High Moon Vol. 1 [Paperback]

David Gallaher (Author), Steve Ellis (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: October 13, 2009 | Series: High Moon

The horror adventure from Zudacomics.com arrives as a bound graphic novel to deliver werewolves (and a whole lot more) in the Old West.

Bounty-hunter Matthew Macgregor investigates a series of strange happenings in the dusty Texas town of Blest where drought has brought famine and hardship to most of the town and surrounding ranches. Unfortunately, that's the least of the town's worries! While the summer heat pushes the mercury toward further unbearable degrees during the day, the nights are haunted by strange, unnatural creatures roaming the darkness. Macgregor, a former Pinkerton agent, seeks to uncover the towns dark secrets and tries desperately to keep his own past steeped in witchcraft and the supernatural hidden.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The Wild West has always been the setting to examine what happens when humanity abandons its rules. And the werewolf is an ideal path to explore the mind of a person who loses all self-control. The natural connection between those two elements is only the starting point for this engaging, intricately crafted western horror series. As Colin MacGregor, a former Pinkerton's detective with a hidden past, arrives in the isolated town of Blest, Tex., his only goal is to catch a man with a price on his head. Soon he's hired to rescue a kidnapped girl, and events spiral into two more connected episodes of supernatural horror spread out across the landscape of the American West at the dawn of the industrial age. Gallaher adeptly layers elements from many mythologies to create a rich melting pot of mysticism matching the diversity of settlers in the towns where the stories take place. Ellis's strong artwork captures the mysterious, lawless atmosphere, rising to the occasion whenever the tale calls for the reader to be frightened or awed. (Oct.)
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From Booklist

Zuda Comics’ pioneering gambit of allowing readers to vote for and submit their own comics online has been a resounding success so far. Now released in print, High Moon was the competition’s first winner and a nominee for the comics industry’s Harvey Award for best new series. A collaboration between veteran artist Steve Ellis and neophyte scripter Gallaher, this three-chapter novel reads like a cross between a Sergio Leone western and a gore-laced monster movie. The setting encompasses the twin nineteenth-century towns of Blest and Ragged Rock, Texas, where malevolent winged creatures are preying on the townsfolk by night and holing up in nearby mines by day. Arriving on the scene to dispense vigilante justice are a Pinkerton detective and Macgregor, a reformed slaveholder; both are werewolves themselves. Plenty of gnashing teeth, flying bullets, and tested loyalties between human and beast are the featured fare here. While puzzling red herrings occasionally muddle the story line, Ellis’ gorgeous red-and-blue-hued panels are a delight to behold. --Carl Hays

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Zuda; 1st edition (October 13, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401224628
• ISBN-13: 978-1401224622
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 0.5 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #993,570 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars B-Movie on Crack/Steroids October 16, 2009

By Simon Fraser

Format:Paperback

This book is a ROMP! Don't be confusing it for anything soulful or heartfelt, this is the antithesis of the quiet introspective auto-bio comic. It's a raw balls-to-the-wall MONSTER comic and all the better for it. The art and the story rarely let up...or even stop for breath. It's a relic of the strips origins as a webcomic that each page has a hectic pace and each monster reveal is more gloriously OTT than the last. I won't be giving this to my Mom for Xmas, but it has a special place in my collection, tagged under "WTF?!?" ....in a good way.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book! October 16, 2009

By Don Lavanty

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

One of the First but not the last books to come from the popular [...]'s Online comic site (by DC Comics) its a Great Steam Punk Story told in an alternate Wild West Where Supernatural Creatures and events are the norm. The Art is Fantastic and Original Definately a good read if your a fan of Comics and Graphic Novels

5.0 out of 5 stars Top of my 2010 list October 18, 2012

By Rick Hansen

Format:Paperback

This book ambushed me and left me wanting more. I had no prior knowledge of High Moon, nor the work of David Gallaher and Steve Ellis. I received this in a large pile of graphic novels given to me by someone to whom I'll be eternall grateful. Basically, I had zero expectations going into it, yet it was the best comic book I read during the entire year of 2010. The haunting artwork by Steve Ellis is stunning as it stimulates my imagination and reminds me of the horror comics of the 70's, and the story keeps me turning each page with a rabid enthusiasm. My only complaint is that there's only one volume in print, but I believe DC Comics will eventually remedy this oversight.

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book! November 11, 2009

A Kid's Review

Format:Paperback

This book is perfect fun for me as a 15-year old. It's got everything I want!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars great art nice new format December 2, 2009

By Jason Jarava

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I think the retail price for this book was too high ($14.99) but the price from this seller made it just right. The book arrived in a timely manner and the art work is great.