Dark Horse’s upcoming fantasy adventure series Crone is getting a little something extra. The publisher has announced that, starting with its second issue, the Dennis Culver-written and Justin Greenwood-drawn series will include a backup feature called Romero Muerte, written by Culver, illustrated by Ramon Villalobos, and lettered by Christy Sawyer. The back-up feature will only be available in the print issues of Crone.

Romero Muerte will be a standalone story, separate from Crone. Here’s how Dark Horse describes it:

In Romero Muerte, a lone man walks across the ruined landscape of the former U.S./Mexican border. He avenges the victims of all who celebrate Hell and devastation.

The new feature is a reunion for Culver and Villalobos, who have previously collaborated on 2015’s Secret Wars tie-in E is for Extinction miniseries for Marvel.

Crone is the latest Dark Horse title to receive a back-up feature; the Christian Ward-written and Sami Kivela-drawn Tommy Gun Wizards is also set to include backup features written and drawn by Ward, beginning with the title’s second issue. Back-up features are a great way to add value, and including them solely in the print edition is an interesting way to drive physical sales versus digital. No word at this point on how long these backup features will be, or how Romero Muerte might be collected.

Check out the cover to Crone #2 by Greenwood, some preview art by Villalobos, as well as the full text of the announcement from Dark Horse, below. Crone #1 goes on sale the first week of November, while the second issue (which features the first installment of Romero Muerte) is due out in December.

Crone #2 Cover
Romero Muerte preview
Romero Muerte Preview
MILWAUKIE, Ore. (September 17, 2019) – Dennis Culver and Justin Greenwood’s new series Crone just got a lot better, but only if you buy it from a comic shop! The Romero Muerte backup story will only be featured in the print edition of the comic from Dark Horse Comics. Contact your comics retailer to reserve your copy today!

Starting with issue two, Crone will feature an exclusive Romero Muerte backup story written by Dennis Culver, illustrated and colored by Ramon Villalobos (Nighthawk, E is for Extinction), and lettered by Christy Sawyer (Wonderland, Zodiac Starforce)! In Romero Muerte, a lone man walks across the ruined landscape of the former U.S./Mexican border. He avenges the victims of all who celebrate Hell and devastation.

“Romero Muerte is a story about revenge and betrayal that Ramon and I have wanted to tell for quite some time. I’m really excited for people to finally read it,” said Dennis Culver. “Also, Ramon is coloring his own art for the first time in a sequential story, and I think it’s some of the best work he’s ever made!”

Crone finds the Sword Savior and Champion of Men once known as Bloody Bliss nothing more than a reclusive old crone. When an old enemy returns, Bliss is once more needed to save the Three Kingdoms. But does she have the strength to answer the call?

The first issue of Crone goes on sale November 6, 2019, and is available now for pre-order at your local comic shop. Fans can pick up Crone #2, with the first chapter of Romero Muerte, on December 4, 2019 only at comic shops.