Skybound and Image Comics have reunited an iconic team for a new noir series set to launch this fall. David and Maria Lapham are teaming up with co-creators Chris Black and David Alpert for Good As Dead, described as “a haunting story of crime, justice, death, and how far a small town will go to keep its secrets.” Letters will be handled by Dee Cuniffe.
Here’s the full synopsis:
The Emissary Bridge has always connected the citizens of Port Lindon to hope and opportunity. But when one man shockingly sets himself on fire, the bridge now brings something else to the town—CERTAIN DEATH.
As the town’s lead lawman, Sheriff David Calhoun will need to stay one step ahead of the forces looking to take his town apart. If he has any chance of bringing the truth to light, he’ll need to expose generations of secrets while outrunning death itself.
Each episode of Good As Dead will be double-sized, with scripts by the Laphams, art and letters by David Lapham, and colors by Cunniffe. Check out a preview from issue #1 and cover art below.
“I can’t tell you how excited Maria and I are about this book coming out,” said David Lapham. “Chris Black and David Alpert provided us with their initial concept and outline and generously gave us the room and edict to ‘do our thing.’ And we went for it. It’s both completely what you’d expect from us based on our Stray Bullets work and at the same time, it’s unlike anything we’ve ever done before, combining elements of the surreal, science fiction, conspiracy, horror and, of course, classic noir.”
“Working on this project was a dream opportunity to tick every box that fires my passion for storytelling,” said Black. “Embracing a classic crime noir while helping to build a world that feels both deeply authentic yet deliciously heightened in the tradition of the most gripping and twisted small town thrillers. But mostly in populating this world with deeply nuanced, flawed and authentic characters that will shock, thrill and break readers’ hearts.”
Skybound senior editor Nachie Marsham added, “Good as Dead isn’t like anything I’ve read before. The Laphams have created a noir master class, with characters that carry the weight of their lives in the linework of their faces. From the first scene, the storytelling rockets along, but the depth of the world invites you in to peel back layer after layer to discover the mysteries within – and read again and again.”
Good As Dead #1 will be available digitally and at your local comic shop on September 17.
Lapham is obviously great but this press release couldn’t read more “Look! We’re developing a Hollywood IP!” It puts a real damper on my enthusiasm for a Lapham book.