Chad Burdette
The wait is over! DEMON RUSH: OMNIBUS 1, the deluxe hardbound debut of Jake Mastar’s grassroots phenomenon, brings readers a 300-plus-page graphic novel packed with celestial warfare, supernatural intrigue, and a mythos years in the making.
Demon Rush showcases Mastar’s expansive worldbuilding with striking, anime-inspired art, laying the groundwork for a universe built to grow. From the Holy Knights and the Black Hand to the shadowed realm of Limbo and relics like the Aethernus sword, every detail feels alive—already branching into a full trading card game with plans for RPGs, animation, and collector editions.
Jake Mastar sat down with Comic Watch to to talk about Demon Rush and more:
Comic Watch: What is your Comic Book history, both as a reader and creator? Do you remember the first Comic that you read or grabbed your interest?
Jake Mastar:
To be honest, I believe the first comic I ever touched was about 30 years ago, and it was Dragon Ball Z. I was infatuated with the ink style and character designs, and it was a gateway for me to expand into other stories. I still have all those old DBZ comics in a binder, and every once in a while pull one out for inspiration.
Although I spent a lot of my childhood in comic shops, I was mostly interested in their small section of anime and manga titles. I went on to read all of Naruto and Berserk, which definitely inspired my style as well.
Comic Watch: What is the elevator pitch for the story and inspiration for Demon Rush?
JM:
Demon Rush is a supernatural action manga where humanity teeters on the brink of extinction. It’s the end of days, and you’re caught in the eye of the storm! Will you join the holy team and battle alongside the angels, or go evil and gain tremendous strength through combat? Packed with mesmerizing fight scenes, layered antiheroes, and a world where power always comes at a cost, Demon Rush delivers a relentless ride for fans who like their stories dark, fast, and unforgiving.
Comic Watch: Tell us about the main characters and the larger story?
JM:
Demon Rush is a dual protagonist dark fantasy adventure in which the reader chooses the hero.
In a world where magic has long been forgotten—until the Archangel Michael descends to Earth, determined to defend it against an impending demonic invasion orchestrated by Lucifer himself. After millennia of slumber, Lucifer awakens and unleashes a monstrous abomination to capture Michael, intending to harness the archangel’s divine energy to break free from the infernal prison of Hell. To succeed, he must reclaim the nine lost pages of the Grand Compendium—a legendary grimoire once used by the Archangels to forge Hell and imprison him within it.
Soren Eyer and Rush Cohen are violently separated amidst the chaos and conscripted into opposing sides of the oncoming war for humanity’s fate. Soren is rescued and apprenticed to Az, a powerful templar of the forgotten Holy Knights, who trains him in the sacred magical art of Imperium, the divine energy that flows through all humans. Az believes Soren may be the chosen one, destined to lead a new order of Holy Knights—especially after Michael, moments before being dragged into Hell, entrusts Soren with his sacred sword Aethernus, which transforms into a golden feather.
Meanwhile, Rush is abducted by Karner, a ruthless warlock, and thrown into brutal trials designed to forge him into the ultimate dark warrior. After outwitting and defeating a demon with his quick reflexes and strategic thinking, Rush is taken to Limbo, a realm between worlds, where he must survive increasingly savage battles. Each time he slays a demon, he absorbs their Imperium, gaining strength, speed, and new powers.
As his trials escalate, Rush is sent by Karner to investigate a lead on the Grand Compendium. His search brings him into contact with The Black Hand, a feared syndicate of dark magic users linked to his father’s mysterious past. During a tense meeting, they reveal a shocking truth: his father may still be alive. They lead him to Nolan Bates, an eccentric billionaire who holds a vital clue to the Compendium’s whereabouts.
Rush is caught between loyalty, vengeance, and survival. With his mother gravely ill, his father missing, and Karner pushing him toward even deadlier challenges, Rush must scour the Earth for an artifact that may not even exist—while Soren prepares to lead the final stand against Hell’s uprising.
Comic Watch: How has the storytelling process evolved from the beginning till now
JM:
Chapter 1 of Demon Rush is a flash forward in which you see a mysterious man named Rush go all out in a battle against Adriel, the Angel of Destruction. The idea was to show what the series is capable of at its heights with chapter 1, and then the next chapters would explain the origin stories of the characters, and begin to answer the myriad of questions the reader has.
After diving into the origins of Soren and Rush, I designed a fantasy world with various realms to explore, factions at war, and an exciting story to unfold. Soren and Rush are currently getting more powerful as their trials and training intensify, but the story is still just warming up. I’m looking forward to a timeskip in which the two main characters are now comfortable with their powers, and the battles are even more intense.
Comic Watch: Tell us about your relationship with Drawsmile. How did they collaborate with you on the story?
JM:
Drawsmile was an unknown artist with under 100 followers on Instagram, but his artwork was unparalleled. He took an interest in Demon Rush as it was both a new challenge (He had never made manga before) and also a religious topic that’s close to his heart. I write the manuscript for each chapter and then show Drawsmile, who usually has input. He sends me 6 draft pages at a time, first as a sketch with the paneling flushed out, which I approve or make changes to, and then he inks those pages and sends them to me again. Typically, this process is smooth, but sometimes Drawsmile has an idea for a particular shot, and his input is valued. He’s extremely easy to work with, which is a blessing given his talent.
Comic Watch: As a writer and creator, who influences you and your work?
JM:
I’m a huge fan of power fantasy anime. One Punch Man is the biggest inspiration, as I believe series artist Yusuke Murata is the best in the world. I grew up with Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball Z, but I have outgrown it quite a bit. Others include Solo-Leveling and Berserk. I adore the RPG-style stories where the main character has a progression system to get stronger.
Growing up, my favorite video game was Diablo. I always wished there was an angel vs demon type of anime in this style, and I would say Demon Rush is fairly close to the bleak, celestial storyline of Diablo.
Comic Watch: Besides a fun and exciting worldbuilding, what do you hope readers will take away from Demon Rush?
JM:
Dreams are possible, no matter your age. Like most children, we have an idea of what we want to be when we grow up, but after settling into a regular job to pay the bills for a few years, those dreams tend to slip away. I worked a soul-sucking corporate desk job for 10 years before quitting and pursuing my dream, and it was the best decision I ever made. You’re never too old to chase your dream; it just matters how badly you want it and what you are willing to sacrifice to make it a reality.
Comic Watch: What advice would you give your younger self, and what is the best advice you have received? What advice would you give aspiring comics writers?
JM:
It’s important to study what makes a series successful. Simply having great art isn’t enough to make a series popular, but being humorous can be. Take the One Punch Man webcomic, for example—the artist ONE draws like a child, but his series exploded in popularity because of the hilarious main character.
My main piece of advice would be to make sure your story is as general an audience as possible. While a niche theme can build extremely loyal fans, you are also limiting yourself on exposure. Something as simple as ‘Ninja Cats’ would do well because so many people like cats. It doesn’t always have to be a multi-layered, deep story. More often than not, a simple, fun story that many people can easily understand will outperform the complex masterpiece.
Comic Watch: What other projects do you have in the works, and where can people find you on the web?
JM:
My main channel is Mastar Media, which is approaching 4 million subscribers. There, I review anime content and make fan animation, such as Saitama vs the Monster God and Anime War, a series that earned over half a billion views on YouTube. I am currently thinking about starting Anime War 2.
See social links below:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MaSTARMedia
X: https://x.com/MastarMedia
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Demon Rush
In a world where magic has been forgotten, the Archangel Michael descends to stop a demonic invasion led by the newly awakened Lucifer, who seeks the nine lost pages of the Grand Compendium to break free from Hell. Amid the chaos, best friends Soren Eyer and Rush Cohen are torn apart and forced onto opposing sides of the coming war: Soren is rescued by the Holy Knights and trained to wield Imperium, the divine energy flowing through humanity, while Michael entrusts him with the sacred sword Aethernus. Rush, abducted by a ruthless warlock, survives brutal trials in Limbo, gaining power with every demon he defeats and uncovering shocking secrets about his father and the Compendium itself. As Soren prepares to lead humanity’s final stand, Rush is driven by vengeance and survival, setting the stage for an epic clash that will decide the fate of Heaven and Earth.
- Writer: Jake Mastar
- Artist: Drawsmile
DEMON RUSH: OMNIBUS 1, the deluxe hardbound debut of Jake Mastar’s grassroots phenomenon, brings readers a 300-plus-page graphic novel packed with celestial warfare, supernatural intrigue, and a mythos years in the making is now available for purchase
