec. 4th at 12pm EST for HORROR MIKE’S Sunday Nooner with special guest, Michael Dodd!
The two Mikes will be discussing all things in horror comics including magazines and graphic novels.
From Skywald’s NIGHTMARE and PSYCHO to Warren Publishing’s EERIE and CREEPY, Bruce Jones’ TWISTED TALES, DC Comics, Kitchen Sink Press, CAG, and some newer comics including Graham Nolan’s 2020 horror comic book THE CHENOO published by Compass Comics, we have such sights to show you!
Artists included Frank Frazetta, Richard Corben, Berni Wrightson, Reel Crandall, Joe Orlando, Al Williamson, and many more! Click here to watch the show!
Horror Mike’s sunday nooner horror comics review Frank Frazetta, Corben, Wrightson, Jones
Fresh off a successfull Indiegogo campaign, Aaron Lopresti’s graphic novel Wraith of God gets reviewed by Horror Mike. Wraith of God is a horror-western tale starring The Wraith, a supernatural character battling werewolves in the old west!
Featuring amazing art by Lopresti with excellent coloring by Gabe Eltaeb, this horror comic book will satisfy the most demanding enthusiast and delight lovers of both the horror-western and werewolf fans everywhere.
Lopresti is a 30 year veteran of the comic book business having drawn books for Wonder Woman, Justice League, Red Sonja, and many others. Watch the Wraith of God review from Horror Mike on Youtube.
Check out Aaron’s popular follow-up, Wraith of God: Bloodhunters, now in-demand on IGG. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/aaron-lopresti-s-wraith-of-god-blood-hunters/x/7805315#/
Dateline: Florida
Mike Lyddon’s documentary on pre-code horror and science fiction comic books of the 1950’s, HAUNTED THRILLS, has two more festivals to play before ending its extraordinary 16 month film fest run.
An official entry in 22 of 26 film festivals entered and winning 6 awards for best short documentary, Lyddon’s film is a “love letter to those comics that were ultimately doomed by Dr. Fredric Wertham and the Comics Code Authority in the mid 1950’s.”
Haunted Thrills is a documentary about those gruesome, violent, and sexy pre-code horror and science fiction comic books of the early 1950’s featuring three exclusive interviews with the original pre-code horror comic artists Everett Raymond Kintsler, Joe Sinnott, and Victor Carrabotta.
It will be playing the Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival Friday, Dec. 2nd and lastly at the Horror-On-Sea film festival in the UK, January 22nd, 2023.
You can watch Haunted Thrills on Youtube.
Reel Progress presents Mike T. Lyddon’s production of Horror Anthology Movie Volume One, now streaming on Amazon.
The 1000 DVDs of Horror Anthology Movie have sold out but you can still see the entire film on Amazon for the low price of 1.99.
Six original tales of sci-fi and horror clocking in at approximately two hours of wall to wall indie horror entertainment! No wrap-around, no filler…all HORROR.
Starring Ben Matheny (American Horror Story: Coven, Scream Queens), Cherie Roberts (The Lookalike), Brian Lanigan (First Man on Mars, Cut Up), Jeff Hollins (Attack of the Unknown). Horror Anthology Movie Volume One features the following segments:
THE CORDYCEPS PRINCIPLE
A sociopathic photographer dreams of killing his domineering and indifferent wife. On a routine photography expedition, he stumbles upon a sinister solution that could take care of his little problem. FIVE MILES STRAIGHT AHEAD
During World War 2, four soliders encounter real horror when they are sent to find a German squadron. THE THING IN THE SHED
One dark and stormy night. Stanley receives the unexpected visit from his friend Martin who arrives acting very strangely, carrying a mysterious black box. Before the night is over they will discover its terrifying secret. SECTION 49
A theater. A tank. A technician. A hooker. A hustler. BLOOD OF A SAINT
Tormented by feelings of sexual inadequacy, Monty enlists the aid of the nefarious Doctor Eenweiss. FOOTAGE FOUND, ARABI
In 1932, writer H.P. Lovecraft visited New Orleans. From old recovered film footage, we discover that some of his fiction is based upon terrifying reality.
Horror Mike presents a brand new website devoted to sex in horror, sci-fi, and fantasy films, comic books, magazines and books called SEXY HORROR.
From the earliest movies like Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages (1922) to more modern genre films like Return of the Living Dead (1985) and Dressed to Kill (1980), the site is geared toward all flicks from mainstream to b-movies and drive-in cult classics to euro trash treasures. We cover titillating comic books from the golden age to present, exploitation magazines and classic science fiction and horror novels known for their naughty content. Click Here to view the latest video on SEXY HORRORS.
In the latest video from Horror Mike, he takes a good look at indie comic books icon Alterna Comics and their numerous Indiegogo campaigns for 2022!
Featured titles including horror comics issues from Wulf and Batsy, Blood Realm, and It Came out on a Wednesday which is Alterna’s horror anthology comic book series.
Founded by artist and writer Peter Simetti, Alterna Comics is an indie leader in the comic book world offering readers a fantastic and less expensive alternative to the “bait and switch” woke tactics of Marvel and DC. New Alterna comics cost 1.99 on average and the website offers flat rate 5.00 domestic shipping, so if you buy 5 comics, you’re going to pay one low 5.00 ship rate. The best value in the biz!
