After earning praise from the legendary likes of R.L. Stine and Dan Aykroyd and thrilling readers with a compelling story of an orphaned teen empowered by a supernatural suit of armor and its phantasmal companion, the comic book series Armored from writer Michael Schwartz and artist Ismael Hernández is now coming together in a hardcover graphic novel that collects the first five issues along with plenty of ghoulish goodies for readers to enjoy.
With the Armored Vol. 1 hardcover graphic novel now on Kickstarter via Clover Press, Daily Dead caught up with Michael Schwartz in a new Q&A feature to discuss the journey of Armored thus far, the behind-the-scenes content that awaits readers in the hardcover collection, the graphic novel's eye-catching (and eye-glowing) cover art by Francesco Tomaselli, and what lies ahead in the future issues of Armored!
Below, you can check out our full Q&A with Michael Schwartz as well as the main cover art by Francesco Tomaselli, the dust jacket artwork by David Mack, and the preview pages illustrated by Ismael Hernández.
To learn more about the Armored Vol. 1 hardcover graphic novel, visit:
Thank you for taking the time to answer questions for us, Michael, and congratulations on the upcoming hardcover release of Armored, which collects the first five issues of the series and is now on Kickstarter! How did the opportunity to collect the first five issues of Armored in this gorgeous hardcover collection come about?
Michael Schwartz: Thanks so much for having me to chat about Armored! Last year, Clover Press released issues 1 to 5, and ever since, the number one question I get asked at comic cons and signings has been, “when will the graphic novel come out?” With so many collectors shifting toward graphic novels, it felt like the natural next step for Clover to put together this deluxe hardcover edition.
From being placed on “Best of the Year” lists to being praised by R.L. Stine and Dan Aykroyd, Armored has been really well-received through its first five issues. What has your reaction been to Armored finding such a welcoming fanbase?
Michael Schwartz: Armored has been a big part of my life the last couple of years. From creating the book to releasing and promoting it, I’ve been fully immersed in its world. Seeing it so well received has been amazing. I poured my heart and soul into this story, and the positive feedback has been nothing short of incredible.
The deluxe hardcover edition of Armored will include insights into the making of this series. What types of behind-the-scenes content will readers be able to enjoy?
Michael Schwartz: We’re really excited about this deluxe edition because it gives us the chance to showcase our creative process from script to finished art by illustrator Ismael Hernández. We haven’t shared much of the behind-the-scenes content on social media, so readers will get an inside look at how a page of Armored comes to life. This edition will also feature early character designs from the series, offering a deeper glimpse into the development of the world and its cast of characters.
In addition to featuring the wonderful artwork by Ismael Hernández, the Armored hardcover will feature amazing new cover art by Francesco Tomaselli. What was your reaction the first time you saw Francesco’s portrayal of Andy and his supernatural suit of armor on this new cover?
Michael Schwartz: I was completely blown away when Tomaselli sent over his artwork for Armored. I love how it stands apart from the other covers in the series, but also feels like it fits right in. It really has a cinematic feel to it. It’ll look even more stunning once it’s printed.
The fifth issue of Armored ended on quite the cliffhanger, and this deluxe hardcover includes a special preview of issue #6. What can you tease about the adventures awaiting readers in the upcoming story arc, and when can readers look forward to diving into the next stage of Andy’s journey?
Michael Schwartz: What’s really exciting about this campaign is that we’re offering the complete issue 6 as an add-on! It features a brand new cover by series regular cover artist, Jeff Dickson. He’s an incredible artist who worked on Disney classics like Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, and Beauty and the Beast. The issue picks up right where issue 5 left off and introduces us to a new warrior from China, who also wears a haunted suit of armor. We’ll learn how she came to possess her armor and how her story connects to the larger narrative with Andy and Sir William from the first arc.
What types of perks can supporters of the Kickstarter campaign look forward to?
Michael Schwartz: As mentioned, issue 6 is the reward I’m most excited for backers to get their hands on. But I’m also thrilled about the 16-card trading set Clover Press has put together. I hope fans get a kick out of them!
You initially teamed up with Clover Press to crowdfund Armored back in 2023. What has it been like to come full circle and reteam with Clover Press for the Kickstarter campaign for the volume one hardcover collection?
Michael Schwartz: It’s been an incredible journey. Clover Press has been incredibly supportive, giving Armored the time it needed to grow its fan base throughout 2024. When they first crowdfunded Issues 1 & 2 back in 2023, no one knew who I was or what the series was about. I think since then we now have loyal readers who are excited to see more Armored.
Ultimately, what do you hope readers take away from this first volume of Armored?
Michael Schwartz: I really hope more comic book fans discover the series and that they’ll share the book with younger readers who enjoy creepy, supernatural adventures. I set out to create a story that both older and younger fans could enjoy, and now that the series is being collected into one volume, it’ll be easier for new readers to jump in.
Armored marks your comic book writing debut, but you have plenty of experience as a screenwriter. How does writing a comic book script compare to writing a film script? Did your experiences as a screenwriter help prepare you for writing comics?
Michael Schwartz: The biggest difference between writing a comic and writing a movie is the level of detail required in the script. When writing a film, I rarely detail set design or camera angles. But with a comic, I need to break down each page and describe how many panels there are and exactly what’s happening in each one. Thankfully, working with Ismael has been an absolute blessing. He consistently elevates what I’ve written, bringing it to life with his incredible visual storytelling. Armored wouldn’t be what it is today without him.
What advice would you give to writers—in film or comics—who are just getting started?
Michael Schwartz: My biggest advice to writers is simple: write and finish your scripts. Finishing is often the hardest part, and you’d be surprised how many people want to write but never actually complete anything. Once you’ve finished, have others read it and get feedback to make the necessary changes. Then do whatever you can to bring it to life yourself. Don’t wait around for someone or some company to make it happen. And then do it all again. Practice makes perfect.
In addition to the Armored hardcover release, do you have any other upcoming projects that you can tease for our readers?
Michael Schwartz: I’m very excited to share that my next book, Till Death, co-written with Rachael Schaefer and illustrated by Gaia Cardinali will be released by Clover Press. We can’t wait to reveal more about that project soon! I’m also in the process of adapting a new R.L. Stine script with my co-writer, Peter Lepeniotis.
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Press Release: (June 3, 2025) – Michael Schwartz’s comic book writing debut, ARMORED, is a spooky, supernatural story about an orphan who stumbles across a mystical suit of armor haunted by the ghost who wore it centuries ago. The charming and captivating comic, which features art by Ismael Hernandez, was praised by the likes of Dan Aykroyd and R. L. Stine. ARMORED emerged as one of 2024’s surprise hits, with multiple issues selling out at distribution and earning spots on “Best of the Year” lists, including Comic Book Couples Counseling and We Have Issues. Now Clover Press is publishing a deluxe hardcover edition of ARMORED, featuring an all-new cover by Francesco Tomaselli, a cover gallery with art by superstars Becky Cloonan, Jeff Dickson Trevor Henderson, Jae Lee, David Mack, Adam Riches, and Matthew Therrien, and behind-the-scenes content. This hardcover, which is lettered by Ferran Delgado and edited by Eisner-winner Chris Stevens, brings together the entire first volume of the breakout indie series, plus a 10-page bonus story originally featured in the rare half-issue from Wizards the Podcast Guide to Comics.
“Armored was my debut comic and the response has been nothing short of amazing.” said writer Michael Schwartz. “It’s been a bit of a sleeper hit, slowly building momentum as more readers discover it. The Kickstarter gives new readers a perfect jumping-on point, and also offers current fans a special preview of issue 6.”
Kickstarter backers will have access to a range of new exclusives, including:
- An exclusive dust jacket featuring the stunning Armored artwork by David Mack
- A collectible trading card set
- Art prints by Jae Lee, David Mack, and Francesco Tomaselli
- An exclusive Preview Comic (Issue 6) for the next story arc, featuring a cover by Jeff Dickson
Meet orphaned teen Andy, whose parents mysteriously vanished years before he was adopted at the outset of our story. When Andy starts at a new school out in the countryside, he accidentally discovers a haunted suit of armor and its ghostly keeper, Sir William. When Andy is attacked by the same mysterious creature that killed his adoptive parents’ biological son, Sir William and the suit help Andy defeat the monster — but the monster was conjured by someone, and they’ll stop at nothing to gain control of the armor.
Sir William must train Andy to use the armor properly — not just to defeat the other creatures being summoned by the mysterious antagonist, but also to defeat an even more dangerous other-worldly being prophesied to return to Earth and take the suit of armor for its own kind. As he faces off against more and more horrifying monsters, Andy will need to learn to look within himself to find the strength to overcome his own demons in order to save the Earth. But this mystery may be bigger than just Andy and his suit…
Here’s what people are saying about ARMORED:
“Best Surprise Comic Book of 2024.”—COMIC BOOK COUPLES COUNSELING
“Michael Schwartz writes a fear-packed, suspenseful, youthful adventure with a twist that entices us to continue reading more to come.”—Dan Aykroyd Actor/Writer/Director (Ghostbusters, Blues Brothers, Nothing But Trouble)
“A joy to read.”—AIPT Comics
“Intricate, mythology-laden lore.. There's much to recommend Armored, including fantastic artwork by Ismael Hernández, and a story that feels at once familiar and entirely new.”—CBR
“Spooky.”—IGN
“The interior art is outstanding… A proper ghost story.”—THE LETTER HACK
“A fun read and a great new twist on old-fashioned horror. I have only one question: What happens next?” —R. L. Stine, author of Goosebumps and Fear Street
“Best Indie Comic Book of 2024.”—We Have Issues
To contribute to the campaign, head to the Kickstarter. For updates, follow Clover Press on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. You can subscribe to the Clover Press newsletter here.
About Clover Press: Headed by IDW co-founder Robbie Robbins and former DC executive Hank Kanalz, Clover Press publishes a wide variety of collected and original content ranging from re-mastered reprints of classic newspaper strips to horror graphic novels, and high-quality art books. Clover Press is working with a wide variety of creators including Jorge Jiménez, David Mack, Alex Maleev, David Nakayama, Russell Dauterman, Michael Allred, Kevin Eastman, Steve Niles, Gabriel Rodriguez, Ruben Bolling, Richard Bennett, Ray Troll, John K. Snyder III, Stewart Kenneth Moore, Aron Wiesenfeld and more.
About Michael Schwartz: Michael Schwartz is a feature film screenwriter and now comic book writer, who wrote Netflix’s successful animated movie Gnome Alone and wrote an adaptation of R.L. Stine's Zombie Town, starring Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase. In addition to writing, he also works in VFX and animation production, having worked on such shows as The Nut Job, What We Do in the Shadows, and The Walking Dead: Dead City. Michael is currently writing an adaptation of R.L. Stine’s book, It’s The First Day of School…Forever for Toonz Media Group and Lookout Entertainment.
About Ismael Hernandez: Ismael Hernández is a family man. When he is not cleaning his house or playing with his child or enjoying the company of his wife, he plays with old fashioned steel maces and old fashioned inks, watercolors and papers. Ismael has released several comics and graphic novels since 2009. Some of his titles are “The Wolf and the Crow”, “Cautiverio feliz”, “Miguel de Fuentesanta” and “Varua Rapa Nui”, some of which have been written by him as well.
About Ferran Delgado: Born in Barcelona, Spain in an undetermined year, he spent most of his formative years working for Spanish publishers adapting foreign comics of any and all kinds, where he developed the versatility of craft that has enabled him to adapt his style to any kind of material and bring the best out of it. A few years ago, he fulfilled his teenage dream to work for US publishers with his lettering on The Savage Dragon from Image and a few retro gigs for Marvel. His current work includes WildC.A.T.s, Batman: The Audio Adventures, and Harley Screws The DCU for DC, Operation Sunshine for Dark Horse, and high-profile creator-owned work like Nick Pitarra's Ax-Wielder Jon.
About Chris Stevens: Chris Stevens is a multiple Eisner award-winning editor and writer whose current projects include ARMORED, AX-WIELDER JON, THE GOLEM OF VENICE BEACH, THE MARVEL ART OF MICHAEL ALLRED, and THE MARVEL ART OF DAVID MACK.
Armored Graphic Novel by Francesco Tomaselli:
Armored Dust Jacket Cover Art by David Mack:
Armored Preview Pages Artwork by Ismael Hernández:
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.
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.
