After one of their own is hospitalized following a harrowing encounter with the King of Sleep in the immersive gaming console known as the Dreamwave, a group of friends must try to survive the next deadly level of consequences in both the real world and the Nightmare Cemetery video game in Cemetery Kids Don't Die #2. Ahead of the second issue's release on March 27th from Oni Press, we're thrilled to exclusively unveil preview pages from the second issue of the must-read series from writer Zac Thompson, artist Daniel Irizarri, and colorist Brittany Peer!
Below, we have exclusive preview pages and the press release with additional details on Cemetery Kids Don't Die #2, and be sure to read our recent Q&A with Zac Thompson!
Press Release: PORTLAND, OR (March 1st, 2023) – Oni Press, the multiple Eisner and Harvey Award-winning publisher of graphic fiction for all ages, is proud to reveal the next installment of CEMETERY KIDS DON’T DIE! Acclaimed duo Zac Thompson (Hunt for the Skinwalker) and Daniel Irizarri (XINO, Judge Dredd) delve further into the dystopian digital realm– every level darker and more daunting than the last. Watch the mystery of the Dreamwave continue in CEMETERY KIDS DON’T DIE #2 – Coming March 27th, 2024!
After Pik’s tragic encounter with the King of Sleep, Birdie is adamant that her brother—while appearing to be in a coma—is actually trapped within the game Nightmare Cemetery. She and their friends must rescue him, but she’ll have to navigate her father’s resentment and Pik’s unburied secrets. Once the sun goes down, and with Wilson and Enid by her side, they enter the Piped District, where the game play is increasing in complexity and horror as it begins to tap into their deepest fears.
Featuring spectacular covers from artists Daniel Irizarri (Judge Dredd) and Alex Eckman-Lawn, Cemetery Kids Don’t Die #2 arrives in shops March 27th. Can you survive the next level?
WRITTEN BY ZAC THOMPSON
ART BY DANIEL IRIZARRI
COVER A BY DANIEL IRIZARRI
COVER B BY ALEX ECKMAN-LAWN
FULL ART VARIANT (1:10) BY ALEX ECKMAN-LAWN
ON SALE MARCH 27TH, 2024 | $4.99 | 32 pgs. | FC
FOC: 2/26/2024
PRAISE FOR CEMETERY KIDS DON’T DIE:
“A blast. Touted as EXISTENZ meets A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, it delivers on that promise. Dream fantasy bleeds into twisted reality for a dark, disturbing ride that's terrifyingly fun.”—Chris Condon
A “stellar creative team.”—SCREENRANT
“A gore-geous mix of science fiction and horror.”—DREAD CENTRAL
“Horrifying.”—AIPT Comics
“A chilling tale sure to appeal to video game fans.”—CBR
“Easily one of my most anticipated releases of 2024”—DAILY DEAD
“Terrifying.”—VILLAIN MEDIA
“Zac Thompson’s writing is exceptional, attention-grabbing, and thought-provoking… The artwork is just as inspiring as the writing… Cemetery Kids Don’t Die stands out as a brilliant example of a comic book that combines story and art magnificently. Zac Thompson and Daniel Irizarri craft a world that is immersive, thrilling, and uniquely executed. Cemetery Kids Don’t Die creates an engaging, captivating, and terrifying narrative that can easily pull readers in and keep them hooked.”—CAPES AND TIGHTS
“Oni Press continues to roll out exciting and varied stories to start 2024, adding Zac Thompson and Daniel Irizarri’s cyber horror title Cemetery Kids Don’t Die to the impressive mix.”—CONSKIPPER
“Dangerous hallucinatory states in the service of commercial entertainment, the blurring lines between dream and reality, the kids who can't turn away however much they know they must. Great stuff.”—Jed McKay
About the Creators
Zac Thompson is a multidisciplinary writer from Prince Edward Island, Canada. He is best known for his work at Marvel Comics, including the eco-horror title Ka-Zar: Lord of the Savage Land and showrunning the Age of X-Man event. He has also written characters like Batman and Swamp Thing at DC Comics. In 2017, Zac released his critically acclaimed debut graphic novel, The Dregs. His 2018 follow up, Come Into Me, was named one of the Best 100 Horror Comics of All Time by Pastemagazine. In 2021, his science-fiction horror series I Breathed A Body was called one of the best comics of the year by SYFY. In 2022, Thompson's original screenplay The Replacer was selected for production financing from Telefilm Canada. Zac has also written stories for Vice, Huff Post, IGN, Seraphim Films, Image Comics, and many other publications. When Zac's not out foraging for mushrooms or cycling, you can find him at the cinema or walking his dog, Astra.
Daniel Irizarri
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Daniel Irizarri has been illustrating or drawing comics for the majority of his life. His art can be found in various projects, including Cloudia and Rex published by Magnetic Press, Judge Dredd: The Blessed Earth and Star Trek Waypoint 2019 one-shot from IDW, and the Oni Press anthology XINO. Additionally, his art can be seen in the Kickstarter hit Holy West, and a variety of self-published efforts like his Otherworldly sci-fi and fantasy artbooks. He spends his days on the north coast of the island with his lovely girlfriend and their cats.
About Oni Press
Founded in 1997, Oni Press has a 25-year history as one of the industry’s most respected and acclaimed publishers of award-winning comic books and graphic novels with titles including Bryan Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim, K. O’Neill’s Tea Dragon Society, Cullen Bunn & Brian Hurtt's The Sixth Gun, Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer, Brenna Thummler’s Sheets trilogy, and many hundreds more. In 2019, Oni Press merged with Lion Forge Comics – the Eisner Award-winning independent comic book publisher founded by Academy Award-winning producer and entrepreneur David Steward II – to create one of the largest, independent libraries of comics content anywhere in media. The Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group now exists as a publishing subsidiary of Steward’s diversified global media company, Polarity.
The Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group publishes more than 60 original and licensed graphic novels annually, in addition to an extensive list of periodical comics.
Cover Art by Zac Thompson:
Variant Cover Art by Alex Eckman-Lawn:
Exclusive Preview Pages:
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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