The music scene is a cult. That’s pretty obvious, from the worshipping screaming fans to the way musicians stand on the stage, lit up like gods. But the flip side of all that is pretty dark. What if the singer you worshipped wasn’t god; he was the devil? That’s the idea at play in the excellent new horror book Groupies, which debuts today on Comixology.
Written by Helen Mullane with art by Tula Lotay, the book flips the focus to the groupies of the title, and specifically one of their number, Lisa Storm. She’s suffering from a bit of imposter syndrome, not believing she’s beautiful or interesting enough to be part of this group of, er, groupies who plow through the Sunset Strip, looking for the chance to hook up with a band — both literally, and figuratively.
That’s until she sees The Moon Show, led by an enigmatic singer with whom she immediately bonds. You may have a sense of where this is going already, but he is not what he seems, the band is not what they seem, and by the end of the first issue Lisa may be in well over her head.
What works so well about Groupies beyond the solid premise by Mullane is the slow burn of the first issue. Granted, it presents its demonic intentions up front: there’s a great jump scare in the opening scene that highlights the stunning versatility of Lotay’s art, as well as the jaw-dropping colors by Lotay and Dee Cunniffee. But there’s a sweaty, slow intensity that builds like a drum beat over the course of the issue. Knowing there’s something demonic going on as you get to know these groupies makes what happens next inevitable, and all the more horrifying.
Just a note here, but this is very much an adults-only affair, with nudity and sexual content throughout. They are groupies, after all. But if you’re looking for a sweaty, gorgeously drawn horror comic to get into this month that’s like “What if David Lynch made Almost Famous?” then look no further than Groupies #1.
Groupies #1 is out on Comixology, today.
Bonus: If you love Tula Lotay’s art (and why wouldn’t you?) don’t miss Somna from DSTLRY, written and drawn by Lotay and Becky Cloonan, which reimagines the Salem Witch Trials era from a female perspective.
It’s spooky season, and you know what that means: time to curl up with a comic book or graphic novel that will scare your socks off. With that in mind, we’re posting a new horror book to check out every day of October, for our 31 Days Of Halloween Comics. Awoooo! Looking for the rest of our picks? Check them out on the Halloween tag.
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