In a press release, AfterShock Comics have announced “Dead Day,” a new book from Ryan Parrott (“Obereon,” “Volition”) and illustrated by Evgeniy Bornyakov (“You Are Obsolete”). The pair are joined by colorist Juancho Velez (“Mythkillers”), and letterer Charles Pritchett (“Obereon”), with cover art by Andy Clarke (“Detective Comics”) and Jose Villarrubia (“Sweet Tooth”).
The book follows the Haskins, a normal suburban family as they prepare to celebrate Dead Day, a macabre holiday in which the dead rise from sunset to sunrise. Some of the dead come back to reunite with their family, while some return for one last night of debauchery, while others still, return for something far more sinister – revenge.
When asked about his inspiration for the comic, Parrott said “I think the inspiration came from the fact that getting older means you start to lose the people you love. I never got a chance to say goodbye to my grandparents before they passed and, I remember for months after their deaths, I would have these insanely vivid dreams were I simply got to talk with them for a few minutes, and then I’d wake up and they were gone. So I thought, what if that actually happened… but worldwide? Television shows like The Purge and The Leftovers have done a wonderful job highlighting how entire societies can change politically or emotionally based on a single moment, and I think I liked the idea of exploring that idea in relationship to death.”
This being Parrott’s third title with AfterShock, the writer had nothing but praise for the publisher. “I can’t say enough wonderful things about my working relationship with AfterShock Comics,” he said, “they’ve always brought a balance of providing creative freedom but keeping you in tune with the commercial sensibilities of the market. They take so many chances in an effort to simply tell a great story,” adding, “AfterShock has shown tremendous faith and commitment to their creators and I will be eternally grateful.”
Parrott gives three reasons for fans to pick up the book:
1.) “If you like character-driven stories about life, death and roads not taken…”
2.) “If you like a little zombie-style gore and violence with your catharsis…”
3.) “If you’ve ever wondered how you might react to seeing someone you love come back from the dead.”
“Dead Day” #1 will hit comic shelves on April 15, 2020.
