Read an excerpt from COATROOM!
Looking for something spooky to read? Here's a taste of a new story I wrote, titled “coatroom,” for the upcoming anthology Transcendent, compliments of none other than Transmundane Press. Just click here. Hope you enjoy!
December 4, 2018
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Typhoid Fever interview
Artist Will Robson and I chatted with Marvel about the Typhoid Fever mini-series and what it’s been like to pit badass baddie Typhoid Mary against the likes of Spider-Man, X-Men and Iron Fist. You can read the interview here.
November 19, 2018
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Trailer from WHITE SPACE
If you see one space monster movie this Christmas, please, make it ours. BEYOND WHITE SPACE opens on December 14th for a limited theatrical run and VOD, courtesy of Vertical. Our nifty trailer just dropped which you can watch it here.
November 19, 2018
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Lazaretto is on Geek.com’s “Best Spooky Comics for Halloween!”
Geek.com just put together their list of the “Best Spooky Comics For Halloween.” Lo and behold, look who's right there at the top… LAZARETTO!
“Combining Lord of the Flies with 28 Days Later and Contagion, Lazaretto locks you in and makes you claustrophobic and sick (in a good way). Written by horror great Clay McLeod Chapman, with Jey Levang on art and Aditya Bidikar on letters, Lazaretto plants itself in you and refuses to let go.”
We whole-heartedly agree. You can check out the list by clicking here. The trade paperback of the entire series will be on shelves this December! Just in time for Christmas!
October 22, 2018
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Haunted, Horrifying Sounds From Beyond The Grave!
Got 5 minutes to kill? Hulu gave Rodney Ascher (Room 237, The Nightmare) and myself, along with a whole crew of insanely talented people, a spot in their Huluween Film Festival to burst your eardrums. Check out our “Haunted, Horrifying Sounds from Beyond the Grave,” starring Noah Segan, and celebrate Halloween the way it was meant to be.
For all those non-Hulu subscribers out there who want to watch our short for free, you can find it on Youtube… Click here.
October 1, 2018
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ONE-ON-ONES extends!
That's right, kiddies… We've extended for three more weeks! Tickets are already selling out, so don't miss out on your last chance to schedule a one-on-one storytelling experience. Now until October 28th!
October 1, 2018
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Deadline announces Beyond White Space!
At long last, Herman Melville's literary classic is finally coming to the big screen the way he intended… in outer space. The sci-fried feature BEYOND WHITE SPACE, starring Mindhunter's Holt McCallany, co-scripted by me, is heading to a theater near you, courtesy of Vertical Entertainment. Deadline broke the story today, which you can read by clicking here.
September 19, 2018
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L’il Loving for ONE-ON-ONES
ONE-ON-ONES has been getting some lovely press. Here are some highlights:
IN THE PUMPKIN PIE SHOW, CLAY McLEOD CHAPMAN FRIGHTENS IN MONOLOGUES FIT FOR HALLOWEEN, All Arts, September 11, 2018.
THE PUMPKIN PIE SHOW IS BACK—BUT YA GOTTA GO ONE AT A TIME, Travalanche, September 2, 2018.
IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE, What Should We Do, September 3, 2018.
IT'S FAR FROM OVER FOR UNDER ST. MARKS, The Villager, August 28, 2018.
GET SOME UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL HORROR WITH CLAY McLEOD CHAPMAN'S ONE-ON-ONES, Rue Morgue, August 22, 2018.
CLAY McLEOD CHAPMAN SCARES ONE AUDIENCE MEMBER AT A TIME, Horror Talk, August 18, 2018.
THE PUMPKIN PIE SHOW: ONE-ON-ONES, No Proscenium, August 11, 2018.
FRIGID NY PRESENTS PUMPKIN PIE SHOW: ONE-ON-ONES, Broadway World, August 10,2018.
CLAY McLEOD CHAPMAN IS BRINGING THE PUMPKIN PIE SHOW: ONE-ON-ONES TO NYC, Daily Dead, August 9, 2018.
September 16, 2018
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Working Title interview
Here's an interview I did over at the Working Title podcast, hosted by J.P. Cane. You can listen to it by clicking here.
In episode 24 of Working Title podcast, I speak with storyteller Clay McLeod Chapman, who will be one of the speakers at this year’s James River Writers conference in October. We cover his career thus far as a writer of plays, short stories, film, and comic books, as well as his teaching film-making and performing in his Pumpkin Pie show. We discuss the essentials of horror stories, how aspiring writers can break into comic books and movies, and the importance of always saying “Yes.”
August 16, 2018
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ONE-ON-ONES in NYC!
It's time. The Pumpkin Pie Show: ONE-ON-ONES is coming to New York City. For six weeks, starting in September, I will be performing to one audience member at a time.
From our press release:
“For 20 years, Chapman’s rigorous storytelling session The Pumpkin Pie Show has delved deep into the depraved minds of those who drift along the periphery of humankind. For his new show, One-On-Ones, he will take one audience member at a time on a dark ride through the domestic horrors of the everyday, finding terror within our own households. Sometimes darkly humorous, sometimes strangely heartbreaking, this intimate storytelling experience is Edgar Allan Poe for the modern age; a heart-to-bleeding-heart with a motley crew of madmen, murderers and monsters all dying to tell their story. No fourth wall, no escape.”
Ever hear of seven minutes in heaven? This is twenty minutes in hell…
If this sounds like something you could endure, click here for show details and where to buy tickets. Daily Dead announced the show today. You can read their coverage about the show by clicking here.
August 9, 2018
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3-Cover Mega Mary!
The fine folks at Newsarama revealed the amazing full three-part connecting cover for my TYPHOID FEVER crossover. The art is by R.B. Silva and it truly is a beautiful thing to behold. I'm writing all three issues that will have Typhoid Mary going up against Spider-Man in issue #1, out in October, The X-Men in #2, out in November, and Iron Fist in #3, out in December.
You can check out all three covers together at Newsarama here.
July 30, 2018
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Transmundane Press Interview
The fine folks at Transmundane Press interviewed me for their upcoming TRANSCENDENT anthology, featuring my story 'coatroom.' You can read the Q/A here. Pick up your copy of this awesome collection, on shelves this November!
July 28, 2018
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Iron Fist: Phantom Limb strikes!
At San Diego Comic Con this last weekend, Marvel Comics announced the release of IRON FIST: PHANTOM LIMB… written by none other than yours truly and art by Guillermo Sanna. Lettered by Lee Loughridge. And check out the cover by Khoi Pham! To read the Newsarama announcement, click here. Paste Magazine was super-sweet to list the release as one of The Coolest Comic News of San Diego Comic-Con 2018.
Can't wait to share this crazy story arc with you all! It's going to be a doooozy. Chapters #1 and #2 will be released on October 3rd.
July 23, 2018
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Spider-Man gets Typhoid Fever
Marvel just announced a new 3-part event series called TYPHOID FEVER! Guess who's writing it? I'm tackling one of the best, bad-assed baddies around: My queen Typhoid Mary! Here's what my editor Devin Lewis had to say:
“Typhoid Mary has one of the most dangerous powersets in the Marvel Universe – and writer Clay McLeod Chapman (EDGE OF VENOMVERSE) is determined to use those powers in ways we’ve never seen before. Pyrokinesis, telekinesis, and mind control… and that’s all in the first scene! Wait’ll you see what else Clay has planned, and what artist Stefano Landini has done with the script for TYPHOID FEVER: SPIDER-MAN!”
First up, we're putting Mary against none other than your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man! TYPHOID FEVER: SPIDER-MAN #1, written by Clay McLeod Chapman with art by Stefano Landini, hits shelves Oct 3!
To read more from Marvel about Typhoid Fever, click here. Comics Beat broke the story here, while Bleeding Cool and Newsarama also cover the announcement. Check it out!
July 18, 2018
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New comic BIRTHDAY BOY in Alterna horror anthology
Just got word that BIRTHDAY BOY, a new short horror comic artist Jey Levang and myself put together, will be included in the annual IF Anthology! Thanks to the fine folks at Alterna Comics for including our creepy little tale in their annual collection. Can't wait!
The anthology hits shelves this November! Promise it'll be pretty out there…
June 3, 2018
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Review Roundup from the 2018 Overlook Film Fest
The Pumpkin Pie Show rose from the dead for a special run at this year's Overlook Film Festival. We brought new and old tales and our one-on-ones to New Orleans… and some lovely folks wrote nice things about it. Here's what they said:
“A beautiful 20 minutes of human connection.” —Filmmaker Magazine
“What happens when you take a delightfully talented (and somewhat twisted) actor/writer who’s used to performing in packed theaters and give him an opportunity to entertain just one person at a time? Pure macabre magic. Sitting face-to-face with Clay McLeod Chapman alone on stage in New Orleans’ Le Petite Theater as he transforms in the span of 15 minutes from the nicest guy at the festival to a monster who may-or-may-not have just murdered his daughter is a stunningly eerie sight to see.” —No Proscenium
“The Pumpkin Pie Show: One-on-Ones proved to be a stunningly personal experience. As its name suggests, this performance was literally one actor with one audience member, an extremely limited experience during the festival. That actor is the incredibly versatile Clay McLeod Chapman, whose one-man show is entirely free of costumes, makeup, lighting, music, set pieces… or anything other than himself. And yet, it is completely immersive thanks to his brilliant storytelling skills. Armed with a variety of his own dark writings that bring to mind the classic tales of Edgar Allen Poe, Chapman transforms before participants’ eyes through his acting abilities alone, delivering a performance that’s impossible not to become entranced by.” —Inside the Magic
“There were too many other fun events, parties, and activities to list them all, but a quick mention for both Clay McLeod Chapman and his Pumpkin Pie live storytelling show, and for Grady Hendrix and his Paperbacks from Hell event. These guys are super talented and if you have a chance to see either one of them, don't miss it!” —Screen Anarchy
“Clay McLeod Chapman is a genius storyteller. Full stop. From performing in front of a large crowd, to intimate one-on-one performances, Clay’s ability to transport audiences deep into the heart of his stories is nothing short of remarkable.” Here's an interview with No Proscenium at the Overlook Film Festival where I talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and have no chin. Check it out here.
April 29, 2018
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16 Darkest Versions of Spider-Man
Whoa! I just found out Comic Book Resources listed our Spider-Man redux #2 on their “16 Darkest Versions of Spider-Man” list. Me and Elia Bonetti created the second darkest Spider-Man ever in the whole wide world for our Edge of Spiderverse issue!
Here's what they had to say…
“In the 2014 miniseries, Edge of Spider-Verse, we saw alternate versions of Spider-Man characters and Edge of Spider-Verse #4 (Clay McLeod Chapman, Elia Bonett) was a horrific take on the Spider-Man origin. Instead of Peter Parker, it was Patton Parnell who lived with his cruel Uncle Ted instead of Aunt May and stalked his next-door neighbor, Sarah Jane. When he visited the labs of Alcorp Industries, he was bitten by an experimental spider.
If that sounds familiar, what happened next isn’t. Instead of turning into a superhero, Parnell started webbing and eating people, including his Uncle Ted. He bit Sarah Jane before turning into a monster that was drained by the vampiric Morlun. Instead of a happy ending, the next morning we saw hundreds of baby spiders coming out of Sarah Jane’s neck. Parnell was what Spider-Man would be like if he had been a monster.”
We're number two! We're number two!
April 25, 2018
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Funny Book Splatter
Thanks to Horror Talk for having me on as their guest for this week's Funny Book Splatter! You can listen to the interview by clicking here.
April 14, 2018
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The Pumpkin Pie Show rises in New Orleans!
The Pumpkin Pie Show rises! We have been resurrected for a special presentation at The Overlook Film Festival this April 19th-22nd. Brand new tales, some best ofs, and one-on-ones are all in store for those brave souls willing to head on down to New Orleans.
Click here to go to their website and check out the killer line-up of films.
THE PUMPKIN PIE SHOW: NEW SKULDUGGERY
Live Show: Creator, Writer, Performer: Clay McLeod Chapman
Author Clay McLeod Chapman is bringing BRAND NEW STORIES to the Overlook! The Pumpkin Pie Show has remained a staple of the fest – and this year they’re offering an even sweeter treat: original tales that have never been inflicted upon an audience anywhere. Flesh-eating bacteria, killer baby carrots and haunted comic books are all on the menu. These new campfire stories will be sure send a shiver up your spine. Hear them first before they’re unleashed upon the rest of the world!
THE PUMPKIN PIE SHOW: ONE-ON-ONES
Immersive Performance: Creator, Writer, Performer: Clay McLeod Chapman
A returning favorite from last year’s fest, please join author Clay McLeod Chapman as he takes one audience member at a time on a dark ride through this depraved, intimate storytelling experience. Think of it as a heart-to-bleeding-heart with madmen, murderers and monsters telling their own story. No fourth wall, no escape. First come, first serve. Sessions will last 20 minutes. Available exclusively for all-access pass holders.
THE PUMPKIN PIE SHOW: BEST OF SHOW
Live Show: Creator, Writer, Performer: Clay McLeod Chapman
Come join us for an encore presentation of the best Pumpkin Pie Show stories from over the last 20 years. Author Clay McLeod Chapman will lead the audience through the back-catalogue of his personal favorite tales, offering a view into the sordid lives of Southern Gothic monstrosities that explore the domestic horrors of the everyday, finding terror within our own households. This is Edgar Allan Poe for the modern age, people.
March 28, 2018
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Baaarf! Review Roundup for Lazaretto #5!
All grotesque things must come to an end. With our fifth and final issue of Lazaretto, we would like to say thanks to all the fine critics who were kind and considerate enough to review our mini-epic. Here's what folks had to say:
“As Chapman continues emotionally beating the hell out of you with the script, Jey Levang matches him stroke for stroke with the art choices. Levang’s deceptively delicate lines and washed out watercolor palette drew us into a false sense of security, before giving way to torqued layouts, skewed panels, blood, and sputum. By the end of this thing, you’ll want to wash your hands and bathe in hand sanitizer. Second thought, forget the sanitizer. Get out the bleach and Brillo pads.”—Comicon
“A face-peelingly awesome finale… Lazaretto is one of those rare things in the world of comics – a fascinating premise that actually manages to live up to its potential.”—Big Comic Page
“Lazaretto has been as emotional as it has been gross; as thought-provoking as it has been violent; and as visually stunning as it has been narratively structured.”—ComiConverse
Lazaretto “find(s) those beautiful and brilliant moments of authentic humanity in the midst of decay, decay and misery. There are not many authors capable of skillfully combining both aspects of human nature.”—Mundos Hipotecticos (Hypothetical Worlds)
“Chapman crafted the perfect epidemic story: incredibly believable and entirely fatalistic… You can’t read this book without craving a long hot shower and Purell. Unsettling. Timely. Great.”—The Oregonian
“Lazaretto #5 pulls no punches in a finale that is poignant and devastating in equal measure.”—Broken Frontier (review)
“Chapman sends us on a rollercoaster in this one… Any ending, good or bad, seeing these two characters and their bond was truly inspiring.”—Pop Break
Lazaretto is “full of dreamy watercolour violence and face-ripping.”—Women Write About Comics
“Both scary as hell and oddly, grimly optimistic in the end.”—UPROXX (This Week's Best New Comics)
“Lazaretto has topped itself with every subsequent chapter. It's only gotten more and more unsettling and insane. This finale is riveting and unbelievable… Lazaretto would give any clean freak nightmares for months. It's a disturbing journey that will make you want to bathe yourself in hand sanitizer after reading it.”—Horror Talk
Lazaretto “will play around with the reader’s emotions before they reach the shocking final pages.”—Villain Media
“This series has just been getting crazier and crazier with each issue.”—Rogues Portal Pull List
“What’s more disturbing than a roughly drawn madman pulling the skin off his face?”—Big Shiny Robot
“Chapman is a hell of a writer.”—Comics Heating Up (Pick of the Week)
“Lazaretto has been a mucus-splattered body horrorfest from start to finish.”—Broken Frontier's Staff Picks
Best Covers of the Week, VOl 215—Geek Rex
“Buy this Comic”—Geek.com
Podcast Reviews:
The Crimson Cowl podast: “Not dinner-time reading.” (Click on at 40:45)
Smash N' Grab Comics (Click on at 35:00)
Serious Issues podcast (Click on at 01:32:00)
AB Conversation (Click on at 01:03:35)
Fellowship of the Geek (Pick of the Week)
Building up to his review of Lazaretto #5, Comiconverse's Daryll Robson put together a thorough examination of our icky series. “One of the best comics of 2017.” You can read his roundup here at his site The Comic Cutdown.
February 6, 2018
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“A deeply eerie and evocative portrayal of what it's like to stare into the abyss and find something there waiting for you. A memorable, disquieting ghost story about stories, rendered inside a Möbius strip.”
— Kirkus
