Comixology has announced four new horror-tinged titles that will be added to the service later this month in time for Halloween. Among the books announced are a pair of original graphic novels, a five-issue miniseries from Chip Zdarsky and Jason Loo, and a partnership with Archie Comics that imagines the publisher’s classic band Josie and the Pussycats on tour in space.
Here’s information on the four series, including creative teams and preview images for each (click images to enlarge):
Dracula: Son of the Dragon – original graphic novel
- Written by Mark Sable with art by Salgood Sam
- Dracula: Son of the Dragon is part historical fiction, part horror fantasy and tells the blood-soaked epic of the real-life Vlad the Impaler’s transformation into the vampire Dracula.
- Mark Sable and Max Douglas, aka Salgood Sam, re-unite to tell the story of Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler, Vlad Drucul), the so-called “historical Dracula”. But how did this 15th century ruler become the world’s most notorious vampire? As an adolescent in Wallachia, young Prince Vlad learns hard lessons in politics and betrayal and is held prisoner of the Ottoman Turks after being introduced to the Dark Arts at the infamous Scholomance in Transylvania. To survive he believes he must kill in the name of God in order to serve the Holy Roman Order of The Dragon—a very secret – but very real – society both Vlad and his father were members of—but at what cost?
The legend of Dracula gets a new imagining from Sable and Salgood. Based on the preview of Salgood’s art alone this looks like it’ll be worth checking out.
Josie and the Pussycats in Space #1 (Archie Comics) – 5-issue comic book series
- Written by Alex de Campi with art by Devaki Neogi
- Archie Comics’ musical group Josie and the Pussycats goes on tour for the USO…in space.
- Josie and the Pussycats are the hottest band in outer space! But with fame and fortune comes turmoil as internal conflicts are threatening to tear the group apart. But that’s nothing compared to the alien horrors they’re about to encounter as they find themselves adrift in the vastness of space! Even if the Pussycats manage to stick together as a band, will they be able to survive the horrors that await them in the final frontier?
Josie & The Pussycats in Space is Archie Comics’s latest collaboration with Comixology, and it sounds like a lot of fun. It’s also a nice throwback to the cartoon of the late ’70s that mixed the camp comedy of the original Pussycats cartoon with a Lost in Space vibe:
(Something tells me they won’t be picking up an alien pet in this comic. Or, if they do, it’ll probably try to eat them.)
Tremor Dose – original graphic novel
- Written by Michael Conrad with art by Noah Bailey
- Everyone dreams, but are these dreams our own? Who controls our thoughts when we’re sleeping? Ginn, is a young college student who has been having wildly disturbing nightmares featuring a man she has never met. When she finds a flyer with his picture and the question, “Have you dreamed this man?” she submits to an interview that begins to unravel her perceptions of reality.
- Noah Bailey creates a unique look with striking black and white imagery, paint, ink, and graphite for the haunting and unusual tale.
This sounds like an intriguing concept, and Bailey’s art looks appropriately moody and intricately detailed.
Afterlift #1 – 5-issue comic book series
- Written by Eisner Award and Joe Shuster Award winner, Chip Zdarsky, best known for his work on Sex Criminals and Daredevil, with art by Jason Loo, the acclaimed writer and artist of The Pitiful Human-Lizard.
- In Afterlift, Janice Chen is adrift. She quits her day job in finance and signs up to be a driver on a ride-sharing app. But what was at first a mundane but enjoyable way to pass the time takes a terrible turn when a mysterious passenger updates his ride with a very final destination: the afterlife!
Afterlift was previously announced back during San Diego Comic Con, though no release date was specified at that time.
In a statement on the new titles, Comixology Head of Content Chip Mosher expressed his excitement for the new diverse offerings:
“October is more than just a time for pumpkin spice everything, it’s a time for reading great horror comics. October’s debuts are wickedly entertaining and more than a little frightening. There’s the terrifying origin story of the world’s most famous vampire in Dracula: Son of the Dragon, the unexpected locked-door sci-fi mystery of Josie and the Pussycats in Space, a wildly weird and disturbing psychological thriller about dreams and reality in Tremor Dose. And, of course, the shocking urban supernatural adventure announced at SDCC about a ride-share to a very final destination in Afterlift.”
All of these titles will be available for purchase on Comixology and Kindle, as well as at no charge to Amazon Prime, Kindle Unlimited, and comiXology Unlimited customers. Dracula: Son of the Dragon and Josie & The Pussycats in Space #1 go on sale next Wednesday, October 23rd, while Tremor Dose and Afterlift #1 will be released the following Wednesday, October 30th.