Hack/Slash
Hack/Slash is a series of comic books published by Devil's Due Productions that has also been adapted into a stage play and as feature film. The series, starting as a series of one-shots, was created by writer and sometime penciller Tim Seeley. The focus of the series is on a horror victim, Cassie, who strikes back at the monsters, known as "slashers", with Vlad, a freakish man who frequently wears a gas mask.
Publication history
The property started in 2004 as a series of one-shots, starting with the Stefano Casseli penciled Hack/Slash (later referred to by its story title Euthanized), followed by the Federica Manfredi penciled Girls Gone Dead.
2005 saw the one-shots Comic Book Carnage and the series stars, Vlad and Cassie, appeared in the Aadi Salman pencilled The Final Revenge of Evil Ernie. The "Hack/Slash" one shots were collected as the First Cut trade paperback in the same year. The first "Hack/Slash" miniseries debuted, Land of Lost Toys, penciled by Dave Crosland. followed by a collection of new short stories in a 2006 special issue called Trailers (featuring art by writer Tim Seeley, original penciler Casseli, Mike Norton, Skottie Young and Josh Medors).
A 25-cent preview issue giving newcomers a recap of "Euthanized" hit the markets in 2006, along with "Slice Hard", the first one-shot of 2006. Seeley penciled the new part of the preview and was one of the pencilers and inkers of the one-shot along with Mike Englert, Nate Bellgarde, Andy Kuhn and Joe Largent. The one-shot Hack/Slash Vs. Chucky, had the lead duo taking on the evil doll and was pencilled by Matt Merhoff.
2007 had a Free Comic Day tie-in with Devil's Due's "Family Guy", where both books had half the issue to itself. The "Hack/Slash" section had a the recap portion of the 25 cent preview issue. "Hack/Slash" graduated to an ongoing series in May 2007.
Characters
Major Characters
Cassandra "Cassie" Hack - Lonely daughter of a slasher called the "Lunch Lady", Cassandra Hack grew as the typical ugly duckling. Her father left her and her mother when she was young forming a deep bond between the two of them. A timid wallflower, plain-looking and unattractive, young Cassandra was verbally and physically abused from her classmates, never having a friend, emarginated because she wasn't pretty, poor and ill-dressed, prompting her unbalanced mother, the "Lunch Lady" (the cook at her school), to kill every child at Cassie's school that has somehow hurt or insulted Cassie and serve it in the school food. Cassie, witnessing her last killing spree, promptly called the police. She managed to save the life of her mother's last victim, but was forced to witness her mother's death when she committed suicide. Her mother returned to life as a slasher forcing Cassie to kill her once again.
Some years later, now grown into a stunningly beautiful, tough-as-nails fearless loudmouth, she started travelling alone throughout America, armed with her bad attidude and a baseball bat hunting slashers. Pursuing the "Meatman Killer", attacked Vlad thinking he was the slasher. Realizing her mistake together they hunted down and killed the real slasher. She then proposed he travel with her, in time considering him her only friend and confident.
Vlad - The enigmatic partner of Cassie, Vlad is a big, muscular, disfigured man, wearing a gas mask and brandishing two big meat knives. Met by Cassie when they were both stalking the "Meatman Killer", Cassie befriended him soon. There's not much known about Vlad, not even his full name, but he seems very aware of his unconventional looks prompting him to wear the gas mask. According to Vlad, he was raised by a butcher who rescued him from a garbage can. The butcher served as his only human contact and taught Vlad how to read through comic books and how to use knives to help him adjust to his deformities. When the butcher died Vlad was forced to go outside where rumors of the Meat Man started and he eventually met Cassie. Vlad's relationship with Cassie is quite paternal, as Vlad seems utterly concerned with his "little one's" well being. Quite naive, but well-versed in strategy and battle skills, Vlad doubles as the "muscle" of the team, and as a sort of guardian for Cassie, counseling and comforting her when it's needed.
Slashers
The slashers are the beings that are hunted down by Cassie and Vlad. Several of them returned in the "Slice Hard" one-shot. Slasher as a whole can be divide into two broad categories. The first and most common are the undead variety. These are people who died while filled with rage toward life and somehow return from the dead filled with only that rage driving them to kill. While their exact abilities vary individually all possess resistance to damage and must suffer severe bodily harm to be killed. This kind can be controlled by the proper magics and once their body has been sufficiently destroyed usually stay dead.
The other kind are people who are still alive, but are often insane and engage in slasher behavior. They can be killed by normal means.
Synopsis by Series
Hack/Slash
Vlad and Cassie must battle a slasher returned from the grave for revenge.
Girls Gone Dead
Vlad and Cassie battle a slasher being controlled by a human.
Comic Book Carnage
Vlad and Cassie must deal with a human slasher.
The Final Revenge of Evil Ernie
Land of Lost Toys
Cassie and Vlad battle a dream slasher.
Trailers
25-cent Preview
A recap of the "Hack/Slash" one-shot, along with a lead-in to "Slice Hard" where Vlad and Cassie are captured by a corporation.
Slice Hard
Several slashers, along with Cassie and Vlad, are held prisoner by a company that wants to use the slashers to develop anti-aging remedies. If Cassie agrees to help capture the slashers, the company promises to use plastic surgery on Vlad. The bear from "Land of Lost Toys" has other ideas when it breaks in and frees the slashers, who go after the director, Cassie, and Vlad. In the process, all the slashers are defeated, but the director uses the "slasher formula" on herself, becoming a new slasher.
Vs. Chucky
Cassie and Vlad take on Chucky in a story taking place after the film Seed of Chucky.
Ongoing
Cassie was used as bait to lure in a slasher, who has captured her and tortures her by removing two of her toes in between flashbacks to the original "Hack/Slash" one-shot. Vlad frees her and Cassie breaks down to tears at where their life has gotten her.
Collections
- Volume 1: First Cut (Euthanized, Girls Gone Dead, Comic Book Carnage)
- Volume 2: Death By Sequel
Other Media
Stage Play
The series has been turned into a stage play "Hack/Slash: Stage Fright", adapting "Euthanized" and "Girls Gone Dead". The play utilizes comic book panel simulation. [1]
Live Action Film
Director Todd Lincoln, writer Martin Schnek, series creator Tim Seeley, and others were present at the 2006 San Diego Comic Convention discussing the upcoming film, expected to be released by Universal Studios in 2007.