Next month Dark Horse Comics releases Killer Queens, a new sci-fi adventure comedy series from writer David M. Booher, artist Claudia Balboni, color artist Harry Saxon, and letterer Lucas Gattoni. Today The Beat can share an exclusive preview at Killer Queens #1, the first issue of the four-issue miniseries.

Here’s how Dark Horse Comics describes Killer Queens:

Meet Max and Alex, two gay reformed intergalactic assassins-for-hire on the run. Their former boss—a fluffy monkey with a jetpack—is hot on their tail to take back his stolen ship. Even reformed assassins have to eat, so they take a mission from Alex’s old flame: your standard no-kill, casualty-free kidnapping recovery from a nearby moon. Only complication? Half the moon is ruled by a fascist dictator hostile to foreigners. They’re the Killer Queens, so what could possibly go wrong?

The creative team for the series is notable, as all four creators on the team are members of the LGBTQ+ community. Writer David M. Booher described the importance of representation both on and behind the page back when the series was first announced:

Killer Queens is a wide right turn from Canto, but that’s what I love about it. LGBTQ representation matters, and we’ve created a fun, funny space romp that features queer characters but isn’t your typical LGBTQ storyline. The entire creative team has put their hearts and souls into making this gorgeous series, and Dark Horse has put their full faith behind it. I couldn’t be more thrilled to have readers come along for this wild ride.”

Check out an exclusive six-page preview of Killer Queens #1, plus a look at the variant covers for the issue by Chris Ables and Jen Bartel, below. The first issue of the four-issue miniseries is set to arrive in stores on Wednesday, August 18th. The final order cut-off date for the issue is next Monday, July 26th.