Dustin Gebel
Image Comics revealed more information about the upcoming one-shot, The Sacred Damned. The story comes from writer Sabir Pirzada, artist Michael Walsh, and letterer Becca Carey as part of The Horizon Experiment, an incubator imprint created and led by writer/editor Pornsak Pichetshote. The Sacred Damn, set for release in the perfect time of October, follows Inayah Jibril, Professor of Ethnography and the Occult as she conducts her work as a demon hunter and exorcist.
In the press release, Pirzada discussed building the story out of Muslim folklore and culture, stating:
“I took sadistic pleasure in delving into the stuff of Muslim nightmares for The Sacred Damned. People think of Islamic culture as a monolith, but the opposite couldn’t be more true: it’s varied, rich, and rarely given the spotlight in western narratives despite representing a massive global population. When Pornsak challenged me to take us to new places in horror where no one has ever gone before, I knew that could only be accomplished with Michael Walsh, the greatest horror artist of our generation. It was a distinct thrill to have industry titan editors Will Dennis and Pornsak Pichetshote along for the ride as we introduce the world to a bold new antihero in Inayah Jibril.”
Inayah is described as the “Muslim John Constantine” which pairs well with Walsh’s horror background. Alongside the interior work, Walsh also illustrates the main cover with Tula Lotay providing a variant cover that connects across the other four Horizon Experiment titles.
Walsh spoke about the elements that made the script appeal, stating:
“When the incredible Pornsak Pichetshote first approached me about contributing to The Horizon Experiment, I was immediately interested…Reading Sabir’s pitch for The Sacred Damned sealed the deal. It really felt like an entirely fresh new take on a type of horror story that I love: the modern examination of classic folklore, mythology and religion through the lens of the Horror genre. When I received the script, I was thrilled—not only was this going to be a blast to draw, but there was an authenticity, economy and understanding of the medium that cemented this as something that would be really special and really terrifying. Working with this whole team, Will, Pornsak, Sabir, Toni Marie, and the excellent letterer and designer Becca Carey, has been an absolute joy and has resulted in a book that I am truly proud of.”
The Horizon Experiment will encompass five one-shots in total that play with genre and give marginalized creators the ability to craft new and exciting ideas. Pichetshote is writing the initial book alongside editing the line alongside Will Dennis. Pichetshote’s The Manchurian launches in September, and will then be followed by stories by Tananarive Due and Kelsey Ramsey, by J. Holtham and Michael Lee Harris, and Vita Ayala and Skylar Patridge.
In the press release, Pichetshote discussed the appeal of the line and The Sacred Damned, stating:
“There’s no formal way to break into comics, so many creators like Sabir get swept up into other mediums in the process of trying. But even in that intensely competitive environment, Sabir came out a star—writing for Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm, as well as other cool, envious gigs. Yet he was still dying to do comics. That’s how I knew he is exactly the kind of writer that the comic industry needs. The idea of The Sacred Damned—a horror series following a Muslim exorcist—was one of those stunningly obvious concepts you’re astonished no one’s ever done. Looking at exorcism stories outside of the Christian tradition blows the doors off a genre you thought you knew—which is exactly what The Horizon Experiment series is all about. Sabir wanted an artist who could really handle horror, so we swung for the fences and secured the best horror cartoonist currently working, Eisner Award-winning Michael Walsh.”
The Horizon Experiment: The Sacred Damned #1 will be available at comic book shops and across many digital platforms on Wednesday, October 23.
