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Basketful of Heads #1
Basketful of Heads #1
The rain lashes the grassy dunes of Brody Island, and seagulls scream above the bay. A slender figure in a raincoat carries a large wicker basket, which looks like it might be full of melons…covered by a bloodstained scrap of the American flag.
This is the story of June Branch, a young woman trapped with four cunning criminals who have snatched her boyfriend for deranged reasons of their own. Now she must fight for her life with the help of an impossible 8th-century Viking axe that can pass through a man’s neck in a single swipe-and leave the severed head still conscious and capable of supernatural speech.
Each disembodied head has a malevolent story of its own to tell, and it isn’t long before June finds herself in a desperate struggle to hack through their lies and manipulations...racing to save the man she loves before time runs out.
Plus, in the premiere chapter of the backup story “Sea Dogs,” which sails across all the Hill House Comics titles!
This is the story of June Branch, a young woman trapped with four cunning criminals who have snatched her boyfriend for deranged reasons of their own. Now she must fight for her life with the help of an impossible 8th-century Viking axe that can pass through a man’s neck in a single swipe-and leave the severed head still conscious and capable of supernatural speech.
Each disembodied head has a malevolent story of its own to tell, and it isn’t long before June finds herself in a desperate struggle to hack through their lies and manipulations...racing to save the man she loves before time runs out.
Plus, in the premiere chapter of the backup story “Sea Dogs,” which sails across all the Hill House Comics titles!
31 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2019
38 people are currently reading
716 people want to read
About the author
Joe Hill
505 books29.9k followersJoe Hill's debut, Heart-Shaped Box, won the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel. His second, Horns, was made into a film freakfest starring Daniel Radcliffe. His other novels include NOS4A2, and his #1 New York Times Best-Seller, The Fireman... which was also the winner of a 2016 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Horror Novel.
He writes short stories too. Some of them were gathered together in his prize-winning collection, 20th Century Ghosts.
He won the Eisner Award for Best Writer for his long running comic book series, Locke & Key, co-created with illustrator and art wizard Gabriel Rodriguez.
He lives in New Hampshire with a corgi named McMurtry after a certain beloved writer of cowboy tales. His next book, Strange Weather, a collection of novellas, storms into bookstores in October of 2017.
He writes short stories too. Some of them were gathered together in his prize-winning collection, 20th Century Ghosts.
He won the Eisner Award for Best Writer for his long running comic book series, Locke & Key, co-created with illustrator and art wizard Gabriel Rodriguez.
He lives in New Hampshire with a corgi named McMurtry after a certain beloved writer of cowboy tales. His next book, Strange Weather, a collection of novellas, storms into bookstores in October of 2017.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
November 3, 2019
Like any single issue comic this leaves you waiting more, yet it achieves a great deal that many others fail to do. In this case I quickly found myself caring about the lives of the two main characters. I think it’s the smartest decision DC comics has made in some kind asking Joe Hill to shepherd this new line of original, scary entertaining comics. Bring on the rest.
January 18, 2020
3.5
Apparently I've been living under a rock ... why did nobody tell me about this new horror imprint???
Apparently I've been living under a rock ... why did nobody tell me about this new horror imprint???
January 29, 2023
4.5/5 stars
December 22, 2019
Not quite sure what to make of this yet. It's only the first single issue comic in the series. I liked it and I liked the graphics-enough so to continue on with the series.
*I bought this comic with my hard earned cash.*
Read 12.19.19. (Removing dates read from GR, so this doesn't count towards my reading goal for the year.)
*I bought this comic with my hard earned cash.*
Read 12.19.19. (Removing dates read from GR, so this doesn't count towards my reading goal for the year.)
August 15, 2021
4.5⭐️ This was awesome 👏🏻 Fast-paced, badass female, set in Maine (one of my favorite places), artwork was amazing, etc etc. I loved it
November 27, 2019
Nič moc sa v prvom čísle nedeje, ale ako rozjazd je to dobré. Postavy predstavené, vie sa, čo približne čakať od ďalších čísel, som zvedavá.
October 31, 2019
I was left on my appetite here a bit. It was good and it still is promising for the series, but as a single issues... it felt a bit empty, not much happening. Sure it's a first issue so it has so build in to do so I'm still in and will give it a go for at least 2-3 more issue before liking it or doping it.
November 5, 2020
Kanske inget locke&key men mkt underhållande ändå, så stark trea, svag fyra!
March 15, 2021
Este primeiro número é totalmente usado para apresentação dos personagens e ambientar a trama (o que achei muito positivo, visto que são 7 edições).
Não conhecia o trabalho do desenhista (Leomacs) - não que eu me lembre. Mas o que posso dizer que o cara é muito bom.
Embora o estilo de traço usado nesta HQ não esteja entre os que mais me agradam, tem pontos fortes como: domínio da arte sequencial (suas sequências têm ótima fluidez ); e as expressões faciais (expressões dos personagens, na maioria das vezes, em sintonia com suas pesonalidades, sentimentos e emoções).
'Bora para o volume 2!
Não conhecia o trabalho do desenhista (Leomacs) - não que eu me lembre. Mas o que posso dizer que o cara é muito bom.
Embora o estilo de traço usado nesta HQ não esteja entre os que mais me agradam, tem pontos fortes como: domínio da arte sequencial (suas sequências têm ótima fluidez ); e as expressões faciais (expressões dos personagens, na maioria das vezes, em sintonia com suas pesonalidades, sentimentos e emoções).
'Bora para o volume 2!
March 20, 2021
5 Stars! ★★★★★
Wow! Not at all what I expected. Packed full of story and crazy murderers on the loose.
Wow! Not at all what I expected. Packed full of story and crazy murderers on the loose.
February 16, 2020
I wanted this due to the cover looking interesting, however for a 1st issue it was very underwhelming. I found many parts to be boring so I won't be grabbing the 2nd issue. Art work was really nice and neat.
November 9, 2019
Written by Joe Hill, A Basketfull of Heads has all the makings for a 80s horror trope, complete with fitting artwork and an ongoing short story included at the end of each issue (a 1780 sea dogs horror that promises some gruesome goodness). Obviously, this was just the first issue - meaning we just got a preview and a set up for what's to come - but all the pieces are there for an enjoyable ride. Everything about this issue left me wanting more, so I'd call that a success. New issue this month (along with the start of another Hill House series)!
May 30, 2020
My first introduction into Joe Hill's DC Imprint Hill House, and I think I want to read everything put out by them now.
A quick, compelling read. I just wish I had more, which is my usual complaint about single issue comics. Excellent at building suspense and interest. I am going to add this series to my regular reads. I enjoyed the art and the style as well - it reminded me of a vintage comic. Would highly recommend!
A quick, compelling read. I just wish I had more, which is my usual complaint about single issue comics. Excellent at building suspense and interest. I am going to add this series to my regular reads. I enjoyed the art and the style as well - it reminded me of a vintage comic. Would highly recommend!
June 8, 2020
Talvez volte a olhar quando for um volume com todas as edições reunidas. Mas nesse esquema não me senti interessado em continuar. Dá pra notar que o Joe Hill está desenvolvendo a trama sem pressa. Mas, por enquanto, minha empatia com os personagens foi nenhuma mesmo (ao menos por enquanto num esquema brancos, loiros, heteros.. you know the deal) e o gancho final não foi suficiente pra seguir pra próxima.
Lendo o tanto de comentários empolgados cinco estrelas, bateu a dúvida se as pessoas realmente tinham lido o mesmo que eu.
Mas achei a arte bonita. Um traço limpo, mas que imprime personalidade.
Lendo o tanto de comentários empolgados cinco estrelas, bateu a dúvida se as pessoas realmente tinham lido o mesmo que eu.
Mas achei a arte bonita. Um traço limpo, mas que imprime personalidade.
March 1, 2021
Cool book, with great drawings. The characters were well developed all except for the main character, June. Also, the twist at the end was crazy! Overall I liked it, and it was well crafted and drawn. Some of the characters bothered me, and the style of drawing was older and a tad odd, but I still like it.
November 7, 2019
This first issue takes the time to develop believable and likable characters, which makes the terror to come all the more terrifying. This is some of Hill’s best writing. I hope the introduction of the supernatural doesn’t hurt the story.
May 22, 2021
I've been wanting to read some horror comics for a while. I love the visuals. As soon as I saw Joe Hill I had to grab these. This is the first of 8 and I love it. Will probably binge read these and see what else is out there lol
December 14, 2019
Great story, compelling plot, can’t wait to get to know the rest of the story.
March 5, 2020
So far we’re in 1983 and a few men escaped from prison. The illustrations are great, kind of old school. I’m really diggin the feel of the pages on this one, kind of thick and slightly rough.
January 11, 2020
Joe Hill has already established his own voice and reputation and no longer gets compared to his dad in every other sentence, so please trust me when I say that me thinking, "This is so totally CREEPSHOW-esque!" is a compliment. (Fun fact for those who've seen that movie, by the way: Did you know who played the creepy little kid at the beginning and end who's furious at his father for throwing out his comic books? Yep, that's Joe Hill as a young boy! And here I always wondered where central casting found a kid who pulled off King-level creepiness...)
Anyway, short but sweet: BASKETFUL OF HEADS looks to be a promising start, in the vein of olden day serial comics. The artwork complements the theme beautifully, and I appreciate the attention to setting up a solid background for wherever this particular story is headed. So to speak.
In the back pages, Hill talks about some of his influences, including a huge favourite of mine in HOUSE OF LEAVES and the excellent film HEREDITARY. He also outlines his plans for this new Hill House Comics imprint: he's got more BASKETFUL on the way, of course, and a couple of others have recently launched or are just about to, including THE DOLLHOUSE FAMILY, DAPHNE BYRNE, and THE LOW, LOW WOODS. He mentions a couple of others (PLUNGE and SEA DOGS, the latter of which is previewed in this issue), and it sounds like Hill House is going all in. I for one will be happy to go along for the ride.
And with that, then...
I'm in!
Related/of interest:
Anyway, short but sweet: BASKETFUL OF HEADS looks to be a promising start, in the vein of olden day serial comics. The artwork complements the theme beautifully, and I appreciate the attention to setting up a solid background for wherever this particular story is headed. So to speak.
In the back pages, Hill talks about some of his influences, including a huge favourite of mine in HOUSE OF LEAVES and the excellent film HEREDITARY. He also outlines his plans for this new Hill House Comics imprint: he's got more BASKETFUL on the way, of course, and a couple of others have recently launched or are just about to, including THE DOLLHOUSE FAMILY, DAPHNE BYRNE, and THE LOW, LOW WOODS. He mentions a couple of others (PLUNGE and SEA DOGS, the latter of which is previewed in this issue), and it sounds like Hill House is going all in. I for one will be happy to go along for the ride.
And with that, then...
The gate is open. A bony hand beckons you forward.
Let's go for a walk in the dark.
- Joe Hill, October 2019
I'm in!
Related/of interest:
September 7, 2020
Your Money Geek thanks DC Comics & NetGallery for providing us with a free copy for review. READ MY FULL REVIEW: https://yourmoneygeek.com/basketful-o...
Just in time for pumpkin spice latte season, DC’s horror imprint — Hill House Comics — delivers a 1980s horror film packed into a 163-page graphic novel. Basketful of Heads is a page-turning tale filled with intrigue, police cover-ups, and bad men getting what they deserve.
**Contains Minor Spoilers**
Joe Hill is a master of horror and fiction and those familiar with his previous works (20th Century Ghosts, NOS4A2, Locke & Key) are in for another treat with Basketful of Heads. Like any good horror story, the novel begins with the innocence of the last weekend of summer. June Branch, a psychology major, heads to Brody Island to spend the weekend with her boyfriend Liam, who is a cop in training.
It may seem like a slow start, but the scene is set from June’s introduction on the suspension bridge through to Liam bringing her home to meet his family. Once you finish Basketful of Heads, go back and reflect on the clever allusions in the dialogue and the way that Hill bookends the story. This is a graphic novel made to be seen on the screen one day and part of that is due to the rich vintage feel of Leomacs’ artwork. Each page evokes a sense of quintessential New England horror — the muted tones, the vibrant blood, and of course the yellow fisherman’s raincoat.
Basketful of Heads was originally published in a series of seven issues in 2019, but has been artfully bound into one novel — just in time for the spooky season. Pick it up everywhere comic books are sold on September 8th, 2020. Find out more at DC Comics.
Just in time for pumpkin spice latte season, DC’s horror imprint — Hill House Comics — delivers a 1980s horror film packed into a 163-page graphic novel. Basketful of Heads is a page-turning tale filled with intrigue, police cover-ups, and bad men getting what they deserve.
**Contains Minor Spoilers**
Joe Hill is a master of horror and fiction and those familiar with his previous works (20th Century Ghosts, NOS4A2, Locke & Key) are in for another treat with Basketful of Heads. Like any good horror story, the novel begins with the innocence of the last weekend of summer. June Branch, a psychology major, heads to Brody Island to spend the weekend with her boyfriend Liam, who is a cop in training.
It may seem like a slow start, but the scene is set from June’s introduction on the suspension bridge through to Liam bringing her home to meet his family. Once you finish Basketful of Heads, go back and reflect on the clever allusions in the dialogue and the way that Hill bookends the story. This is a graphic novel made to be seen on the screen one day and part of that is due to the rich vintage feel of Leomacs’ artwork. Each page evokes a sense of quintessential New England horror — the muted tones, the vibrant blood, and of course the yellow fisherman’s raincoat.
Basketful of Heads was originally published in a series of seven issues in 2019, but has been artfully bound into one novel — just in time for the spooky season. Pick it up everywhere comic books are sold on September 8th, 2020. Find out more at DC Comics.
February 29, 2020
By the end, I may not have had any clue where any of this was leading or going, but I wanted to. The art was inviting, lush, warm, familiar- fun.
This is the kind of horror that is ACTUALLY scary, but you keep on the journey because the characters feel like you, yourself and all the other souls in your life. That was probably the most interesting thing about it. The characters may not be people I necessarily would like to know, but I was sympathetic to their plight, I understood them, I didn't think of them in the same way I look at most characters. They felt like people.
I hate that overused term when describing well written characters. "These characters felt like real people. Wowie."
I don't wanna say Joe Hill is just like his father- because that strangely sounds rude. (In a way, I might actually prefer Hill as a writer). But if they have anything in common, aside from an interest in macabre things and being, y'know, family- it's gotta be the sensation of reality in their characters.
This is the kind of horror that is ACTUALLY scary, but you keep on the journey because the characters feel like you, yourself and all the other souls in your life. That was probably the most interesting thing about it. The characters may not be people I necessarily would like to know, but I was sympathetic to their plight, I understood them, I didn't think of them in the same way I look at most characters. They felt like people.
I hate that overused term when describing well written characters. "These characters felt like real people. Wowie."
I don't wanna say Joe Hill is just like his father- because that strangely sounds rude. (In a way, I might actually prefer Hill as a writer). But if they have anything in common, aside from an interest in macabre things and being, y'know, family- it's gotta be the sensation of reality in their characters.
November 7, 2019
So far I’ve preferred Joe Hill’s comics to his prose, so I was super excited when DC announced his Hill House imprint. And once again Joe Hill delivered. This horror tale feels right out of the 70’s and 80’s. It feels totally classic (the EC inspired art goes a long way to help) and I really can’t wait to see where this one goes.
The Sea Dogs story at the end of every Hill House issue is a great touch too.
The Sea Dogs story at the end of every Hill House issue is a great touch too.
November 26, 2019
This definitely left me wanting more !! I love horror and the comic books are my jam!! I found myself screaming at June for not listening to Liam when he told her to go upstairs and lock herself
In the master bedroom! But you begin to attach yourself to these characters, because Hill has definitely made them human without boring us to death while doing it! I loved Locke and Key Heart Shaped Box, and NOS4A2! so I’m always down to read anything he writes!!
In the master bedroom! But you begin to attach yourself to these characters, because Hill has definitely made them human without boring us to death while doing it! I loved Locke and Key Heart Shaped Box, and NOS4A2! so I’m always down to read anything he writes!!
December 29, 2019
I loved this! It was a slow start as it introduces characters to the reader but I did not mind that. It definitely left me wanting to instantly pick up issue two. I choose not to read the synopsis before reading so I really was not expecting where this story went. Also included is a short comic called Sea Dogs which is an interesting horror tale set on the high seas in the 1780s. I look forward to seeing where this one heads as well.
December 12, 2022
C’est par le créateur de Locke & Key et c’est absolument génial. Pourquoi ? Parce que c’est un voyage sordide incroyable voyons ! On retrouve l’horreur mêlée au fantastique, le côté petite ville américaine, avec une fille d’à côté qui en fait déchire tout. Le scénario est prenant, le dessin hyper cool, et le ton est cynique. Bref, j’ai kiffé et j’espère pouvoir découvrir le tome 2 !
November 6, 2019
***SPOILER FREE***
My dear friend informed me of Joe Hill's latest creation, Hill House Comics. I bought the Kindle version as well as a print version (for collector's purposes). I read this comic in a heartbeat. I can not wait for the next installment!
My dear friend informed me of Joe Hill's latest creation, Hill House Comics. I bought the Kindle version as well as a print version (for collector's purposes). I read this comic in a heartbeat. I can not wait for the next installment!
November 13, 2019
This comic has a wonderful vintage vibe, heavily drawing on the aesthetic of Jaws. I don't know what I was expecting, but this exceeded all of them. Though Joe Hill's afterward is a tad spoilery of what is to come...
December 2, 2019
Basketful full of awesome!
Loved every minute reading this. Totally in with the hill house comics I'm sure I'll pick more then one comic in this family lineup. Can't wait for the next issue of Basketful of heads, just give it to me now!!
Loved every minute reading this. Totally in with the hill house comics I'm sure I'll pick more then one comic in this family lineup. Can't wait for the next issue of Basketful of heads, just give it to me now!!
February 4, 2020
Closer to 3.5 stars. The problem with a slow build story in comics is that it will feel like nothing happens in the single issue. But let's see where this goes. Hill has curated such a great pop-up imprint, I trust this series will also be good too.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews