Following the success of the horror imprint IDW Dark, IDW Publishing is has announced IDW CRIME, a line of gripping crime comic books that explore what it takes to turn a saint into a sinner and revels in the twisted, everyday acts of humans that we just can’t look away from.
This May, the shocks begin with new series Seven Wives from writer Zoe Tunnell (Sink Your Teeth In) and rising star artists V Gagnon and Tesslyn Bergin-Dicoi. Forty-nine witnesses, seven wives, one dead husband… Who’s the murderer? As two detectives investigate a death at a Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints compound in remote Arizona, the dark mystery will unravel the horrors of brainwashing and deliver a compelling whodunit that will leave readers guessing until the very end.
“Crime has a deep, often under-celebrated history in comics, from hard-boiled noir to social thrillers that pushed the medium to be bolder, sharper, and more adult,” commented Senior Group Editor Heather Antos. “With the IDW Crime imprint, we’re honoring that legacy while giving it a modern spotlight — elevating creator-driven stories that feel urgent, character-forward, and unapologetically human. These are stories about obsession, consequence, and the ability to hold a mirror up to society, and we couldn’t be more excited to help bring them back to the forefront of mainstream comics.”
In July, Eisner Award-nominated writer Joey Esposito (The Pedestrian) and artist Valeria Burzo (EC Comics: Epitaphs from the Abyss) present the thrilling true crime serial killer saga Killer Influences #1. Melvin’s a serial killer who craves infamy. His problem? He’s so efficient and methodical that he doesn’t have a brand and no one has connected his crimes — except for Kylie, an aspiring true crime influencer who reaches out to him, hoping his story can help her become a star. The unlikely duo will make a pact to accomplish their dreams… and destroy their lives in the process.
Arriving this September is Fixation #1, a chilling cat-and-mouse thrill ride from writer Amy Chase (Newburn) and artist Savanna Mayer (RETURN TO SLEEPY HOLLOW) which blends true crime tension and thrills with razor-sharp commentary on fandom and toxic addictions. When superfan Taylor Van Owens and her best friend win a contest to stay at the iconic house from their favorite hit vampire book-turned-movie franchise, the two expect a weekend getaway that will live up to every fangirls’ dream, especially with fans descending on the town and the cast reuniting to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the movie. But a young woman was found dead inside the house, and the killer’s taste for blood isn’t finished. The killer is ready to paint the town red to make sure they’ll go down in the franchise’s history. Everyone has a motive, and the most dangerous person in the room isn’t always who it seems…
“The titillation of being transgressive, of breaking laws and norms, of acting out and letting our more dangerous and wild selves take over is probably something everyone has felt at some point in their lives, so we all in some way can understand the allure of the outlaw,” said Senior Group Editor Jake Thomas. “But we are also hardwired to want order and justice, so we root for the hero to take down the villain. That’s why all my very sweet and sensible wife’s favorite TV shows involve murder, that’s part of why we named our kid after the great crime writer Dashiell Hammett, and that’s why I’m excited to be developing this new crime line at IDW. No other genre explores the warring impulses of humanity like crime, but it’s also a genre built on tension, pacing, character work, and crackerjack storytelling, all elements that are elemental to comics and build truly rip-roaring yarns.”
The launch titles from the IDW Crime imprint are all three issue limited series, each one 40+ pages for only $4.99 USD. Contact a comic shop near you to pre-order the debut issues of Seven Wives, Killer Influences and Fixation.
