I just finished reading all five issues of The Slasher’s Apprentice, and this one is pure slasher fun from start to finish. Let’s talk about it!

The Slasher’s Apprentice
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Writer: Justin Richards
Artist: Val Halvorson
Colorist: Rebecca Nalty
Letterer: Buddy Beaudoin
Release date: April – September 2025

Written by Justin Richards with art by Val Halvorson, The Slasher’s Apprentice comes from the same creative duo behind Finger Guns (which I now absolutely need to read). Their work together really clicks and they brought us a very fun horror comic book here.

Riley is a horror-obsessed podcaster who lives and breathes slasher movies. She knows every killer, every rule, and every cliché… and now she wants to join in herself. When she discovers the legendary Hopton Valley Killer, known for his lion mask and 125 confirmed kills, she decides to help him make a comeback. Literally. What follows is a mix of bloody encounters and Riley’s own twisted attempt to learn the craft of killing. She updates him on what’s changed since the 80s (“no more summer camps!”) and records their crimes like a true content creator gone wrong.

This comic hit exactly what I hoped it would: it’s gory, clever, and surprisingly funny in a dark way. Riley is such an interesting main character: obsessed, confident, and clearly unhinged, but you can’t look away. The creative kills (spoiler alert, there’s one with a lava lamp) made me obsessed and laughed at the same time.

I also really enjoyed that it plays with both nostalgia and modern horror. The Hopton Valley Killer is straight out of an 80s movie, silent and terrifying, while Riley brings the influencer energy of today’s true crime world. The result feels like a collision of eras, and it works.

The ending came a bit fast, but honestly, that’s tough to avoid in a five-issue run. It still wraps things up in a satisfying way (even though we can see it coming), with enough chaos and blood to please any horror fan.

The Slasher’s Apprentice is pure horror joy for anyone who loves slashers, true crime, or stories that know exactly what they are. It’s sharp, bloody, and self-aware in all the right ways. Definitely one to check out if you like your comics with a side of carnage – the trade paperback is out now!