Infidel

Infidel #1-5

by Pornsak Pichetshote, Tananarive Due (Introduction), Jeff Lemire (Afterword)

A haunted house story for the 21st century, INFIDEL follows an American Muslim woman and her multi-racial neighbors who move into a building haunted by entities that feed off xenophobia.

Bestselling editor Pornsak Pichetshote (Swamp Thing, Daytripper, The Unwritten) makes his comics writing debut alongside artist extraordinaire Aaron Campbell (The Shadow, James Bond: Felix Leiter), award-winning colorist and editor Jos� Villarubia (Batman: Year 100, Spider-Man: Reign), and letterer / designer Jeff Powell (SCALES & SCOUNDRELS).

Collects INFIDEL #1-5

Genres: Horror, Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book

176 pages, Paperback

First published March 14, 2018

About the author

Pornsak Pichetshote was a Thai-American rising star editor at DC’s Vertigo imprint where he worked on such comics perennials as The Sandman and Swamp Thing. His books have been nominated for dozens of Eisner awards—be it the award-winning Daytripper, the New York Times bestseller The Unwritten, or critical darlings like Sweet Tooth and Unknown Soldier. He left Vertigo to become an executive in DC Entertainment’s media team, where he started and oversaw DC TV’s department. Infidel marks his first major comics work as a writer.

Reviews

[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something I adore but can never seem to find enough of is solid, well-written horror with diverse representation and political undertones. Much like the introduction to this graphic novel states, much of the inclusive horror we find ends up lacking in one department or the other; most often, it does well in the social commentary department but loses the "horror" elements in the process. Infidel does not suffer from that problem at all.

Not only does it offer a varied cast of characters and some heart-wrenchingly painful scenes of racism and xenophobia, it also is downright creepy as hell with some of the most twisted, bizarro-freaky illustrations I've ever seen. I loved every minute of this and can't wait for the film adaptation!

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really dug this. The themes of racism and loss is perfect here. The talk of trust and change for people is realistic and nicely done. The horror element is well made and actually scary and people die. I thought the ending wrapped up to quick and that be my one negative. A 4 out of 5.

[[Name Redacted] · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is almost offensively superficial and ignorant on every front. I read this as each issue was being published and...yikes. It's typical of today's "Don't-let-the-facts-or-nuance-get-in-the-way-of-my-preaching!" standard in media. :/

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

A politically charged haunted house story. Spirits lingering in an apartment building are fueled by hatred and racism. I don't know that shifting the main character half way through the story quite worked. The end also escalates quite quickly. Still, it's a solid Halloween read.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The latter half of these issues kind of fizzled out.

Individual issue reviews: #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5

Total review score: 2.6

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Millennials discuss racism whilst battling ghosts.

[Malum · Rating 2 out of 5]

The good: The artwork on the monsters was really neat.

The bad: The main character switches to a different person halfway through. It makes it kind of pointless to get to know and empathize with an MC when they are just disposed of that easily.

Way too much politics and leftist talking points (and this is coming from someone who considers themself very much on the political left. I just want to read a comic book, not be given yet another lesson in racism and Islamophobia).

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars - I always have a hard time rating graphic novels because I read them so seldom that my brain can't wrap my head around but is good or bad. I love when horror attempts to tackle race, so it was enjoyable in that sense but also felt a bit surface-level.

[L. McCoy · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Sigh) please don’t let this be what the future of horror looks like. Now THAT would be scary.

What’s it about?
A muslim woman moves into a creepy building and then is haunted by the mean words monster... I wish I was kidding, the monster runs on insults. Anyway shit happens and now the monster is fucking with her group of friends.

Pros:
There are some intense scenes.
This is an unpredictable one. Despite being a fan of horror I often find the genre to be (unfortunately) predictable so I definitely appreciate that.

Cons:
The story is fucking stupid. I couldn’t take any of it seriously. I mean how can anyone take it seriously? They’re being haunted by mean words. That has to be one of the most ridiculous plots I’ve ever read.
The art is not good. It’s kinda ugly and scratchy. It’s a style that I’ve seen in quite a few comics but I really don’t like it.

All these characters are bland, I barely remember and entirely didn’t give a shit about any of them.
The dialogue is pretty bad. It’s less like realistic dialogue amongst a group of people and more like a poorly written political message... oh wait.
The horror is weak. Okay so for one I couldn’t take it seriously as I already explained. The monster was the adult equivalent of a kid drawing a bully as a monster. Maybe it’s because I’m not afraid of words but chanting “cunt whore bitch” feels less like anything intimidating and more like what some 10 year old would write on his desk to be edgy. The things that are meant to be creepy aren’t even really that creepy. Ooh a face in a dark corner... yeah, still not creeped out or anything. It doesn’t even have much of a gore factor either so yeah...
The commentary doesn’t work. Other than acknowledging that racism towards white people is racism (something that stories with these themes are often hypocritical about) it’s awful. First of all, it’s obnoxious. It just harps on about shit a bunch, even at times about things that have fuck-all to do with the plot. Second, it’s an obvious left wing bias on everything. I’m not conservative and don’t even have to agree with this on everything but instead of trying to portray things accurately or do anything interesting/clever it just goes with the left wing POV on everything. Third, whatever happened to “sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me.” I’m fairly young (18) and have had people say all kinds of bad shit about me ranging from mild stuff like “you’re stupid” to racial slurs. Ya wanna know how much it effects me or how much it hurts me? Not a fucking bit. This whole “words are violence” and that they can “hurt people just as much as weapons” is horseshit and that’s putting it lightly. That’s the big problem here, I can’t think of this as a serious comic and more like an edgier “don’t bully” booklet (not that bullies are good, but for fuck’s sake).


Overall:
I’m sure many of you who are reading this have seen those dumb, terribly written internet horror stories (creepypastas and that kinda shit). This is basically that but political.
The fact that so many people like this honestly concerns me for both the future of the world and the future of horror.
The future of horror because of how a story with such a ridiculous plot, lacking in creepy and/or shocking elements gets so much praise.
The future of the world because if people are so sensitive to words that we think of insults as monsters at an age older than 13 we’re fucked.
This book is a laughably stupid plot, bland characters, bad art, terribly written commentary, poor dialogue and weak horror. This is written by an adult as a serious story but to me feels more like something a 13 year old emo who watches 5 hours of CNN a day whipped up. Sure it’s suspenseful and has some intense scenes but that isn’t even close to making up for the terrible quality of the rest of this comic.

2/5

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly standard haunted house story is elevated by having Muslim Pakistani American and African American female leads who struggle against intolerance and Islamophobia as well as the supernatural.

[Brendan · Rating 4 out of 5]

🅡🅔🅥🅘🅔🅦

Infidel
2018
Comic book
Rating: 4/5

Infidel is a groundbreaking horror comic that carefully combines supernatural terror with a searing exploration of racism and xenophobia in modern society. Set in a haunted apartment building with a dark and violent history, the story follows Aisha, a Muslim American woman, as she navigates the sinister, otherworldly forces that prey on the prejudices and fears of the residents.

The comic is truly exceptional in how it blends the visceral fear of classic horror with a deeply relevant social message. Pornsak Pichetshote’s writing is both chilling and insightful, exploring the ways that ignorance and hate can become literal monsters. Aaron Campbell’s artwork is atmospheric and unnervingly detailed, perfectly capturing the oppressive, claustrophobic tension of the haunted building. The use of shadows, grotesque imagery, and unsettling panel compositions heighten the sense of dread, making the horror both psychological and physical.

The comic shines as a nuanced, character-driven story. Aisha is a compelling protagonist, empathetic, strong, and vulnerable, whose experience as a woman of colour in a predominantly white neighbourhood is portrayed with honesty and sensitivity. The supporting cast is equally well-developed, each struggling with their own prejudices and fears, which become more evident in the horrors they encounter.

In a genre that can sometimes rely on cheap scares, Infidel stands out as a sophisticated, thought-provoking, and genuinely terrifying work. If you’re someone who appreciates stories that challenge social norms and reflect real-world issues, this will appeal to you. It’s not trapped with social commentary, and that’s why this book works on so many levels.

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[Lashaan Balasingam · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting attempt to blend politics centered around Islamophobia and racism with a haunted house horror story. The artwork carries most of the weight as the story struggles during its second half to properly deliver a compelling and coherent story.

Yours truly,

Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read as five seperate issues.

To start with, I really liked this series, but I feel it was risky to knock out the protagonist Aisha in the third issue, and switch perspective to Medina, and I think it harmed the storytelling.

The last issue was disappointing, mainly consisting of large exposition dumps. I'm also not completely sure on what the main metaphor here was - so racist hate turns into a spirit, that then infects other people? Or does it feed off of them? If it's the first, it feels oversimplifying a real, complex problem.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/4 stars

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty good, all about a demon/ghost haunting a New York brownstone and feeding off the racist/anti-immigrant feeling of the people inside, causing them to do bad things to each other. Good story, good artwork. I've read this is headed toward the movies and it could be a good one in the right hands.

[Jeff · Rating 1 out of 5]

Infidel has a great concept, but I found the execution lacking. The comic moves too fast and too choppily, sacrificing character and plot development in its race to propound ideas and complete its story within the constraints of a trade collection. Moreover, the horror is too central, submerging the psychology at key points and forcing late-game platitudes.

[Ina Korsgaard Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm torn over this one. On one side it's not often horror is presented so well in comics. I love the distorted spirits with their grotesque bodies and evil smiles. I love how they are drawn in a completely different style so that they look misplaced and unnatural in the normal world, even though these drawings are more realistic than those of the normal people. I also really like how the creators somehow manages to pull off the subtle jump scare that I also really like in horror movies. Like when there's no music or sound or insisting camera angles telling you that something is off, you just happen to notice a terrible detail in the background.

But then there's the story; with a split perspective even though only one of them are supposed to be the main character. I also wish the story would have taken its time and moved more slowly. The political theme is very relevant for today's political climate, but think the horror part of the story could have worked just as well without it. And what was the deal with the symbols?

[Matthew Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible horror story. Definitely political, but I don’t see that as a bad thing. This one was actually horrifying at times and reading it all through at once definitely set the mood up for the entire series to come at me and be received in a horror-like fashion. Really good message in this one and definitely a book I’ll be thinking about a lot more after having read it.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 Stars
This was a fantastic graphic novel that blended diverse themes into a truly creepy story. The discussions of racism and islamophobia were nauced and compelling to read. The artwork was vivid, dark and, yes, very creepy. This works as a standalone, but I would certainly be open to a sequel or a companion novel.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Infidel is a modern day haunted house story set in a bomb-ravaged New York City pre-war apartment.

Aisha is muslim. She is engaged to non-muslim Tom. Tom has a daughter named Kris and a mother named Leslie. When they all move into Leslie’s apartment after it is partially blown up by a white supremacist resident, Tom thinks his mother is racist and wants to leave. Aisha convinces him to stay despite her constant nightmares about the dead bomber. As the ghost starts to appear in her waking life, Aisha turns to the neighbors for help. One, a writer, believes another resident in the blast was heavily into the occult.

Infidel is a creepy little horror tale reminiscent of Rosemary’s Baby, the Legend of Hell House—both old school 1960/1970s movies—and Get Out. The addition of race politics both modernizes the tale and ups the terror substantially. No wonder this tale was optioned for a movie after only 2 episodes were released. The scariest part is the 1 on the front cover. Will the building return in future outings? 5 stars!

Thanks to Image Comics and Edelweiss+ for an advanced copy.

[Václav · Rating 4 out of 5]

The infidel is politically charged horror in very distinctive art. It's messy, dark, rough (and I didn't like that dirty shadows) and somehow psychedelic. But even if I wouldn't be exactly a fan of that art, it would not be a problem. Because this comic is strong, scary or better creepy, atmospheric story about hatred, prejudice and racism. And it's not some canvassing to proper paradigma, which I hate. It goes both ways, shows prejudice is not exactly hatred, it could lead to rasism but it could just be fear or just reaction to social pressure. For example too strong PC and positive discrimination. It shows how complicated this topic is and labelling won't do any good (and that's for both sides and all between). This and more is very subtle incorporated to dark and shivering horror about some haunted house, where the bad emotions have the upper hand.
I can't go full 5 stars, but holy shit, this is good. So good. And that rare hard for horror in comics.

[Rory Wilding · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her introduction for Infidel, American author Tananarive Due talks about how in the age of Jordon Peele’s Get Out, a new wave of horror has arrived, bringing with it stories featuring inclusive characters all readers can identify with while using the genre to reflect on real-life horrors such as racism and xenophobia. During this current American presidential administration, you’d think we have had enough horror to witness as racial tensions rise, but it’s fictional works like Infidel that shows us a truth worth exploring, even if it chills our bones.

Please click here for my full review.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review - https://youtu.be/8RiuxmPEx-Q

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really terrifying story of an apartment building haunted by the spirit of race hatred marred by a somewhat confusing plot and finale.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the story and the plot of this book. One of the better horror graphic novels I've read.

[Des Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Infidel is a modern update to an all too familiar haunted house story, which is only strengthened by the diversity of its characters. Using familiar horror tropes and typical plot beats, the whole concept is refreshed by the usage of multi-ethnic characters, each with their own unique background, views and spin on the typical cast of slasher victims. Nothing feels shoe-horned in or forced to build some sort of P.C. credibility, and instead comes off as a totally natural use of real people with real underrepresented perspectives, in what is ultimately a great ghost story. Even our would-be villains are presented as thinking humans with relatable concerns and are not simply defined by their xenophobia. Pichetshote writes a tactful, authentic, and utterly honest script, all while Campbell's Dave McKean-esque multi-media approach to realism results in an absolute parade of visual horrors, and human beings with a full range of emotion and body language.

Infidel is impressive, and utterly necessary as a benchmark of what an inclusive sense of diversity can truly bring to comics and entertainment as a whole. There are more stories to be told and more angles for those familiar. Unsurprisingly, they rest in the lives and perspectives of those too-long unrepresented.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

You'd be hard-pressed to find a better horror comic than Infidel on the market right now. Let's be upfront about what I didn't like: the art and coloring are not my personal jam (80s throwback), but it matches the horror elements pretty well, so I'm loathe to complain there. I'm also not clear why the apartment building was haunted but, uhhh...

Yeah, when the surrounding story and characters are this compelling, you can get away with some plot holes related to the actual horror elements. Hell, Get Out was the same way and it's the clearest horror equivalent to Infidel. Scary shit is happening, but maybe it's related to racism and xenophobia? Even if it's not related to that stuff, it's forcing characters to talk about that stuff. And the fact that these characters are largely non-white, non-male makes it all the more potent.

The fact that Infidel has both an introduction and afterword by notably skilled authors feels like a good sign. And I agree with both their premises: Infidel is a solid cultural study wrapped in a pretty darn good haunted house story. Definitely worth a read.

[Chihoe Ho · Rating 2 out of 5]

In a world where diversity is lacking in the comics world, Infidel, where more than half the cast of characters are people of colour, is a nice welcome. However, instead of having them as characters for their individuality, they are used for their ethnic stereotypes to further the narrative (i.e. an Arab as a disgruntled suicide bomber, an African-American as the angry black woman). It's a shame really but it does spur discussions, as illustrated with the story and a conversation the characters have.

With the success of Get Out, there is no surprise that Infidel has been snapped up to be adapted to a movie. I don't think this has as strong of a storyline but the frightening factor that the graphic novel has with its creepy, atmospheric art should translate well to a horror movie.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed this. First, fantastic horror graphic novel. The illustration is beautiful and terrifying, and I think it did a really good job of instilling a sense of dread as you read on. It also does a fantastic job of illustrating racism and how others "explain away" their prejudices, as well as what POC go through. I think the biggest thing for me were the small arguments trying to justify why "some people" (read: Muslim) are "the way they are". So there are two levels of terror there: the fantastical and otherworldly and the very, very real terror of real life prejudices.

[Emmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, one word to describe this graphic novel is IMPRESSIVE. The idea for Infidel is both unique and smart. The artwork is insane- so creepy and unsettling! I absolutely loved it. The story is great and manages to make social commentary and also just be plain scary.

My one minor gripe with it was that the final issue was not as good as the rest and the ending seemed a bit rushed. All considered, that is just the one flaw and it is still deserving of a 5/5. There is a reason this has already been picked up to become a film. 100% Recommend for fans of horror (any kind!)