Son of Celluloid

One of the great things about Clive Barker in the 80s was his collaboration with comics.

I usually focus on Epic’s version of Hellraiser, but Eclipse comics had access to a lot of Clive’s published work as well and created comic adaptions of many of his novels and short stories. There’s something about Barker’s horror fiction, something that is so detailed, so lurid, is monstrous have always translated quite well visually.

Son of celluloid is not one of Barker’s better known works, and that’s a shame. It’s a messed up, modern retelling of the Phantom of the opera story. You have a creature hiding in the walls and events of an old movie theatre, stalking its victims from out of the dark.

The titular character, the son of celluloid, is a cruel Shapeshifter – and in this it reminds me a great deal of Stephen kings “IT”(though not quite as highly intelligent as IT), but with a theatrical spin as the Son. appears taking the form of classic Hollywood stars in order to lure its victims into it to grasp.

It’s a fascinating and engaging story, with the Son illustrated horrifically and the terror told out with glee.

Sadly, this is not an easy book to find anymore. It still haunts back issue long boxes, and can be found at conventions occasionally, but you’re going to pay for it. I think it’s worth it, and if you see it snatch it up – it’s a read you won’t regret

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