Host Mortem, a "tongue-in-cheek, time travel metafiction mystery" by Kevin Shinick, is now on Kickstarter: "Kevin Shinick used to have all the answers. Before he was an acclaimed comic writer on titles like W.E.B. of Spider-Man and The Flash, before he was an Emmy Award-winning writer on Robot Chicken, before he was a bestselling novelist (Star Wars: Force Collector), before he was an Annie award-winning producer (MAD), Kevin Shinick had all the answers — as the TV gameshow host of Where In Time Is Carmen Sandiego?
Now Shinick is writing Host Mortem, an all-new tongue-in-cheek, time travel metafiction mystery in which he appears (as himself!), along with Greg Lee (the host of Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?). When the two former gameshow hosts are transported to the year 1947 by a time portal at Comic-Con, they find themselves enmeshed in a murder mystery involving Humphrey Bogart’s legendary noir film The Big Sleep. When one of the stars winds up dead, Kevin and Greg’s knowledge of random trivia might be the key to solving this Hollywood caper."
Already successfully funded on Kickstarter, we have an exclusive look at Kelley Jones' variant cover for the upcoming graphic novel. Jones is the artist behind some of your favorite comic books, and has created some of my all-time favorite Batman covers, so I was especially excited to get a peek behind the curtain at his creative process. Below is a look at the initial pencils and inks that brought this cover idea to life, and here's what Kevin Shinick had to say about working with one of his comic book idols:
"I have been a fan of Kelley Jones for as long as, well, as long as the ears on his rendition of Batman. Kelley’s covers for Batman, Deadman, Sandman and so many others pushed the boundaries of what my imagination thought was possible in comics. Then my mind was literally blown when I got the chance to collaborate with him on a Batman story for Joker’s Asylum 2. Today, my heart is full (not to mention a little terrified) when I look at the cover he graciously created for my graphic novel, HOST MORTEM. He’s a friend and a colleague, but first and foremost, my idol." --- Kevin Shinick
From the Press Release: "This one-of-a-kind thriller is illustrated by Damien Torres (Marvel Crisis Protocol) and Andrea Schiavone (Gangsters Versus Nazis), colored by Pippa Bowland (Judge Dredd, Project Cryptid), and lettered by Taylor Esposito (Red Hood and The Outlaws). The one-of-a-kind book will also feature covers from beloved Batman and Dracula: The Impaler artist Kelley Jones, Tony Foti, Timothy Anderson, and Damien Torres. The 180-page graphic novel will be told in four chapters from four different characters’ point of view. Kevin Shinick, Greg Lee, their fast-talking receptionist, and a surprise mystery narrator will guide readers through the epic, time travel adventure. Each chapter will have a distinct look and will be available collected in a gorgeous slipcase drawn by Jesse Larson (Hades Speaks!).
Host Mortem is being crowdfunded on Kickstarter and will be released by Clover Press, the publisher behind acclaimed graphic novels, art books and novels including The Marvel Art Of line of books, Ricardo Delgado’s Dracula, Spawn Till You Die: The Fin Art of Ray Troll, and Craig Yoe’s Woman & Man+. Kickstarter tiers include original art from the book, critical evaluation of work-in-progress comic books, offers of voice over narration on your next animated project, and striking covers by Jones, Foti, Anderson, and Torres.
“Between the two of us, Greg and I have hosted a number of game shows,” says Shinick. “As a result, we have a lot of random trivia floating around in our heads and I always wished I could put that knowledge to better use other than just, “Hey, did you know the singular of spaghetti is spaghetto?” And since we both played fake detectives on Carmen Sandiego (me a time traveling detective and Greg a classic gumshoe detective) I got to wondering how we might fare with an actual murder? The ultimate question being, “Are hosts really smart? Or do they just have the answers?”
“I think what Kevin’s come up with is simply brilliant and it continues to be a blast just getting to be a small part of it,” says Greg Lee. “With his hilarious and nuanced writing I actually feel I’ve spent time in 1947. Why I didn’t buy some potential stock or at least win an Oscar pool while I was there is beyond me. Instead, Kevin puts me in the middle of a murder scene and expects me to rely on my game show trivia to help him solve the crime. But the real crime is that we don’t know the first thing about being detectives so it’ll probably come down to something random like knowing Humphrey Bogart’s middle name. (It was DeForest, by the way. A fact I know because I’m a game show host and not a detective!) Luckily, Kevin’s a great friend and a talented writer, so this project is nothin’ but “win-win-and more win” for me and, if I’m being honest, for all our backers and readers.”
“Working on Host Mortem has been the biggest and most rewarding story of my career so far,” says artist Damien Torres. “Comics has been my dream, but film is my first love, and I’ve been afforded the opportunity to bring that love into this graphic novel. As someone who is a fan of the likes of Sean Phillips, Greg Smallwood, Lee Weeks, David Mazzucchelli, and Alex Toth to name a few, channeling the use of heavy black has been key to nailing the noir tone. Researching the 1940s and grounding the scenes with iconic LA landmarks has helped bring pages to life, and I’ve worked to make that authenticity show through in each panel. Watching a good number of Bogart and Bacall films hasn’t hurt one bit either. I’d be remiss in not mentioning how fun and thorough Kevin Shinick’s writing is, and an honor it’s been to work with someone who happened to play a part in my childhood!”
For more updates, follow Kevin Shinick on X and Clover Press on X, Facebook, Instagram, and Blue Sky. To support Host Mortem's Kickstarter campaign, visit:
After spending more than 10 years as a consultant in the tech and entertainment industry, Jonathan James launched Daily Dead in 2010 to share his interest in horror and sci-fi. Since then, it has grown into an online magazine with a staff of writers that provide daily news, reviews, interviews, and special features.
As the Editor-in-Chief of Daily Dead, Jonathan is responsible for bringing the latest horror news to millions of readers from around the world. He is also consulted with as an expert on zombies in entertainment and pop culture, providing analyses of the zombie sub-genre to newspapers, radio stations, and convention attendees.
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