Hellraiser (Clive Barker’s…)

    (Epic, 1989-1994)
™ and ©1991 Clive Barker

(From The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide)

A horror anthology nominally featuring the Cenobites from the Hellraiser films. In reality, their appearance is forced in earlier issues, so #7–16 feature chapters of a series titled “The Devil’s Brigade.” The lives of six humans are divined to have a lasting effect on the realm of the Cenobites, so they must ensure that the humans follow the paths of order. Serving to introduce a recurring cast, chapters can be read as individual stories.

Many creators of note (John Bolton, Denys Cowan, Dave Dorman, Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, Dave McKean, and Mike McMahon) contribute alongside relative unknowns to produce an eclectic, although unremittingly gloomy, mixture. Mark Kneece, Scott Hampton and John Van Fleet’s “The Tontine” in #9 is the best story of the run, depicting the claustrophobia, hope and despair involved in an annual game of Russian roulette, without moral commentary or resorting to gratuitously illustrated violence. Issue #17 introduces “The Harrowers,” a story prefaced in #16 and sumptuously drawn by Alex Ross. To all intents and purposes they’re a group of non-costumed super-heroes empowered to combat the Cenobites. The best of four specials is the Christmas-themed Dark Holiday Special.-WJ

Recommended: #9, 15, 17

		Notes	Writer	Artist
	#1 Date:  Cover Price:  $12.95 NM Guide:  $5.00 No copies available	NN; Foreword by Doug Bradley; ca. 1991	Erik Stalgaber, Ted McKeever, Marc McLaurin, James Robert Smith, Dwayne McDuffie, Mark Kneece, Scott Hampton, R.J.M. Lofficier, Jan Strnad	John Bolton, Ted McKeever, Jorge Zaffino, Mike Hoffman, Kevin O’Neill, Scott Hampton, John Ridgway, Mark Chiarello
	Book #1 Date:  Cover Price:  $4.95 NM Guide:  $11.00 5 copies available from $7.50	Prestige format; Forward by D. G. Chichester; Intrduction by Clive Barker; ca. 1989	Erik Stalgaber, Sholly Fisch, Jan Strnad, Ted McKeever	John Bolton, Dan Spiegle, Bernie Wrightson, Ted McKeever
	Book #2 Date:  Cover Price:  $4.95 NM Guide:  $8.00 3 copies available from $7.99	Prestige format; ca. 1990	Dwayne McDuffie, James Robert Smith, Marc McLaurin, Mark Kneece, Phil Nutman, Scott Hampton	Bill Koeb, Bill Sienkiewicz, Jon J. Muth, Jorge Zaffino, Kevin O’Neill, Mike Hoffman, Phil Hugh Felix
	Book #3 Date:  Cover Price:  $4.95 NM Guide:  $4.00 3 copies available from $4.00	Prestige format; Foreword by D. G. Chichester; ca. 1990	Jan Strnad, R.J.M. Lofficier, Peter Atkins	Steve Buccellato, John Ridgway, Dave Dorman, Lurene Haines
	Book #4 Date:  3/1/2012 Cover Price:  $4.95 NM Guide:  $28.00 5 copies available from $9.99	Prestige format	Bunny Hampton-Mack, Jan Strnad, Nicholas Vince	Bill Sienkiewicz, John Van Fleet, Kent Williams, Mark Chiarello, Scott Hampton
	Book #5 Date:  Cover Price:  $5.95 NM Guide:  $12.50 3 copies available from $5.50	Prestige format; Indicia incorrectly lists book as #6	Daniel G. Chichester, Marc McLaurin, James Robert Smith, Ron Wolfe, Mark A. Nelson, Sholly Fisch	Nicholas Jainschigg, John Van Fleet, Mike Hoffman, Dan Spiegle, Willie Schubert, Colleen Doran
	Book #6 Date:  Cover Price:  $5.95 NM Guide:  $5.75 6 copies available from $3.00	Prestige format; Foreword by D. G. Chichester	Bill Mumy, Daniel G. Chichester, Erik Saltzgaber, James Robert Smith, Miguel Ferrer, Ron Wolfe	Bill Koeb, Derek Yaniger, Jamie Tolagson, Joe Barruso, John Rheaume, John Van Fleet, Jorge Zaffino, Mark Bloodworth, SMS, Steven Johnson, Timothy Georgerakis, Bill Wray
	Book #7 Date:  Cover Price:  $5.95 NM Guide:  $4.75 1 copy available for $2.45	Prestige format; Foreword by D. G. Chichester	Daniel G. Chichester, Dwayne McDuffie, Nicholas Vince, Robert Washington III, Ron Wolfe	Bill Reinhold, John Bolton, John Rheaume, Kyle Baker, Paris Cullins, Tom Palmer
	Book #8 Date:  3/1/2012 Cover Price:  $5.95 NM Guide:  $16.00 4 copies available from $9.45	Prestige format; Foreword by D. G. Chichester	Doug Murray, Dwayne McDuffie, John Rozum, Larry Wachowski, Ron Wolfe	Dwayne McDuffie, Joe Barruso, John Van Fleet, Mark Texeira
	Book #9 Date:  3/1/2012 Cover Price:  $5.95 NM Guide:  $7.50 1 copy available for $7.00	Prestige format; Foreword by D. G. Chichester	Daniel G. Chichester, Dwayne McDuffie, Erik Saltzgaber, Larry Wachowski, Scott Hampton	Denys Cowan, John Van Fleet, Mark Bloodworth, Miran Kim
	Book #10 Date:  3/1/2012 Cover Price:  $4.50 NM Guide:  $16.00 2 copies available from $15.00	Prestige format; Foreword by D. G. Chichester	Nicholas Vince, Erik Saltzgaber, Daniel G. Chichester, Dwayne McDuffie	Joe Barruso, Mike McMahon, Mike Zeck, Phil Zimmerman
	Book #11 Date:  Cover Price:  $4.50 NM Guide:  $11.50 3 copies available from $8.75	Prestige format	Chris Henderson, Vincent Cecolini, Ron Wolfe, Sholly Fisch, Erik Saltzgaber, Daniel G. Chichester	Alfred Ramirez, Derek Yaniger, Butch Guice, Paris Cullins, Sholly Fisch, Mike Hoffman
	Book #12 Date:  Cover Price:  $4.50 NM Guide:  $5.75 2 copies available from $5.75	Prestige format; ca. 1992	John Rozum, Denys Cowan, Nicholas Vince	Denys Cowan, Rod Whigham, Sam Kieth
	Book #13 Date:  Cover Price:  $4.50 NM Guide:  $7.00 2 copies available from $5.00	Prestige format; ca.1992	Dean Schreck, Mike Mignola, Daniel G. Chichester, Larry Wachowski	Derek Yaniger, Mike Mignola, Mark A. Nelson, Russ Heath
	Book #14 Date:  Cover Price:  $4.95 NM Guide:  $3.50 1 copy available for $3.45	Prestige format; Foreword by D. G. Chichester	C.J. Henderson, Vincent Cecolini, Ron Wolfe, Nicholas Vince	Colleen Doran, Kieron Dwyer, Andrew Paquette
	Book #15 Date:  Cover Price:  $4.95 NM Guide:  $7.00 4 copies available from $7.00	Prestige format	James Moore, Erik Saltzgaber, Daniel G. Chichester, Dwayne McDuffie	Bruce Jones, Mike Vosburg, Ricardo Villagran
	Book #16 Date:  Cover Price:  $4.95 NM Guide:  $4.00 2 copies available from $4.00	Foreword by D.G. Chichester; ca. 1992	Daniel G. Chichester, Dwayne McDuffie, Malcolm Smith	Gil Ashby, Mike McMahon, Dan Lawlis, John Rheaume
	Book #17 Date:  Cover Price:  $4.95 NM Guide:  $11.00 2 copies available from $10.90	1st appearance of The Harrowers	John Rozum, Clive Barker, Malcolm Smith, Anna Miller, Fred Vicarel, Daniel G. Chichester	Bo Hampton, Alex Ross, John Van Fleet
	Book #18 Date:  3/1/2012 Cover Price:  $4.95 NM Guide:  $11.50 3 copies available from $11.00		Erik Saltzgaber, Clive Barker, Malcolm Smith, Anna Miller, Fred Vicarel, Daniel G. Chichester, Marc McLaurin	Mike Hoffman, Alex Ross
	Book #19 Date:  Cover Price:  $4.95 NM Guide:  $4.25 4 copies available from $4.00	Foreword by D. G. Chichester; ca. 1992	Dean Shreck, Lurene Haines, Malcolm Smith, Daniel G. Chichester	Ricardo Willgran, Ray Lago, Paul Johnson
	Book #20 Date:  Cover Price:  $4.95 NM Guide:  $10.00 3 copies available from $10.00	Final Issue; ca. 1993	Neil Gaiman, Del Stone Jr., McNally Sagal	Dave McKean, Marc Hempel, Shawn Martinbrough, George Pratt, Derek Yaniger
	Holiday Special #1 Date:  3/1/2012 Cover Price:  $4.95 NM Guide:  $23.00 3 copies available from $20.00	Dark Holiday Special	Daniel G. Chichester, Frank Lovece, Sholly Fisch, Ben Schwartz	Dan Lawlis, Michael Okamoto, Steve Buccellato, Tim Conrad
	Summer Special #1 Date:  3/1/2012 Cover Price:  $5.95 NM Guide:  $18.00 1 copy available for $19.00	Summer Special; Giant-size	Daniel G. Chichester, Faye Perozich, R.J.M. Lofficier, Frank Lovece, Barry Dutter	Mark Evans, Gerry Talaoc, Jorge Zaffino, Bill Koeb, Steven Johnson
	Spring Special #1 Date:  3/1/2012 Cover Price:  $6.95 NM Guide:  $8.00 1 copy available for $24.99	Spring Special	Larry Wachowski	Mark Pacella