Staff Picks (October): Thicker Than Blood

In the seventies when you were looking for horror comics there was Warren Magazines, DC’s House of Mystery and House of Secrets. Marvel had found a formula of horror themes and continuing characters, and Mike Ploog became the go to artist for many of the 70s greatest horror based series like Werewolf by Night, the Johnny Blaze Ghost Rider, and Monster of Frankenstein. 

Mike has done outstanding work over the years. One of his final forays into comics was the three-issue horror story Thicker than Blood from UK publisher Full Circle.

Thicker Than Blood from FPG collects the mini-series written by Simon Reed, penciled by Mike Ploog, and colored and painted by Simon Bisley. The story follows two brothers on a trek across Scotland who find themselves faced with more than just a stroll across the Highlands. They chance upon shelter and, as darkness descends and the moon rises, an invitation for all manner of creatures to appear, including a werewolf! This is a tragic tale of two brothers being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and how their lives are changed forever.  The perfect setting and tone that play to the strengths of artists like Ploog and Bisley.

What is unique to this book are the various versions available from version A which reproduces only Mike Ploog's detailed pen and ink pages to version B that reproduces the fully painted artwork of Simon Bisley, created from Mike Ploog's pen and inked pages, the way the artwork was originally published both at a very reasonable $9.95.

For the collector and fan of original art by both talented artists there is a Collected Artwork Edition, reproduced directly from both the pencil art of Mike Ploog and the painted art of Simon Bisley in an oversized 12 x17 156-page hardcover format at $150.  There is also a signed and numbered limited slipcase edition signed by the three creators of the Thicker Than Blood comics: Simon Reed, Mike Ploog and Simon Bisley and is limited to 175 copies.  As Mike has officially retired, this is the last product he will be involved in signing.

FPG has always produced quality projects, and in Thicker than Blood we have an excellent send-off for Mike Ploog as he begins his retirement from an industry he represented so well for many years.

—Steve Leaf

Publisher: FPG
Item Code: OCT171605
Release Date: 12/20/17
SRP: $9.95