Horror fans have plenty to look forward to this Fall, thanks to the deeply creepy anthology The ABCs of Death. Taking a page from children's educational books, this collection of terror will offer 26 death-centered stories from 26 of modern horror's rising stars including Ti West (The House of the Devil), Jason Eisener (Hobo with a Shotgun), Noboru Iguchi (The Machine Girl), Srdjan Spasojevic (A Serbian Film), Nacho Vigalondo (Time Crimes), Ben Wheatley (Kill List), and Adam Wingard (V/H/S). Each chapter will offer a new lesson in death inspired by a letter of the alphabet, like "T is for Toilet," which is the contribution of Done in 60 Seconds. With Clay's Lee Hardcastle. This macabre sense of humor is fittingly mirrored in The ABCs of Death's new poster:
This poster revealed by Entertainment Weekly was designed by Kaare Andrews, the comic book artist behind The Incredible Hulk and Ultimate X-Men who is slated to helm the Cabin Fever prequel Patient X. From the looks of this poster, it's a shame Andrews, who is a writer on the film, could not be wedged into direct one of ABCs' segments.
This image of a plump little baby looking into what is sure to be a grisly book, while sitting on the lap of the gruesome figure of the grim reaper is freakishly captivating. The juxtaposition of innocent babe and the embodiment of death and decay is so striking that The ABCs of Death need not apply such trending poster gimmicks as motion posters—where the flames might flicker or the finger might twitch—or sound effects. No, Andrews design work here is so strong that I can already hear a crooked, broken lullaby playing in the distance over the crackle of flames. It's an entirely evocative image that boasts its filmmakers, tone and concept without giving away any of ABCs surprises. Completed with the logos for Drafthouse Films and Magnet—which both function as a seal of approval for many genre fans—and you've got a promo poster that's sure to have horror audiences eager to learn The ABCs of Death.
The ABCs of Death is coming this September.
