The Lab Press has announced Callisto, a sci-fi horror graphic novel created by writer Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), artist Andrea Mutti (Barbarian Behind Bars), colorist Lee Loughridge (Standstill), letterer Marshall Dillon, and designers Emma Price & John J. Hill. Set in the far future, the book follows detective Becca Ramos, whose investigation into a series of disappearances leads her to the titular moon of Jupiter, which has become a major mining and religious cultural center
The official synopsis tells us to expect “an eerie hidden cult, a steadily growing body count, and a dark, otherworldly force lying in wait just below the surface.” It elaborates, “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.”
Niles states, “I love the idea of taking a different setting and using it to say something about the world we live in today. 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?”
Dagen Walker, editor-in-chief of The Lab, adds, “At The Lab, we’re always looking for stories that couldn’t exist anywhere else. 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.”
Callisto is available to pre-order now from Amazon and other retailers ahead of its release in comics shops on September 30, and bookstores and online retailers on October 6. It will have a main cover by Scott Hampton, and a Limited Edition release (totaling 200 copies) featuring a cover by Chris Shehan. You can check those out below, along with an extended interior preview (including an exclusive tenth page)
Lab Press president Diane Richey comments, “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. 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.”
