What happens when a young woman gifted with great powers breaks bad after her family is wiped out on orders from the government because she has become too “inconvenient?” Artists, Writers, and Artisans (AWA) answers that question with The Madness, an original, complex, psychological revenge thriller, launching on Wednesday, August 9. Teaming up with superstar artist, ACO, legendary comics creator and writer, J. Michael Straczynski returns to AWA with this original, 6-issue series that brings readers an emotionally-charged story featuring intense action and mind-bending visuals.

To amplify each issue, popular comic artist, Chris Ferguson collaborated with other AWA creators and artists to design special punk rock variant covers that pay homage to iconic punk bands that inspired the artistic design of The Madness. With a shared attitude between the series’ protagonist and the anti-establishment music genre, a special punk rock variant will be available with each issue.

In The Madness, Sarah Ross has been using her power as a thief, stealing from the rich and…well, keeping it.  Until the day she stole from the wrong person, a highly placed official who pressures the government to assassinate her.  The plot, aided by so-called “good” superheroes sponsored by the government, misses her but wipes out her family.  Driven mad by grief, and laser-focused on revenge for the murder of her family, Sarah and a hidden side of her personality – an imaginary friend who may be more real than she believes – goes after these superpowered operatives determined to take her revenge, at any cost.

The Madness is created and written by J. Michael Straczynski, illustrated by ACO, inked by David Lorenzo, colored by Marcelo Maiolo, and lettered by Sal Cipriano, with covers by ACO, Brandon Peterson, Marcelo Maiolo, and Dalibor Talajić, and variant covers by Chris Ferguson, Dalibor Talajić, Danielle Otrakji, and Axel Alonso. Issue #1 will be available Wednesday, August 9.