Today sees the release of Clive Barker’s Hellraiser #1, the beginning of a new on-going series from BOOM! Studios which has Barker back writing for the franchise he created! You can check out our review of this exciting first issue, and if you’re interested in checking it out, then we have a treat for you.

BOOM! has provided us with the 8-page digital Prelude to Hellraiser #1, “At the Tolling of a Bell,” which we invite you to download for FREE right now! This is an all new, original story — NOT part of any other issues — which was written by Clive Barker with Christopher Monfette, with art by Leonardo Manco. This prelude issue is ONLY available now digitally and will not be sold as a single-issue in print form. It will be in print for the first time only as part of the first trade volume of the series, so don’t wait, grab it right here right now for FREE!

Click the link to download the PDF: Prelude to Hellraiser #1 PDF [Note, clicking on the link does NOT begin the download; you’ll be brought to a new page where you can select the PDF to download.]

If you want a peek at Prelude to Hellraiser #1, click the thumbnail at right here below to see a 1-page preview from the issue.

Hellraiser #1
Written by Clive Barker and Christopher Monfette
Art by Leonardo Manco
Colors by Charlie Kirchoff
Lettering by Travis Lanham
Cover A: Tim Bradstreet
Cover B: Nick Percival
Cover C: Clive Barker
Price $3.99
Release date: March 23, 2011

It’s always funny to hear that with all the Hellraiser movies out there, Clive Barker has only been involved in the first movie, and the novella that movie was based on. And that’s it. And this is the name most often connected with the series. So I’m sure it’s exciting for horror fans to learn that Barker has returned to the series that made him famous, as he has with the new comic series from BOOM! Studios. It’s been almost 25 years since he last worked on the series, so now it’s time to see if he has picked up where he left off.

Anyone familiar with the movies will be right at home with this comic. It quickly sets up the familiar elements of the series: the puzzle box, the Cenobites, lots and lots of bodies without any skin — they’re all here within the first 10 pages. Hellraiser #1 sees Pinhead, the most famous of the Hellraiser characters, as he tries to make some kind of deal with a powerful force. It also brings back a character that will be known to people that know the series, but others will need to check the Hellraiser Wikipedia entry.

Clive Barker is returning to his cult favorite Hellraiser franchise, but this time, it’s in comic book form with Hellraiser #1, a new comics series from BOOM! Studios.

The 40-page full-color Hellraiser #1 will be written by Barker and Christopher Monfette with art by Leonardo Manco, and will sell for $3.99. Cover art is by Tim Bradstreet and Nick Percival, while the variant cover will be drawn and signed by Clive Barker.

This first issue will also contain a 10-page backup story written by the co-writer and co-director of The Matrix trilogy, Larry Wachowski.