The Great and Secret Show (Clive Barker’s…)  GASB   (Idea + Design Works, 2006–2007) ™ and © 2006 Idea + Design Works

Anyone who’s familiar with Clive Barker’s writing knows what a Herculean task it should be to adapt The Great and Secret Show to a comic book. Points to the powers that be (also known as Barker and IDW) for making this a 12-issue effort, instead of death-culling it to anything less. Still, even with 12 issues, writer Chris Ryall has his hands full.

In this first issue, he appears to be on the right track. He uses protagonist Randolph Jaffe’s adventures to make a highly entertaining and enjoyable series debut. Gabriel Rodriguez’ art seems perfect for the task, especially with the gloom-and-doom emotions apparent in the characters’ faces. This is dark art that’ll hold the eye.

For those who read this issue and aren’t sure if they want more, odds are the situation won’t improve; Barker’s material doesn’t make for one- or two- or three-issue taste tests. Either sign up and hang on—or pass altogether.

Fans of horror, especially horror with macabre supernatural elements thrown in willy-nilly, will find that IDW’s adaptation of this Barker novel is satisfying.

— Ray Sidman

		Notes	Writer	Artist
	#1 Variation A Date: Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $2.25 1 copy available for $1.99	Cover A: mailbox in the desert (day)	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#1 Variation B Date: Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $3.50 1 copy available for $2.99	Cover B: mailbox on the beachside (night)	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#1 Variation C Date: Cover Price: $0.00 NM Guide: $4.00 No copies available	B&w sketch cover of a path winding through palm trees under the sun	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#2 Variation A Date: Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $3.75 1 copy available for $3.46	Regular Cover	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#2 Variation B Date: Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $7.50 1 copy available for $8.00	Retailer Incentive A: Boy watching girl struggling in whirlpool (with electric sparks) cover	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#2 Variation C Date: Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $3.99 No copies available	Retailer Incentive B	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#3 Variation A Date: 5/1/2006 Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $3.99 5 copies available from $2.99	Regular cover	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#3 Variation B Date: 5/1/2006 Cover Price: $0.00 NM Guide: $4.00 No copies available	Black and white sketch cover; Retailer Incentive A	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#3 Variation C Date: 5/1/2006 Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $3.99 No copies available	Black and white sketch cover; Retailer Incentive signed	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#4 Variation A Date: 6/1/2006 Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $3.99 3 copies available from $2.50	Regular Cover; B&W	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#4 Variation B Date: 6/1/2006 Cover Price: $0.00 NM Guide: $4.00 No copies available	Sketch cover; B&W	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#4 Variation C Date: 6/1/2006 Cover Price: $0.00 NM Guide: $5.00 No copies available	Sketch cover signed by Clive Barker; B&W	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#5 Variation A Date: 7/1/2006 Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $3.99 4 copies available from $2.50	Cover A (regular cover): color cover with a man and a floating orb	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#5 Variation B Date: 7/1/2006 Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $3.99 No copies available	Cover B (retailer incentive): Clive Barker b&w Sketch Cover	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#5 Variation C Date: 7/1/2006 Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $5.00 No copies available	Cover C (retailer incentive): Clive Barker b&w Sketch Cover signed by Cliver Barker	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#6 Variation A Date: 9/1/2006 Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $4.25 3 copies available from $2.50	Cover A: Broken Glass Cover; Includes sneak preview of Angel: Masks	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#6 Variation B Date: 9/1/2006 Cover Price: $0.00 NM Guide: $5.00 No copies available	Cover B: Clive Barker Sketch Cover (Retailer Incentive)	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#6 Variation C Date: 9/1/2006 Cover Price: $0.00 NM Guide: $5.00 No copies available	Cover C: Clive Barker Sketch Cover signed by Clive Barker (Retailer Incentive)	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#7 Variation A Date: 11/1/2006 Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $3.00 1 copy available for $2.50	Regular Cover (2 characters on cover); Includes sneak preview of #0 Days Of Nights: Spreading The Disease #1	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#7 Variation B Date: 11/1/2006 Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $5.00 No copies available	Clive Barker Retailer Incentive cover (zombie-like creature on cover)	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#8 Variation A Date: 12/1/2006 Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $3.99 3 copies available from $2.50	Regular Cover; Continued in The Great and Secret Show Book 9	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#8 Variation B Date: 12/1/2006 Cover Price: $0.00 NM Guide: $5.00 No copies available	Retailer Sketch Incentive cover	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#9 Variation A Date: 1/1/2007 Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $3.00 3 copies available from $2.50	Regular Cover	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#9 Variation B Date: 1/1/2007 Cover Price: $0.00 NM Guide: $5.00 No copies available	Retailer Incentive cover by Clive Barker	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#10 Variation A Date: 2/1/2007 Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $2.50 3 copies available from $2.29	Regular cover	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#10 Variation B Date: 2/1/2007 Cover Price: $0.00 NM Guide: $5.00 No copies available	Retailer Incentive sketch cover	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#11 Variation A Date: 3/1/2007 Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $2.50 2 copies available from $2.50	Regular cover	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#11 Variation B Date: 3/1/2007 Cover Price: $0.00 NM Guide: $5.00 No copies available	Reatiler Incentive Sketch cover	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#12 Variation A Date: 4/1/2007 Cover Price: $3.99 NM Guide: $3.00 1 copy available for $3.00	Regular cover	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	#12 Variation B Date: 4/1/2007 Cover Price: $0.00 NM Guide: $5.00 No copies available	Incentive sketch cover	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	Book #1 Date: 10/1/2006 Cover Price: $19.99 NM Guide: $19.99 No copies available	Collects The Great and Secret Show (Clive Barker’s…) #1–6	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	Book #2 Date: 8/1/2007 Cover Price: $19.99 NM Guide: $19.99 2 copies available from $19.99	Collects The Great and Secret Show (Clive Barker’s…) #7–12	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez
	Deluxe Set #1 Date: 12/1/2007 Cover Price: $35.00 NM Guide: $35.00 1 copy available for $35.00	Softcover; Collects The Great and Secret Show (Clive Barker’s…) #1–12	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez, Clive Barker
	Deluxe Set #1 Hardcover Date: 12/1/2007 Cover Price: $55.00 NM Guide: $55.00 No copies available	Hardcover; Collects The Great and Secret Show (Clive Barker’s…) #1–12	Chris Ryall	Gabriel Rodriguez, Clive Barker