After introducing readers to the masked convention slasher known as Killr™ last fall, Stephen Graham Jones, Joshua Viola, and Ben Matsuya are teaming up to bring readers back to the Colorado Festival of Horror for another round of killer cosplay in True Believers #2. Once again featuring star-studded cameos and plenty of murderous mayhem, True Believers #2 is coming soon to Kickstarter via Hex Publishers, and we're thrilled to exclusively reveal that Trivium vocalist and guitarist Matthew Kiichi Heafy will appear in the second issue, and we also have a reveal of the new variant cover by Luigi Scarcella!
Below, we have the official press release and exclusive variant cover art reveal, and to support True Believers #2, be sure to keep an eye on the comic book's official Kickstarter page:
Also, to learn more about True Believers, watch Jonathan James' previous video interview with Stephen Graham Jones!
Press Release: Some of the biggest names in horror will make cameo appearances in TRUE BELIEVERS, a gripping and grisly new comic book mini-series co-written by bestselling Bram Stoker Award-winner Stephen Graham Jones and Denver Post bestselling writer Joshua Viola, featuring artwork by Ben Matsuya. The three-issue series, which delves into the world of cosplay and fan conventions, is set at the Colorado Festival of Horror. A Kickstarter campaign for the second issue features lettering by Jeremiah Lambert and variant covers by a slew of exciting artists soon to be revealed.
In TRUE BELIEVERS #2, a year has passed since the harrowing events of issue 1, which introduced readers to the bone-chilling slasher character, Killr™. Now a mysterious new figure emerges, adopting the enigmatic Killr™ persona—but is it just another obsessive fan or a new threat on the horizon? Brace yourself for a rollercoaster of suspense and humor with a fresh ensemble of characters. With new mysteries, hilarious gags, and an extra dose of blood, issue 2 promises a thrilling ride for both seasoned fans and newcomers alike.
“Nothing better than being at a horror convention, and the Colorado Festival of Horror does it right,” said Stephen Graham Jones. “Only thing better might be . . . I don't know. Maybe being there and feeling like you're walking through the panels of a slasher comic book?"
For updates, follow Hex Publishers on X and Facebook. To support the project, visit Kickstarter.
Hex Publishers is an independent publishing house proudly specializing in genre fiction: horror, science fiction, crime, dark fantasy, comics, and any other form that explores the imagination. Founded by writers, Hex values both the author and the reader, with an emphasis on quality, diversity, and voices often overlooked by the mainstream. Visit hexpublishers.com
About the Creators:
Stephen Graham Jones is the NYT bestselling author of some thirty novels and collections, and there’s some novellas and comic books in there as well. Most recent are Don’t Fear the Reaper and the ongoing Earthdivers. Up before too long are The Angel of Indian Lake, I Was a Teenage Slasher, and True Believers. Stephen lives and teaches in Boulder, Colorado. Twitter • Instagram
• Website Joshua Viola worked on video games like Pirates of the Caribbean, Target: Terror, and The Smurfs. In 2014, he founded Hex Publishers, reaching #1 Denver Post bestseller status with Nightmares Unhinged, later licensed to AMC for Fear the Walking Dead TV promotions. His book Cyber World was named one of the best science fiction anthologies of 2016 by Barnes & Noble. Joining Random Games in 2023 for the Unioverse franchise, he co-wrote and published a 6-book comic series and prose anthology expanding the game's lore. He's also ventured into executive producing films, first on Skinner's Shrine of Abominations (featuring Phil Tippett), as well as teaming up with Raven Banner Entertainment on films like Deathgasm II: Goremageddon and a reboot of Roger Corman's Deathstalker series alongside producer Slash from Guns N' Roses. Facebook • Twitter • In
stagram • Website Ben Matsuya illustrated the comic Jupiter Jet—co-created by Jason Inman and Ashley Victoria Robinson—which was successfully funded on Kickstarter in 2017. His follow-up was the horror-comedy graphic novel Midnight Massacre. He recently illustrated a 6-issue comic book miniseries for the Unioverse videogame tie-in. Twitter • Instagram •
Website Jeremiah Lambert, from full time mechanical engineer turned full time comic and art man. Doing gigs for Hasbro for both Transformers (Movie versions, Rescue Bots and Robots in Disguise) and Tonka Truck (Tonka Chuck) promotional art, as well as He-man and the Masters of the Universe exclusives for Mattel / MVCreations / Super 7 Toys. Comic and design work for GenSeven Comics, Viper Comics, Hex Publishers, ActionLab Comics, plus dozens of various other independent comic companies and comic writers. Jeremiah also has enjoyed internet viral exposure with his parody art. Facebook • Twitter • Inst
agram • Website
Variant Cover:
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
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