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“When humanity does make its way to populate worlds beyond this one, can we leave our earthly problems behind, or will they just follow us to a new setting?”
Steve Niles has teamed up with artist Andrea Mutti, colorist Lee Loughridge, and letterer Marshall Dillon for the upcoming sci-fi noir-horror graphic novel Callisto, arriving just in time for the Halloween season from The Lab Press. We have all the details on the new graphic novel, along with preview pages you can read right now that tease the sci-fi horrors that await readers on Callisto:
From the Press Release: Over the course of his successful decades-spanning career, Niles has always managed to unsettle and terrify readers with his unique take on genre tropes that make them feel both surprising and unexpected—and with Callisto he is bringing all of that experience to bear in a seamless sci-fi noir-horror blend.
Joining horror maestro Steve Niles (30 Days of Night, The October Faction, Frankenstein Alive Alive!) on his journey to the second moon of Jupiter is The Lab Press and fan favorite artist Andrea Mutti (Creatures & Corridors, George Romero’s Empire of the Dead) and award-winning colorist Lee Loughridge, (G.I. Joe, Standstill). This powerhouse team is rounded out by Marshall Dillon on letters, and design dynamos Emma Price and John J. Hill, who helped to develop The Lab Press’ signature look.
A detective’s investigation into mysterious disappearances leads her to uncover an eerie hidden cult, a steadily growing body count, and a dark, otherworldly force lying in wait just below the surface. Having established itself as one of humanity’s major industrial and mining settlements, Callisto is also a hotbed for commerce, culture, and religion. But with capital comes carnage—and with religion comes control—all of which drives Detective Becca Ramos to a chilling discovery that threatens the safety of the colony and those who live there.
“I love the idea of taking a different setting and using it to say something about the world we live in today,” says creator and writer, Steve Niles. “While 30 Days of Night might have seemed like an ‘alien’ landscape to some, Callisto ratchets the suspense and horror up to another level with its truly alien setting and surroundings. How would the darkness of humanity evolve when it encounters the darkness of something else entirely? Does escaping the Earth’s orbit allow us to escape our own demons, or do we simply take them with us?”
These questions and more are posed to the reader as Detective Ramos’ investigation unfolds over the course of 180 thrilling pages.
“At The Lab, we’re always looking for stories that couldn’t exist anywhere else,” adds The Lab’s editor-in-chief, Dagen Walker. “Callisto feels like one of those books. Steve takes the familiar language of science fiction and noir and transforms it into something deeply personal and unexpectedly haunting. It’s ambitious, uncompromising, and exactly the kind of original storytelling we believe deserves a place on the shelf.”
The book features a stunning main cover by acclaimed painter Scott Hampton, which gives Callisto a cinematic feel, and will be joined by a very special Limited Edition cover by Chris Shehan that is limited to just 200 copies.
“Limited Edition versions of The Lab Press books have been part of our DNA since day one, and as we stepped into our second year of publishing, we wanted to push that further,” says President of The Lab Press, Diane Richey. “These ‘Day One’ editions launch right alongside the main release, giving readers a shot at something rarer without paying a premium for it. Same price as the regular cover, just a little something extra for the collectors.”
Weaving together elements of Blade Runner, Event Horizon, True Detective, and just a pinch of 30 Days of Night, Callisto is solicited to arrive in comic shops on September 30, before making its way to book stores and online retailers from October 6, just in time for people’s Halloween reading lists. You can pre-order and find out more about the title here, or with your local bookseller/comic shop: https://www.amazon.com/Callisto-Steve-Niles/dp/1964226252/
