DC Comics Reveals New Horror Line Fronted By Joe Hill

This October, DC will team up with best-selling author Joe Hill (NOS4A2, Locke & Key) to present Hill House Comics, a new pop-up line of horror comic books. DC’s long-standing tradition of publishing thought-provoking and riveting horror from HOUSE OF MYSTERY to classic SANDMAN will continue with this new line featuring five original limited series meant to chill the bones and summon nightmares with smart, subversive narratives and haunting, heart-stopping visuals. And it all begins this fall, in time for a very haunting Halloween.

“Anyone who’s paying attention knows we’re in the middle of a new golden age of horror: films like Get Out, Hereditary, It Follows and plain old It have raised the bar higher and higher,” says Hill. “Meanwhile, ongoing shows like AMC’s The Terror and Netflix’s Stranger Things have shattered preconceived notions about what’s possible in episodic terror TV. There’s great stuff happening in comics, of course—in a field of unbounded creativity and wacko visionaries, there’s always great stuff happening—but greedy me wants more.

“At Hill House Comics we aim to shock the senses and soak the page in red, with new, hooky horror from seasoned old hands and young masters of the field, all set free to share their most disturbing nightmares…for your pleasure! The books are backed by DC’s second-to-none comic book craftsmanship, and we’re working with the very best editors on parole from Arkham Asylum to craft unputdownable tales of menace and madness. I can’t wait to share some fresh scares with comic book readers everywhere. It’s going to be fun.” 

The first of these new monthly comics will debut on October 30 with BASKETFUL OF HEADS, written by Joe Hill with art by Leomacs, followed by four other series in subsequent months, including:

• THE DOLLHOUSE FAMILY from Mike Carey (LUCIFER, HELLBLAZER, The Girl with All the Gifts) and Peter Gross (LUCIFER, THE BOOKS OF MAGIC, THE UNWRITTEN)
• THE LOW, LOW WOODS by Carmen Maria Machado (Her Body and Other Parties) and Dani (2000 AD, Coffin Bound, Deep Roots)
• DAPHNE BYRNE by Laura Marks (TV writer and producer, playwright of Bethany) and Kelley Jones (SWAMP THING, DEADMAN, THE SANDMAN)
• PLUNGE by Hill and artist TBD

In addition, a backup story titled “Sea Dogs,”written by Hill and featuring lycanthropes terrorizing a crew of sailors at sea, will run in the back of every issue from the line. 

“Bringing horror to the forefront of our publishing plan has been a huge initiative for DC and a passion project of mine, but it was always about finding the right time and voice to mastermind it—and there is no one better than Joe Hill,” says DC executive editor Mark Doyle. “Joe is a modern master; his ability to blend visceral, high-concept horror with heartfelt characters is what has grabbed the attention (and throats!) of millions of readers. His vision and taste are unparalleled; you can see it in the incredible talent he’s assembled here, and the stories they’re crafting are bringing the next generation of horror to DC.”

“Joe Hill’s vision for this new line is incredibly exciting,” says DC Editor-in-Chief Bob Harras. “Bringing in new and well-known creative voices with different backgrounds to tell their thrilling and terrifying tales, mixed with the energy around the horror genre at large—it all makes it a great time to be a fan of DC.”

“We’re so happy to welcome Joe Hill to DC, and to partner with him on this new specialty line of creator-owned horror books,” says DC Publisher Dan DiDio. “Horror has been such an integral part of DC’s history and it’s a tradition we want to see revitalized. As a lifetime fan of horror, I know fans are going to be so excited when these books hit shelves. I can’t wait.”

Hill House Comics will get its first spotlight at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, with a panel hosted by Hill and Doyle, with other special guests. The panel will be held Friday, July 19, at 4:15 p.m. in room 6DE. 

Hill House Comics will be released under DC Black Label, as they are intended for mature audiences. For more information on Hill House Comics, stay tuned to PREVIEWSworld.com