Balun particularly focused his affections on Fulci’s glorious “golden age” gorefests, especially 1979’s ZOMBIE, 1980’s THE GATES OF HELL and 1981’s THE BEYOND.
But I think even Balun, who sadly passed after a battle with cancer in 2009, would be surprised to see the serious contemporary appreciation Fulci’s once dismissed exploitation films now command. It seems every week someone is writing a book, re-releasing one of Fulci’s films or painting some class of portrait featuring key, cosmic money shots.
But I do believe that the most interesting and exciting Fulci project to cross my desk in many a moon is the announcement of the birth of Eibon Press (named after the evil book in THE BEYOND whose symbol, incidentally, I have tattooed on the back of my neck), the new publishing company co-founded by revered artist Stephen Romano and Rotten Cotton honcho Shawn Lewis. The company’s first project is the jaw dropping (and falling off) line of comics based on ZOMBIE. That will be followed by a series that adapts my favorite Italian horror film of all time, THE GATES OF HELL (aka CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD).
“These are officially licensed, totally amazing comic books that kick ALL the ass,” Romano told me.
“I’m not EVEN joking. These things are BEAUTIFUL. We’re doing these as limited editions, with super high-end printing and collector’s packaging. We’re making history here.”
Romano continues:
“Our publishing model is direct marketing to fans, bypassing traditional comic retail routes. 1000 copies of each title, super collectible and direct to the people who want them. It’s like the high end collector’s aspect of MONDO combined with comics.”
Eibon Press’ first release, ZOMBIE #1, will be available June 10th, a 36 page monster of a comic (the first 250 copies are signed and numbered) that takes the beloved gore-opera to even more phantasmagorical heights.
To learn more get to the official Eibon Press website (which officially launches on June 6th) and Facebook and Twitter and keep coming back to both www.ShockTillYouDrop.com and www.ComingSoon.net for updates, reviews and info.
