Kyle Starks, writer of Where Monsters Lie, Sexcastle and much more, will team with Monsters Are My Business artist Patrick Piazzalunga for Those Not Afraid, the story of a twisted competition between two serial killers.
Starks said the title for the project was inspired by Richard Ramirez, the serial killer known as The Night Stalker, and in particular when he said: “We’ve all got the power in our hands to kill, but most people are afraid to use it. The ones who aren’t afraid control life itself.” Probably known best for his horror and humor writing, Starks said he also wanted to do something that was more in the True Crime vein.
“I wanted to dip my foot narratively into that world – to step away from humor at all, to lean hard into the terrifying depths of that world and the terrifying creatures who inhabit it,” Starks said. “With Those Not Afraid, I ask the question, ‘What if two serial killers enter into a terrible competition to break the record for murders?’ If you are a fan of – or know a fan of – true crime and serial killers Those Not Afraid is going to be the book for you.”
Here’s the description from Dark Horse:
Two serial killers discover they are within reach of the state record for kills and enter a terrible competition to see who gets there first. Learn more about our awful killers, Mark Andrew Smith and Daniel Dodson, and their grotesque activities as we enter a frightening game of cat-and-mouse between killers and police.
“I’m excited about this comic book,” Piazzalunga said. “I tried something new in my art—it will be much darker, with a lot of black! Like this fantastic thriller by Kyle! Kyle has done a great job and the story it will keep you in suspense.”
Piazzalunga also did a variant cover for the first issue:
The four-issue miniseries kicks off next year on Jan. 8.