“It was freeing, but also a little terrifying” — CORPSE KNIGHT Q&A with Michael Chaves and Matthew Roberts

Horror director Michael Chaves is no stranger to horror, having directed multiple entries in the Conjuring Universe, including The Conjuring: Last Rites, but his interests lie beyond just creating horror on film and he's teamed up with Matthew Roberts and Skybound for the comic book mini-series Corpse Knight. The first issue will be released on Wednesday and, for our latest Q&A, I caught up with Chaves and Roberts to discuss the inspiration behind the story, their creative process, and what readers can expect from the series:

Michael, can you tell our readers about the research during the filming of The Nun II that led to the creation of Corpse Knight?

Michael Chaves: I was in France directing The Nun II, and the film deals a lot with saints, relics, and faith. In my downtime I started going down a rabbit hole - reading about different saints, which eventually led me to Joan of Arc and her connection to Gilles de Rais. That history is wild, dark, and deeply human. I couldn’t crack it at first as a straight adaptation, but once I found Foy and her father, it unlocked something personal. Suddenly it wasn’t just history - it was a story about a child trying to hold onto a parent, even beyond death.

Matthew, you're no stranger to horror. What excited you about working with Michael on Corpse Knight?

Matthew Roberts: Horror works best for me when it’s combined with something human to filter it through. Michael’s pitch of this Father/Daughter dynamic being tested in such a visceral way was very compelling. There’s plenty of pulpy horror in the book but the central relationship was the touchstone for me.

Michael and Matthew, can you speak to the creative process of bringing Corpse Knight to life? How did your collaboration improve or change the initial concept for the series?

Michael Chaves: From the start, it was very character-driven. I came in with the emotional spine - Foy and her father - and Matt brought this incredible sense of texture and physicality to the world. I love his art. He hit this great balance of historical fantasy… at the same time making it more grounded, more dangerous. I think one of my favorite moments was when we were trying to nail a scene and Matt just watched Conjuring 3 and said “oh you just want some more witchy stuff.” 

Matthew Roberts: The bulk of our conversations centered around character designs. Corpse Knight himself was a hard look to nail down but I think that back and forth helped me understand more where Michael’s head was at. Fantastical but not distracting. The process of whistling down that design put my head in a way more personal space with the parent/child part of the story. Being a father but also having lost my father and grappling with the ghost of my perception of him…working out that design let the character take on some very personal angles for me. 

Michael, what can you tell our readers about Foy, and why did you decide to center the story on this character?

Michael Chaves: Foy is the heart of the story. Subconsciously I’m drawing inspiration from my own kids Jack and Scarlett. She’s young, sometimes stubborn, determined, and driven by love. At its core, Corpse Knight is about a child refusing to let go of a parent. That felt like the most human way into a very dark world. Once I locked onto her perspective, everything else - the horror, the history, the mythology - fell into place around her.

Michael, with The Conjuring films, there was an established universe and rules you had to follow to a degree. With Corpse Knight, can you speak to the writing process and how you developed this whole new world?

Michael Chaves: It was freeing, but also a little terrifying. With The Conjuring, you’re working within a structure that’s already proven. Here, we had to build everything from the ground up. The goal was to make the world feel lived-in and grounded, even when it leans into the supernatural. I kept coming back to real history, real belief systems, and then asking - what’s the most honest, emotional version of this? If the characters feel real, the world starts to feel real too.

Can you share some of your favorite horror films, books, games, and/or comic books that served as an inspiration for Corpse Knight?

Michael Chaves: For me, it’s a mix. Films like The Exorcist and The Shining - stories where horror is tied directly to character. There’s also a lot of influence from historical epics and darker fantasy - things that feel grounded but mythic at the same time. I’m a sucker for Ken Follet books like Pillars of the Earth and that whole series. In terms of comics I feel like Spawn and Hellboy were big, obvious influences. Also I think the alternate history that Gerard Way plays with is really fun and inspiring.

Can you give our readers a tease of the horrors awaiting them in Corpse Knight?

Michael Chaves: Issue one is just the beginning. It gets darker, stranger, and more horrific. I can’t wait for people to see what’s in store for Foy at the end of her journey.

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Series Synopsis: "War ravages France, but a young girl named Foy lives in relative peace with her father... until tragedy strikes. As Foy struggles to fend for herself, she’s granted a miracle—her father returns from the dead to protect her.

Now, they embark on a sacred quest, confronting murderers, wild animals, wandering armies, and black magic plaguing the countryside. As Foy comes face to face with the dark side of miracles and the secrets of the Corpse Knight, she must question if the man by her side has always been a monster..."

Corpse Knight #1 will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on Wednesday, April 22, 2026:

"Corpse Knight #1 will feature a main cover by series artists Matthew Roberts and Rico Renzi, with a variant cover program featuring superstar horror artists including an open to order cover by Jae Lee (ThunderCats), a 1:10 incentive variant by Tonči Zonjić (Lobster Johnson), a 1:25 incentive variant by Nimit Malavia (The New Gods), a 1:50 incentive by Andrea Milana (Cobra Commander), a 1:100 Foil incentive variant by Stephanie Hans (DIE), a die-cut helmet cover by Matthew Roberts, and a blank sketch cover to round out the lineup."