By Justin McKinney, Staff Writer
Two and half years ago Josh Williamson published his first issue of Nailbiter. Now, the comic series is one of the most successful horror comics in the past ten years, has twenty-nine issues, and five trade collections in print.
However, on March 1 issue thirty will hit shelves and the series will sadly come to an end.
Williamson claims that since he has signed on as one of the main writers for D.C. Comics’s The Flash, he simply does not have the time to keep writing Nailbiter.
Williamson has also sighted that the story has simply ran its course. He and illustrator Mike Henderson have both agreed that it is time for the story to close while it is still strong.
The book follows an FBI agent, a small town sheriff, and a serial killer as they become unexpected allies as they attempt to discover why a small town in Oregon called Buckaroo has been home to sixteen of the world’s deadliest serial killers.
As the story develops it becomes obvious that there are deadly ancient forces at play, and the longer you read the thicker the mystery gets.
The artwork by Henderson is simply brilliant and the storytelling by Williamson is some of the best that comics have had in recent memory.
Williamson’s great writing keeps the reader on the edge of their seat the entire book. I bought the first two trade collections, which encompass Nailbiter’s first ten issues, during this past winter break.
I read both of them in a single night and subsequently bought the next three collections that same evening. It is simply unbeatable.
Williamson has also garnered praise from comic book greats Scott Snyder, who has had possibly the best Batman run since Frank Miller, as well as Geoff Johns, whom many consider the comic world’s best writer.
Both have claimed that they wished they had created the story because they are so jealous of how great it is.
USA Today also named it the Best Horror Comic of 2014, while horror movie and comic website Bloody and Disgusting named it 2015’s Best Horror Comic as well.
The mystery is so deep and involved I could spend pages writing fan theories down.
When my friends and I think we’ve figured something out, the next issue completely shoots us down. It’s truly unbelievable that Williamson has been able to keep up such a story coherent with the amount of twists that he has thrown in.
Williamson’s story is remarkable, but Henderson’s art is just amazing. Art is so important in horror comics because it is, essentially, what scares you.
Henderson does this with every panel he draws, putting brutal images into the reader’s head that are impossible to un-see.
Even though the story is drawing to a close, I would highly recommend picking up a copy of the collections to anyone who has any interest in comics, horror movies, or the mystery genre.
I have read countless books and comics, and seen hundreds of movies, yet Nailbiter is one of the best stories I’ve come across, and it constantly leaves the reader begging for more.
There has also been buzz that Nailbiter may be getting picked up for either a mini-series or film series by an as-of-yet unnamed film studio.
While it is all talk as of now, the comic certainly lends itself perfectly to the big screen.
If you’ve already been following the series, go pick up issue thirty on March 1.
If not, go and pick up the first volume of the five collections and scare yourself silly with Josh Williamson’s Nailbiter.