This week AfterShock Comics will release The Naughty List #2. The second issue of the series, which reimagines the legend of Santa Claus with a supernatural noir twist, comes from the creative team of writer Nick Santora, artist Lee Ferguson, colorist Juancho!, letterer Simon Bowland, and cover artist Francesco Francavilla. Today The Beat is pleased to present an exclusive first look at the issue, which picks up in the aftermath of the theft of Santa’s titular list.

Here’s how AfterShock describes The Naughty List #2:

Nicholas, an immortal, depressed and pissed-off Santa, and his right-hand elf, Plum, head to Antler Downs, a rundown racetrack, in the hopes they learn who is using the Naughty List to brutally murder people…ya know, a Christmas story…but the patrons who frequent this shady establishment have other plans. Unfortunately for them, Nicholas and Plum didn’t come here to play any reindeer games.

In a statement back when the series was first announced, Santora, who along with writing comics has also worked in film and television on projects including Punisher: War ZoneThe Sopranos, and Prison Break, described how writing comics compares to writing for other media:’

“The similarities are simple — you have to tell an interesting story. Period. If it’s not interesting, no one will care about it or enjoy it. As for the challenges, the biggest challenge for me was just learning the format of writing a comic. It’s very different from writing a screenplay, and I had to really learn how to do it properly because the truth is I was a complete neophyte.”

Check out the exclusive four-page preview of The Naughty List #2 below. The latest issue of the series is due out in stores and digitally this Wednesday, May 25th.