By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Capes and TightsCapes and TightsCapes and Tights
  • Franchises
    • DC
    • Ghostbusters
    • Goosebumps
    • Horror
    • Marvel
    • Spawn
    • Star Wars
    • TMNT
    • The Walking Dead
  • Comics
    • Comic News
    • Comic Reviews
  • Movies
    • Movie News
    • Movie Reviews
  • TV
    • TV News
    • TV Reviews
  • Books
    • Book News
    • Book Reviews
  • Publishers
    • Ablaze Publishing
    • Aftershock Comics
    • AWA Studios
    • Boom! Studios
    • CEX Publishing
    • Dark Horse
    • DC
    • DSTLRY
    • Dynamite
    • IDW Publishing
    • Image Comics
    • Mad Cave Studios
    • Magma Comix
    • Marvel
    • Oni Press
    • Scout Comics
    • Source Point Press
    • Vault Comics
  • The Podcast
    • Episodes
    • Upcoming Episodes
    • Follow on Spotify
    • Subscribe on Apple
Search
  • Books
  • Games
  • Horror
  • Independent
  • News
  • MCU Watch Order
  • My Bookmarks
  • About Capes and Tights
  • Contact Capes and Tights
  • Write for Capes and Tights
  • Be a Podcast Guest
Reading: Horrifying Abandoned Mall Comes Alive in Dead Mall
Share
Font ResizerAa
Font ResizerAa
Capes and TightsCapes and Tights
  • The Podcast
  • Comics
  • Movies
  • Books
  • TV
Search
  • The Podcast
  • Comics
  • Movies
  • Books
  • TV
Follow US
© 2023 Capes and Tights. All Rights Reserved.
Dark Horse

Horrifying Abandoned Mall Comes Alive in Dead Mall

By Justin Soderberg
Published: May 31, 2023
Share
4 Min Read
Dead Mall TP
SHARE
4.5
Review Overview

Dead Mall follows the journey of five teens who take a last look around Penn Mills Galleria before it’s demolished. However, what they experience is far from what they anticipated. Adam Cesare and David Stoll explore this and more in Dead Mall from Dark Horse Comics.

Dead Mall TPThe Penn Mills Galleria is about to be demolished. Five teens sneak into the mall to take a last look around before it’s gone. However, while Penn Mills has been closed for years, the mall is far from abandoned. A night of exploration becomes a shopping spree from hell. The teens must contend with the sprawling, transformative cosmic horror of Penn Mills or be trapped forever within the Dead Mall.

The four-issue miniseries created by horror author Adam Cesare (Clown in a Cornfield) with artist David Stoll (Pantomime) has been collected into a trade paperback hitting shelves this June. Lettering by Justin Birch and collected edition cover by Trevor Henderson.

While the entire miniseries is well worth reading, the illustrations from Stoll are some of the most visually stunning pieces of comic book artwork in recent years. The use of various illustration techniques to express sound and other non-verbal cues is simply brilliant.

The mall itself being the narrator of the story is such a unique take on the storyteller. Adam Cesare’s choice to use a living mall as the narrator brings a fresh perspective to the horror genre. As the teens explore Penn Mills, they must navigate the horrors of the mall and its supernatural powers.

Cesare has a flair for young adult horror. While he is known for his horror novels for young adults, he brings a unique perspective to young adult horror in comics. With Dead Mall, he does not disappoint. The pacing of the graphic novel flows effortlessly, with excellent dialogue and well-developed characters.

Stoll’s use of different art styles is also a standout feature of the miniseries. By using different styles to separate between past and present scenes, Stoll creates a seamless transition between different periods of the mall’s history.

Another impressive feature of Dead Mall is Stoll’s attention to detail in creating the Penn Mill Galleria. He created the entire floor plan of the mall to depict an accurate placement of each scene. This elevates the reading experience and immerses you in the world of Penn Mills. You can practically imagine walking through the deserted mall, seeing the cobwebs and abandoned storefronts as you read.

The atmosphere of Dead Mall is disturbing and unsettling but wraps the reader up in the world of Penn Mills. The sense of foreboding grows with each page turn, and you never know what will happen next. The teens’ journey through the mall’s twisting and turning corridors is a thrilling experience.

The four-issue miniseries collected into trade paperback hits local comic book shelves on July 14, 2023 while dropping at bookstores on July 11. Be sure to grab a copy of Dead Mall…you won’t be disappointed.

Adam Cesare and David Stoll joined the Capes and Tights Podcast for Episode 77 to discuss Dead Mall.

Dead Mall Preview

1 of 5
- +
Dead Mall TP
Adam Cesare David Stoll Dead Mall
Adam Cesare David Stoll Dead Mall
Adam Cesare David Stoll Dead Mall
Adam Cesare David Stoll Dead Mall

Review Overview
4.5
Overall 4.5
- Advertisement -
Share This Article
Facebook Threads Email Copy Link Print
ByJustin Soderberg
Follow:
Born and raised in New England, Justin Soderberg currently resides in Orrington, Maine. Soderberg started his career in media covering the UMass Lowell River Hawks, Lowell Spinners, Hockey East, PGA, Boston Bruins, MMA/UFC, and other sports. Now, Soderberg's main goal is to bring you the best possible pop culture coverage with all his effort.
Previous Article Dennis Hopeless #110: Dennis Hopeless
Next Article Nailbiter Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 1 – There Will Be Blood
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

LATEST DARK HORSE

RoboWolf

RoboWolf #1: Cyborg Wolf with a Gun? Shut Up and Take My Money

Justin Soderberg
May 19, 2025
PREVIEWS: Ghostbusters: Dead Man's Chest #1, RoboWolf #1, and May 21 Comics

PREVIEWS: Ghostbusters: Dead Man’s Chest #1, RoboWolf #1, and May 21 Comics

Capes and Tights
May 17, 2025
Exquisite Corpses

PREVIEWS: Exquisite Corpses #1, A Vicious Circle HC, and May 14 Comics

Capes and Tights
May 10, 2025
- Advertisement -

LATEST DARK HORSE PODCAST

Vladimir Popov
The Podcast

#224: Vladimir Popov | Star Wars Week

- Advertisement -

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE

PREVIEWS: Dark Honor #1, The Future is ****** #1, and May 28 Comics
Comics

PREVIEWS: Dark Honor #1, The Future is ****** #1, and May 28 Comics

15 Incredible Horror Comics to Read This Summer
Comics

15 Incredible Horror Comics to Read This Summer

The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington
Books

The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington – Espionage at the Dawn of a Nation

Capes and Tights

Exploring comics, geek culture and novels with news, reviews, features, and more! Plus, our podcast drops every Wednesday!

  • MY BOOKMARKS
  • ABOUT CAPES AND TIGHTS
  • CONTACT US
  • WRITE FOR US
  • BE A PODCAST GUEST
  • PODCAST SCHEDULE
  • COMICS
  • MOVIES
  • TV
  • NEWS
  • THE PODCAST
  • MCU WATCH ORDER
  • MARVEL COMICS
  • DC COMICS
  • INDY COMICS
  • STAR WARS
  • THE WALKING DEAD
  • HORROR
  • CHRISTMAS
Follow US
© 2024 Capes and Tights. All Rights Reserved.
Capes and Tights
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?