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BOOM! Studios Reveals its “20 For 20” Slate Ahead of its Milestone Anniversary Year

BOOM! Studios

BOOM! Studios has revealed the entire “20 For 20” slate: 20 iconic titles from the publisher’s storied past, celebrating 20 years of adventure, horror, thrills, and fun!

Each of these 20 hand-picked selections will collect the entire series for the very first time in new and exclusive editions, making them the perfect introduction to these modern classics from some of comics’ greatest storytellers, or the ideal way to experience them all over again!

This legendary line-up of books will be kicked off with Harvey Award-nominated writer Justin Jordan and artist Ariela Kristantina’s conspiracy thriller, Deep State, in January; followed by Mech Cadets creator Greg Pak and illustrator Giannis Milonogiannis’s historical epic Ronin Island, and the fan-favorite Sam Humphries and Caitlin Rose Boyle beloved BOOM! Box classic Jonesy, in February.

In the following months, readers can look forward to even more acclaimed stories from Stan Lee, Mark Waid, Chad Hardin, James Tynion IV, Rian Sygh, Matt Kindt, Tyler Jenkins, Clive Barker, Mark Alan Miller, Haemi Jang, Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, Joe Abraham, Cullen Bunn, Jonas Scharf, Sina Grace, Jeremy Haun, Danny Luckert, Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, Marcus To, Pamela Ribon, Veronica Fish, Carly Usdin, Nina Vakueva, Noah Hayes, Steven Grant, Mateus, Santolouco, Sina Grace, Siobhan Kennan, Academy Award-winning screenwriter Kiwi Smith, Kurt Lustgarten, Naomi Franq, BOOM! Studios’ own Matt Gagnon and Bryce Carlson, Brian Stelfreeze, Vanesa Del Rey, and many, many more!

All 20 of the books in the “20 For 20” line will be priced at $19.99, and will be available for pre-order at your local comic book store or bookstore.

JANUARY 2025

Deep State Complete Collection

There are some things the government doesn’t want you to know about. John Harrow’s one of them. Together with his partner, Agent Branch, Harrow operates missions to keep the state’s secrets exactly that—secret. From the real story behind the assassination of JFK to MK ULTRA and advanced military technology, black-book agents Harrow and Branch are determined to make sure the public only knows what it needs to know. Everything else, horrifying or innocuous, is their problem. But when your life is covering up other people’s secrets, how many must you keep from those close to you? Collects the complete series by Harvey Award-nominated writer Justin Jordan (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode, John Flood) and artist Ariela Kristantina (InSEXts, Wolverines) in a single volume for the first time! Collects Deep State #1-8.

Deep State Complete Collection

FEBRUARY 2025

Ronin Island Complete Collection

Together in strength. When the Great Wind devastated Japan, Korea, and China, survivors found refuge on what they came to known as Ronin Island. Now, too young to have known any other world, Kenichi, son of a samurai, and Hana, daughter of farmers, must work together to stop a mutant plague that’s consuming the mainland and quickly advancing on their home! In this serpentine ride through the 19th century where not all is what it seems, follow Kenichi, Hana, their friends, and their foes from Ronin Island to the mainland and back again as they search for a way to protect all that they know from the forces of the mutated byōnin and shogunate alike. Collecting the complete series from The New York Times best-selling author Greg Pak (Star Wars, Mech Cadet Yu) and artist Giannis Milonogiannis (Future State: Gotham, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe) in a single volume for the first time! Collects Ronin Island #1-12.

Ronin Island Complete Collection

Jonesy Complete Collection

Jonesy will make you fall in love! Seriously, it’s her special secret power—she can make you fall in love with anyone or anything else… except herself! But Jonesy knows what’s cool… and her power definitely is! A laugh-out-loud high school comedy with sick zines, cute ferrets, and donuts to die for! Follow Jonesy through the life of a disaffected teenager in bummer high school and all the trouble that comes with being a human cupid’s arrow! Collecting the complete series by Sam Humphries (Harley Quinn, Dial H for Hero) and Caitlin Rose Boyle (Frankie & the Creepy Cute Critters) in one volume for the first time! Collects Jonesy #1-12.

Jonesy Complete Collection

MARCH 2025

Bone Parish Complete Collection

“The Ash”, which lets you connect to the memories of the dead, is the drug du jour in New Orleans. That’s good news for the Winters family, the only ones who know how to produce it, except that it puts them in the crosshairs of much more dangerous criminal syndicates. Under siege by rivals on all sides and the dark secrets of The Ash itself, can the Winters family survive? And what does survival mean when resurrection is only a hit away? The complete run of Eisner Award-nominated writer Cullen Bunn (Harrow County, The Empty Man) and illustrator Jonas Scarf (Basilisk, Dark X-Men)’s critically-acclaimed series blends horror, crime, and family drama, collected in a single volume for the first time! Collects Bone Parish #1-12.

Bone Parish Complete Collection

APRIL 2025

Joyride Complete Collection

Steal a spaceship and leave Earth behind. A simple plan made much more complicated by the fascist World Government Alliance that has put the planet on lockdown underneath an artificial sky. Still, that won’t stop Uma Akkolyte, her best friend Dewydd, and their would-be-captor Catrin from embarking on a joyride unlike any other! Joyride is a gleeful mix of the thrill of exploration, the importance of friendship, and the fight against authoritarianism, with a cast of wild and gripping characters, human and alien alike! From writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and artist Marcus To of the Eisner award-nominated Star Trek and Guardians of the Galaxy comes the definitive, complete collection of a truly unique and adventurous love letter to science-fiction! Collects Joyride #1-12.

SLAM! Complete Collection

From Fresh Meat Orientation to becoming leaders on-and-off the track, follow Jennifer “Knockout” Chu and Maisie “Can-Can” Huff on their journey to roller derby domination! Messy lives, complicated friendships, and new romance blossom as they learn to take their hits, get back up, break some bones, take on adult responsibilities, and jam on their competing teams in the Eastside Roller Girls league! From bestselling novelist, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, actress, and former Los Angeles Derby Doll Pamela Ribon (My Boyfriend is a Bear, Why Moms Are Weird), illustrator and painter Veronica Fish (Archie, Spider-Woman) and acclaimed artist Marina Julia (Lumberjanes, Adventure Time) comes the definitive collection of the beloved derby dramedy, Slam! Collects Slam! #1-4 and Slam! The Next Jam #1-4.

MAY 2025

Hit Complete Collection

Los Angeles in the 1950s is a place of contrast. It’s home to the bright lights and movie stars of Hollywood’s golden age… and a hotbed of organized crime muscling in on Mickey Cohen’s turf. But LAPD has a plan—Harvey Slater, a detective authorized off-the-books to take care of “untouchable” criminal problems. The criminals aren’t the only untouchable thing Slater’s going after, though. When his captain’s absent daughter returns, Slater quickly finds himself entangled in the trouble she brings with her… and her ties to his other cases! From writer Bryce Carlson (Zombie Tales) and artist Vanesa Del Rey (The Creeping Below), experience the entire dark, violent, and sensual look into corruption on both sides of the law, inspired by the true history of LA and collected into one volume for the first time! Collects Hit: 1955 #1-4 and Hit: 1957 #1-4.

Avant-Guards Complete Collection

Charlie was determined to leave sports behind when she transferred to the Georgia O’Keeffe College for Arts and Subtle Dramatics, but perky and very cute barely-a-basketball-team captain Liv has other ideas! With a ragtag crew, a persistent streak, and the future of the whole league on the line, Charlie and the Avant-Guards must come together to figure out who they are on-and-off the court! Charming and hilarious characters with a lot of heart shoot their shots until the final buzzer in this hit series about love, teamwork, and basketball! Collects the complete series by acclaimed writer Carly Usdin (Heavy Vinyl) and artist Noah Hayes (Wet Hot American Summer) in one volume for the first time! Collects The Avant-Guards #1-8 and The Avant-Guards: Down to the Wire.

JUNE 2025

Black Badge Complete Collection

Willy was the first boy scout to get every merit badge offered… except one. The one you don’t get, the one you become: The Black Badge, a top-secret branch sent off to accomplish missions that adults never could. Kenny, Cliff, Mitz, and Willy may look like scouts who lost their tour group, but they’re actually one of the most elite teams working for the government. But there are many secrets kept from them: the location of a long-presumed dead former member, the roles of the other Rainbow Jamboree participants, and ultimately the murderer of one of their own! Intrigue abounds as the kids have to pick up a world made a mess by adults. Experience the complete series by the Eisner-Award nominated creative team of New York Times bestselling writer Matt Kindt (BRZRKR, Mind MGMT), and illustrators Tyler Jenkins and Hilary Jenkins (Peter Panzerfaust, King of Nowhere), in one volume for the first time! Collects Black Badge #1-12.

Heavy Vinyl Complete Collection

Chris has the perfect job at Vinyl Destination. Her boss and fellow employees are all super rad. They all love music, love fighting the patriarchy, and love kicking her out when they close for some reason?! When their favorite singer, Rosie Riot, mysteriously disappears, Chris is let into a secret that’ll change her world: her coworkers are a teen girl vigilante squad! With the coolest job and friends in the world, Chris spends her day selling records and making music, and her nights solving mysteries and fighting for justice! From investigating vanishing musicians like the lead singer of Stegosour to taking on the shadowy corporate masters behind a suspicious battle of the bands, and with plenty of laughs, bonding moments, and jam sessions in between, the vinyl’s never been heavier! Collects the complete series by acclaimed writer Carly Usdin (The Avant-Guards) and artists Nina Vakueva and Irene Flores in one volume for the first time! Collects Heavy Vinyl #1-8 (originally published as Hi-Fi Fight Club #1-3 and Heavy Vinyl #4-8).

JULY 2025

Zombie Tales Complete Collection

The ultimate zombie anthology has risen from the grave… and it’s still hungry! From deeply disturbing tales of terror to gut-busting laughs, this collection has something for every type of zombie fan. Featuring work from the likes of industry legends Mark Waid, Keith Giffen, Steve Niles, Joe R. Lansdale, Karl Kesel, Andy Kuhn, Tom Peyer, Ming Doyle, William Messner-Loebs, Tom Fowler, Ron Lim, J.K. Woodward, and Eisner-Award winning artist Fábio Moon among a host of other horror heavies, this new collection re-assembles the complete series in a single volume for the first time! Collects Zombie Tales, Zombie Tales: Oblivious, Zombie Tales: The Dead, and Zombie Tales: The Series #1-12

AUGUST 2025

Day Men Complete Collection

The powerful vampire covens known as the “50 Families” control the world at night. In the light of the sun however, they rely on human enforcers called Day Men to maintain their grip. David Reid is their latest fixer, but when he becomes caught in the crossfire of a war between Shakespearean rival houses… he must find a way to not only survive, but uncover who has been pulling the real strings of power all along! The complete series by writers Matt Gagnon (Freelancers) and Michael Alan Nelson (Supergirl, Hexed), and Glyph Award-winning industry legend artist Brian Stelfreeze (Black Panther) is now available in a single volume for the very first time! Experience this bold reinvention of the classic vampire mythos in a story that blends the best of horror and crime. Collects Day Men #1-8.

SEPTEMBER 2025

Clive Barker’s Next Testament Complete Collection

God has returned, God help us all. The entire Harvey Award-nominated saga from visionary horror author Clive Barker is collected here for the very first time. Julian Demond, captain of industry, has left behind everything to begin a walkabout — he believes he’s on a mission from God. While in the wasteland, he comes across a figure unlike any other, who calls himself Wick…and claims to be God.  Their journey will span the globe, as neither man merely wants to make a mark on a world, but a scar…  Clive Barker, along with internationally acclaimed artist Haemi Jang (Hellraiser: The Road Below) come together to create a legendary work in the canon of one of the great writers of our era. Collects Clive Barker’s Next Testament #1-12.

The Backstagers Complete Collection

There’s magic in the theatre—when the crowd hushes, the lights go up, the curtain opens—but for Jordy and the Backstagers, the real magic’s behind-the-scenes…literally! Monsters, spirits, and an entire magical world are waiting just off-stage and the Backstagers are the only ones who know!  Join the stage crew on fantastic adventures as they deal with troublesome tool mice, fierce phantoms, and finding love and friendship despite feeling like outcasts at their all-boys school!  From GLADD, Prism, and Eisner award-winning writer James Tynion IV (WYND, Batman) and artist Rian Sygh (Adventure Time, Munchkin), plus shorts by James Tynion IV and Sam Johns with artists Brittney Williams (Goldie Vance), Caitlin Rose Boyle (Jonesy), Katy Farina (the Baby-Sitters Little Sister series), and more! Collects The Backstagers #1-8, The Backstagers: 2018 Valentine’s Intermission, The Backstagers: Halloween Intermission, and the The Backstagers story from The BOOM! Box 2016 Mix Tape.

OCTOBER 2025

The Red Mother Complete Collection

The last thing Daisy saw was her boyfriend disappearing into the darkness. The first thing Daisy saw with her new prosthetic eye was red. And she’s seeing more and more… It starts with lost love and as Daisy’s new eye shows her more of the red-hued world—people and things that aren’t otherwise there—she gets dragged into a mystery far bigger than she ever imagined. What can she do in the face of the Red Mother? A haunting series from Jeremy Haun (Haunthology, The Beauty) and Danny Luckert (Regression, Shock Shop) about the unseen horrors that surround us! Collects The Red Mother #1-12.

Hero Squared Complete Collection

In the breadth of the multiverse, you could be anything! Even Captain Valor, the legendary superhero, could be a simple slacker named Milo in our world! And is he ever?! When Valor finds himself shunted a universe over and living with his pathetic parallel, it’s a team-up for the ages! Together, can they save the world from Valor’s arch-enemy, Calignous, who just so happens to be the variant version of Milo’s girlfriend, Stephie? Maybe! A superheroic farce from the Bwa-ha-ha boys, two of the greatest writers of all cape comics, Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis with artists Joe Abraham, Nathan Watson, and more! The ultimate collection of powered hijinks, multiversal metaness, and complicated love triangles! Collects the Hero Squared X-Tra Sized Special one-shot, Hero Squared (2005) #1-3, Hero Squared (2006) #1-6, Hero Squared: Love and Death #1-3, and the Planetary Brigade spinoff series, Planetary Brigade #1-2 and Planetary Brigade: Origins #1-3.

NOVEMBER 2025

2 Guns Complete Collection

It shouldn’t be complicated, it’s just robbing a bank. Unfortunately for Trench and Steadman, neither knows that the other is working undercover. Even more unfortunately, the $50 million that they’re stealing doesn’t actually belong to the mob and has set them in the sights of an even greater threat!  The ultimate team-up between two loose cannons for the DEA and Naval Intelligence that has them blasting their way through the Southwest looking to clear their names! But when they can’t trust anyone else, can they trust each other? And what happens when it’s not just the mobs and the Feds after them, but the Russians and a mysterious Third Gun after them too? The twisty, turny, buddy-cop-gone-wrong crime romp by Steven Grant (The Punisher) and artists Mateus Santolouco (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and Emilio Laiso (Star Wars: Doctor Aphra) in a complete collection for the first time! Collects 2 Guns #1-5 and 3 Guns #1-6.

Ghosted in L.A. Complete Collection

Daphne Walters’ Los Angeles story seems pretty common—she followed her high school boyfriend to college only to be immediately and unceremoniously dumped a thousand miles away from home. Her roommate doesn’t want her around either, but fortunately one heart-broken night brings her to Rycroft Manor, an apartment complex with more roommates and drama than she had ever bargained for—and they’re all ghosts! While helping out the long-lingering and new residents of Rycroft, Daphne has to deal with everything from angry spirits, the mystery ghost behind the basement door, and her college roommate Michelle trying to exorcise her new friends out of their own home! All while dealing with a complicated love life, a more complicated best friend-ship, and learning her place in LA! GLADD Award-nominated Sina Grace (Iceman, Superman: The Harvests of Youth) and illustrator Siobhan Keenan (Jem and the Holograms, KFC Presents I Love You Colonel Sanders) present a thrilling and fun tale about friendship, romance, and living your best (after) life that you won’t want to leave on read. Collects Ghosted in LA #1-12.

DECEMBER 2025

The Traveler Complete Collection

From the minds of comic book legend Stan Lee and Eisner Award-winning writer Mark Waid (Kingdom Come, Daredevil), Tom Peyer (The Wrong Earth), and artist Chad Hardin (Harley Quinn) comes the greatest hero of all-time! When quantum scientist Ronald Lessik’s experiment went wrong, he was transformed into the time-manipulating superhero, the Traveler! Now, he seeks to find his true love, herself lost in time and space, and defend the world from threats like the Split-Second Men, temporal ghosts, the time-lost planet Anachronopolis, and even comes face-to-face with fellow hero Soldier Zero! A gripping sci-fi superhero adventure by industry legends and from the mind of one of the most prolific creators in all comic history, Stan Lee! Collects The Traveler #1-12.

Misfit City Complete Collection

Everybody’s seen The Gloomies, it’s a real cult-classic from the ‘80s! Unfortunately for the residents of Cannon Cove, covered in fog 287 days of the year, things aren’t quite as exciting as the movie…or are they? When friends Wilder, Macy, Karma, Dot, and Ed end up with the map of the recently-departed Captain Denby, that may lead to real treasure from real pirate Black Mary, they’re thrust into an adventure worthy of an irresistible pop theme! But they’re not the only ones who want the treasure. Can they solve the mysteries of their formerly-dreary town and grab the booty before the baddies? The adventure worth its weight in pirate gold by award-winning screenwriter Kiwi Smith (Legally Blonde, Trinkets), Kurt Lustgarten, and illustrator Naomi Franquiz (The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl) in a complete collection for the first time! Collects Misfit City #1-8.

Preview: Hexed Omnibus SC

Hexed Omnibus SC

Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Writer:  Michael Alan Nelson
Artists: Emma Rios, Dan Mora
Colorists: Cris Peter, Gabriel Cassata
Letterers: Marshall Dillon, Ed Dukeshire
Cover Artist: Dan Mora
Price: $29.99

Luci Jennifer Inacio Das Neves (most people just call her “Lucifer”) is a supernatural thief­ for­ hire, stealing wondrous objects from the dark denizens of the netherworld for her mentor/mother figure, Val Brisendine. From possessed teddy bears to haunted paintings to ancient otherworldly demons, Lucifer will need to use every trick up her sleeve to protect her surrogate family and combat the monsters of her seedy city.

Written by lauded horror author Michael Alan Nelson (Day Men, 28 Days Later), Hexed is a lyrical horror adventure series featuring the debut American comics work by superstar illustrators Emma Rios (Pretty Deadly) and Dan Mora (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

Collects all 16 issues of the original Hexed limited series and its sequel series Hexed: The Harlot and the Thief.

Hexed Omnibus SC

Preview: Hexed: The Harlot and The Thief Vol. 3 TP

Hexed: The Harlot and The Thief Vol. 3 TP

Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Writer: Michael Alan Nelson
Artist: Dan Mora
Cover Artist: Emma Rios
Price: $16.99

Series conclusion! Following the shocking death in Volume 2, Lucifer has become the Keeper of Secrets and sets out to kill Madam Cymbaline once and for all. Raina and Bob aren’t going to give up on Lucifer’s humanity, though, and set out to save her with help from the most unexpected source—the now-human Harlot. Collects issues #9-12.

Hexed_HarlotAndThief_v3_TP_cover

Preview: Day Men Vol. 2 TP

Day Men Vol. 2 TP

Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Writers: Matt Gagnon & Michael Alan Nelson
Artist: Brian Stelfreeze
Cover Artist: Brian Stelfreeze
Price: $14.99

The conclusion to the Day Men epic! The war between the Virgo and Ramses families has been
called into a temporary ceasefire by Gustavo, a representative of the Old Families sent to mediate the conflict. But with Azalea facing a guilty verdict and certain death at the hands of a standard war tribunal, Day Man David Reid takes matters into his own hands by proposing Justice by Day, an ancient tradition pitting Day Men against each other in their families’ names. Collects issues #5-8, along with additional never-before-seen content and commentary.

DayMen_v2_TP_cover

Preview: Hexed: The Harlot & The Thief Vol. 2 TP

Hexed: The Harlot & The Thief Vol. 2 TP

Writer: Michael Alan Nelson
Artist: Dan Mora

Lucifer and Madame Cymbaline collide in a way that has major repercussions for them and all they hold dear. Written by Michael Alan Nelson (Day Men) and illustrated by Dan Mora (Klaus), don’t miss this next installment. Collects issues #5-8.

Hexed_HarlotAndThief_v2_TP_cover

Preview: Day Men #8

Day Men #8

Writers: Matt Gagnon & Michael Alan Nelson
Artist: Brian Stelfreeze

Final issue! The fallout from the Justice by Day battle reaches its climax as the Virgo and Ramses families fight for their survival against the Scourge.

DayMen_008_A_Main

Preview: Hexed Vol. 1: The Harlot and the Thief

Hexed Vol. 1: The Harlot and the Thief

Writer: Michael Alan Nelson
Artist: Dan Mora

Luci Jennifer Inacio Das Neves (most people just call her “Lucifer”) is a supernatural thief-for-hire, stealing wondrous objects from the dark denizens of the netherworld for her mentor/mother figure, Val Brisendine. But when Lucifer accidentally unleashes a terrible evil from one of the paintings hanging in Val’s art gallery, will any of the tricks up her sleeve be enough to stop it? Collects issues #1-4.

Hexed_HarlotAndThief_v1_TP_Cover

Preview: Hexed #12

Hexed #12

Author: Michael Alan Nelson
Artist: Dan Mora

Final issue! Raina, Bob, and the now-human Harlot race to escape The Aether as Lucifer makes the ultimate choice: stop Cymbaline, or learn the answer to the one secret she’s forbidden from knowing.

Hexed_012_A_Main

We Talk Hexed with Michael Alan Nelson

 

With a heavy influence on fantasy and horror, Michael Alan Nelson has established himself as a noteworthy comic book writer with such titles as 28 Days Later and Fall of Cthulthu (in addition to a decent amount of superhero stories.)  His most recent series is Hexed which details the life of supernatural thief Lucifer.  We got a chance to talk with him before the final issue of the series to talk about all things Hexed.

hexed001Graphic Policy:  There are obviously a lot of entries in both the supernatural genre as well as stories involving thieves, but not very much of the combined together.  What gave you the idea for the character and the series?

Michael Alan Nelson: When I first came up with the character of Lucifer for the Fall of Cthulhu series, I knew I wanted her to be a thief. But I also wanted her life as a thief to be something that was born out of necessity. She doesn’t steal because she wants to be rich or sees herself as unable to do anything legitimate. She does so because there were no other options for her survival. So I went about developing her as a character first. After I worked out her backstory as a street kid surviving in a Brazilian favela, I then figured out how that life experience brought her into the whole supernatural world she finds herself in. That’s where the most fun comes in for me as a writer. I love taking seemingly unrelated concepts, ideas, or situations and finding a way to piece them together. With Lucifer, it made perfect sense to me that she would use her exceptional thieving skills to make the world a better place. And since she had to become an expert on all things mystical at an early age, it was fitting she’d choose to operate in that world of magic.

GP:  Can you talk about any other inspirations for the main character?

MAN: I certainly can’t speak for all writers, but, I think for most, our characters are all reflections of different aspects of ourselves. Granted, those aspects are magnified to the nth degree, but there always seems to be a little part of the creator in each of these characters. With Lucifer, she’s more the kind of person I wish I was. She’s knowledgeable, capable, takes care of those she cares about most. But she’s still flawed like everyone else. She makes mistakes and quite often her attempts to help makes things worse, not better. But that still doesn’t stop her from trying to make the world better. She has a tenacity I wish I possessed. From day one, the sky opened up and has been raining on her parade ever since, but she still finds a way to smile, crack a joke, have fun. The cruelties of life don’t get her down, they inspire her to do better, to help more. And her brightness of spirit amidst the darkness of the world she inhabits makes her incredibly interesting to me.

GP:  It seems often to be the case that a female lead character is more appealing when it comes to tales of the supernatural.  Do you think that it is true, and is there a reason for it?

MAN: That’s an interesting question. I wouldn’t say that female protagonists are any more or less appealing in any given genre since that’s pretty subjective. Personally, I prefer female protagonists across the board, regardless of genre or medium. But I can only speak for myself. If you were to look at my bookshelf, you would definitely see my bias toward female leads. But I’d be very curious to see some hard numbers on this subject. Has there been an increase in female protagonists over the last ten years? If so, in which genres? Which mediums? Are there genres or mediums that are getting closer to gender parity? Farther away? Why? It’s a subject worth some serious study.

hexed004GP:  Supernatural dimensions such as Hell are often confusing with different planes within the planes, and Lucifer in Hexed has had similar issues of jumping between dimensions.  What do you do to keep the rules straight and the readers not too confused?

MAN: Any time you create a world with magic and dimensions, you have to be very careful when making the rules. It’s very easy to wave a wand or cast a spell to fix everything. So you have to establish the rules early on so that if you use magic in that way, it doesn’t feel like you’re cheating. With multiple dimensions, it’s key to focus on one particular dimension at a time. With Hexed, there are numerous dimensions and planes of existence, but I try to limit the ones the reader sees to keep things from getting confusing. I also try to make travel to those dimensions difficult and accessible only in certain ways. That helps give each dimension a flavor the reader can identify. Every time we see a dimension, I want it to have a certain look and feel. So even if the reader can’t remember the name of a dimension, she’ll recognize it by its appearance. The reader probably won’t remember The Shade, The Denazian Desert, or Quandrin’s Lair,but she’ll hopefully remember the one with the Sisters of Witchdown, the one with the sand that makes you forget, the one that’s only accessible through a corpse, etc.

GP:  It often seems that the idea of the afterlife in comics is based solely off of Judeo-Christian concepts, even though the afterlife is common to most religions.  Is there something more captivating about this inspirations about the others?  Does the Christian devil make for a better enemy?

MAN: Judeo-Christian theology permeates Western culture. And since most of my readership is in the west, it’s an easy shorthand that I trust most of my readers will immediately understand. But I also mine heavily from the Greek pantheon. I put Old World deities inside a generic framework of Western faith that readers will recognize. Then I just work from there.

As for the devil making a better enemy, I would say yes and no. Most readers probably believe the demon summoned at the end of issue 8 to be THE devil even though I never specifically state that it is. I didn’t want to come out and say that this indeed is the Christian devil because so much baggage comes along with that and could easily derail the story. However, I did want to the creature to have that same level of horror. I wanted readers to see the lengths that Lucifer would go to avenge the death of Val. And for me, it wasn’t the demon that shows how far she was willing to go, but the incantation she used to summon the beast. It’s the Catholic Rite of Exorcism spoken backwards. The idea that Lucifer had that in her head, waiting to use it if need be shows just how gently she’s been moving through the world.

hexed003GP:  Issue #9 features an interesting cover, as there are typical demons but also a squid like thing that seems more Lovecraftian.  Do you have a favorite source or inspiration for horror based monsters?

MAN: That is all Dan Mora. His work on this series has been absolutely stellar and his creature designs are just one example of that. The cover to #9 certainly looks to have some Lovecraftian influence which I think is perfect since Lucifer’s story began in my Fall of Cthulhu series. Dan was able to tap into that while still keeping it firmly rooted in the Hexed universe. It is not possible for me to sing his praises enough.

That said, when I do come up with my own creature descriptions, I often use my nightmares. I’ve always been plagued by horrible dreams ever since I was kid. Sometimes the nightmares are more about what isn’t seen than what is, but occasionally when something does rear its gibbering head, I’ll use that as an inspiration. But I often just let Dan play in the sandbox and let him come up with something ten times better than I could have ever hoped.

GP:  Can you give us an idea of what you have planned for the future of this character?

MAN: Well, Lucifer’s story is about to come to a close in issue 12. That’s the final issue of the series. But I can certainly see plenty more stories in the Hexed universe. Whether or not we’ll see any remains to be seen. But at least in this, I was able to tell the story I set out to tell with the very first mini. I couldn’t be happier with the way the series has turned out.

Preview: Hexed #11

Hexed #11

Author: Michael Alan Nelson
Artist: Dan Mora

The scales have shifted, and thanks to a little divine assistance, Madame Cymbaline is back and ready to kill Lucifer once and for all.

Hexed_011_A_Main

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