Silent Hill: Dead/Alive

Dead/Alive is the sixth series of comics based on Silent Hill published by IDW Publishing. It is a five-part miniseries written by Scott Ciencin and illustrated by Nick Stakal and serves as a sequel to the previous miniseries, Silent Hill: Dying Inside.

Background
The final, at present, installment of a loosely connected story arc started in Dying Inside, Dead/Alive is the last chapter in the story of Lauryn LaRoache and her sister Christabella. A number of previous characters (including painter Ike Isaacs, the mysterious Whately, and psychiatrist Troy Abernathy), return in Dead/Alive to play their part in the final confrontation between Whately, Herald of Samael, and Lauryn. As well as bringing Scott Ciencin's tale to an end, closure is provided regarding the previous tales of officer Robert Tower and the singer Dahlia.

Overview

 * Taken from Issue Two

''Welcome to Silent Hill, a seemingly-abandoned mist-enshrouded town where a little bit of Hell has come to Earth... and wants to say "hello".''

''Christabella, a force of unimaginable evil locked in the form of an eight year-old girl, has been made truly alive. Cut her, and she bleeds. She hungers- and not for souls, but for messy hamburgers and fries. It's the greatest nightmare possible for this living dead girl.''

Scheming to take back all the power that was once hers- and more- Christabella strikes a bargain with Lenora, a witch who molds and shapes the fate of Silent Hill in place of Christabella's big sister, Lauryn.

''Lenora has an agenda of her own, a plan that centers on Hollywood actor and icon Kenneth Carter, a man who secretly harbors many torments of his own. And to rescue the one he loves, he has just stepped willingly unto the streets of damnation itself...''

From here, there may be no turning back.

Issues

 * Issue no. 1 - Lauryn holds complete sway over Silent Hill, having reverted it back to, more or less, normal. Christabella, while still undead, has little trace of her former strength. All of that changes, however, with the arrival of Lenora, a powerful witch, and the disappearance of Christabella's sister.
 * In the real world, Actor Kenneth Carter is pulled into the grip of Silent Hill through a painting done by artist Ike Isaacs.


 * Issue no. 2 - As Kenneth and Christabella walk the streets of Silent Hill, the pair detour into a movie theater, originally for food. However, they are compelled to stay and watch a "movie", produced by the witch Lenora. In it, scenes of mindless violence, death and retribution are displayed, proclaiming it to be the World of the Future!. It is made apparent to Kenneth, through the film, that he will be instrumental in the conception of this new world, as will an old love of his, a woman named Connie Mills.
 * In the real world, the body of Kenneth's live-in girlfriend is found with an axe buried in her face and a confessional message from Kenneth, smeared onto the wall using her blood.


 * Issue no. 3 - Having escaped Lenora and an encounter with Dr. Abernathy, Kenneth and Christabella have found themselves two more travel companions- Ike Isaacs and Kenneth's dog, Bear. As the group of travelers fight through monster-filled Silent Hill, somewhere beyond their reach, Connie Mills is being prepared for the arrival of Samael, fulfilling the role of the required empty vessel. Clearing themselves a path, Kenneth's group is led by Isaacs in search of an item Lauryn had tasked him with delivering to the pair- a Keris Dagger, said to be able to steal souls. After finding it however, the group is Discovered by Lenora's horde, and Kenneth is faced with making a difficult choice...
 * In the real world, Kenneth is responsible for two more murders, bringing his kill count to three.


 * Issue no. 4 - Attacking Lenora with the Keris dagger, Christabella is able to postpone Kenneth's decision, for now. However, it doesn't kill Lenora, as she lacks a soul. Fleeing Lenora, Christabella finds herself separated from her group. Found by a boy named Daniel, the two seek shelter in a jazz club, only to learn that she's been led into a trap set by Abernathy. Kenneth, alone as well, is hounded by the apparition of his dead girlfriend and birth father. He is also able to get his hands on Lauryn's Book of Power. Abernathy, intent on doing away with Christabella's evil, is about to kill her when his spirit is consumed by a possessed Connie; Samael walks the streets of Silent Hill.
 * In the real world, a witness steps forward in regards to Kenneth's murders. She goes not to police first, however. Instead she heads to a media company, run by the stranger Whately.


 * Issue no. 5 - Lauryn, having been thought of as missing, is revealed by Whately to be the witch, Lenora. As the two fight for superiority, Christabella is taken on a cosmic journey with Samael and Kenneth learns the origins of his birth.

Trade paperback
All five issues of the comic were collected in the 144-page Silent Hill: Dead/Alive trade paperback in July 2006.

Each of the issues are now referred to as "chapters" and continue one after the other. The credits pages and "To be continued" text at the end of each issue is removed in this printing. The covers are also absent, instead collected as a gallery in the back of the book without any text over the artwork.

The front cover of the trade paperback uses the artwork from the issue 1 variant cover drawn by Scott Keating. The book was designed by Robbie Robbins and edited by Aaron Meyers.

On May 16th, 2012, the trade was re-released on Amazon Kindle and comiXology.

Reception
Dead/Alive received | mostly negative reviews from fans and critics, major criticisms directed at the cluttered story and interior art with some praise given to the cover art for individual issues.

Internet comedian Lewis "Linkara" Lovhaug reviewed Dead/Alive on his webshow "Atop the Fourth Wall" – a show dedicated to making fun of bad comics.
 * Part 1
 * Part 2
 * Part 3