Originally published at Fangoria.com on July 11, 2010
FREDDY VS. JASON VS. ASH: NIGHTMARE WARRIORS is the epic showdown fans have been eagerly awaiting. When nightmare king Freddy Krueger and the unstoppable Jason Voorhees ambush the White House, only EVIL DEAD’s Ashley J. Williams can answer the heroic call to rescue America from pure evil in this WildStorm title.
At the end of the previous adventure, Ash had managed to banish Freddy to a prison dimension, while leaving Jason and the NECRONOMICON buried beneath a frozen Crystal Lake. Six months later, Ash has replaced his metal hand with a spatula, fully enjoying retirement with his girlfriend Carrie. He doesn’t realize that two shadowy government agents have plans of their own to resurrect both of the homicidal murderers.
FBI Director Gordon Russell determines Jason Voorhees to be a valuable asset to the military as an unkillable soldier. Hoping to exploit the NECRONOMICON’s supreme power, he releases the Springwood Slasher from his prison. Russell foolishly believes he has command over the two, never realizing he has just unleashed hell on Earth. No one is safe from Jason, especially Ash’s girlfriend after he escapes from the frozen depths of Crystal Lake.
Consumed with revenge for Carrie’s death, Ash suddenly finds himself in league with a group of survivors gathered by Dr. Neil Gordon (from NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3: DREAM WARRIORS). Everyone who has fought Freddy or Jason in the NIGHTMARE and FRIDAY THE 13TH franchises returns to confront and clash with these diabolical butchers one more time. Tina Shepard, from FRIDAY PART VII: THE NEW BLOOD, has been further harnessing her telekinetic powers since her last encounter with Jason. Jacob Daniel Johnson, from NIGHTMARE 5: THE DREAM CHILD, grew up to be a normal teenager—but his mother, Alice, cannot prevent Freddy from slithering into their stable lives. And FRIDAY fans such as myself finally get the long-awaited rematch between Tommy Jarvis and Jason.
Blood bathes the streets of Washington D.C. as Freddy takes complete control of the White House. He plots to enforce his “No Child Left Alive” policy with Jason, who is now leader of the massive Deadite army. Can Ash and his team of survivors fight an intense war against the two supernatural killers, and hopefully make it out alive?
Though this was originally meant to be a 12-issue miniseries, author, Jeff Katz and James Kuhoric managed to skillfully condense the narrative into six issues that are collected in a trade paperback this month. They juggle many voices, giving each defined character a chance to shine. Artist Jason Craig visually captures the essence of what makes each franchise so great. The pages go by fast, so be sure to catch the winking nods to ARMY OF DARKNESS, HALLOWEEN and TEXAS CHAINSASW MASSACRE.
It’s all highly entertaining, and you do not want to miss out on the gory fun when Katz, Kuhoric and Craig’s smash collaboration hits stores July 20.
