Cover by Sami Kivelä

AfterShock Comics have announced “The Heathens,” a new supernatural series from writers Cullen Bunn and Heath Amodio, with art by Sami Kivelä (“Undone by Blood,” “Abbott”), colors by Jason Wordie, and lettering by Simon Bowland. The comic will see some of history’s most evil souls escaping Hell, and the pirate queen Ching Shih being ordered to hunt them down and retrieve them. Her team, the Heathens, will consist of fellow historical criminals Lucky Luciano, Bumpy Johnson, Sofia the Golden Hand, and Billy the Kid.

Bunn said in the press release, “Anyone who is familiar with me as a creator knows I love historical figures and time periods. They also know I love infusing stories featuring those characters and time periods with a healthy dose of the supernatural.

Heath brought the seed of this idea to me, and I loved it from the jump. It has history, villains, even worse villains, supernatural worlds, and redemption — everything that I could hope for in a book!”

Heath Amodio is the co-founder of Bunn’s production company Hustle and Heart Films. He said, “Cullen really focuses my writing. I tend to just start writing and whatever’s uncovered is where I go with the story. Cullen is more structured than I am, and that really helps when going back and forth with a story like this. He’s a great writer so working with him the past couple of years has undoubtedly elevated my own storytelling.”

“The Heathens” #1 will be released on November 3, and will retail for $4.99. You can read the full solicit and Q&A with the writers below the incentive cover by Andrea Mutti, and unlettered interior artwork.

The Heathens #1 / $4.99 / 32 pages / Color / 11.03.2021

Writers: Cullen Bunn & Heath Amodio

Artist: Sami Kivelä

Colorist: Jason Wordie

Letterer: Simon Bowland

Cover: Sami Kivelä w/ Jason Wordie

Incentive Cover: Andrea Mutti

When evil men and women escape from the depths of the eternal abyss, the Pirate Queen Lady Shih is sent to retrieve them. But when one of history’s most notorious killers breaks free, even she needs help. Enter the Heathens: Shih, Lucky Luciano, Bumpy Johnson, Sofia the Golden Hand, and Billy the Kid. From Hell they came to mete out a justice as dark as their own tormented souls.

From the wonderfully wretched imaginations of AfterShock horror-alum Cullen Bunn (EDEN, PIECEMEAL, DARK ARK) and Heath Amodio (SuperCLEAN), and illustrated by superstar Sami Kivelä (UNDONE BY BLOOD), in THE HEATHENS, evil meets its match – five of them, to be exact.

CULLEN BUNN ON WHAT THE STORY IS ABOUT AND WHY HE’S EXCITED FOR IT TO COME OUT:

“THE HEATHENS is the story of five of history’s most notorious villains, all of them tasked with working together to stop a vicious killer who is so much worse than they are. When the worst human monsters in the world slip free from the afterlife, the Heathens are sent to bring them back. I think readers are really going to love these characters and their adventures, and I’m looking forward to seeing which characters surface as fan-faves!”

CULLEN BUNN ON SOME OF THE INSPIRATIONS BEHIND CREATING THE BOOK:

“Anyone who is familiar with me as a creator knows I love historical figures and time periods. They also know I love infusing stories featuring those characters and time periods with a healthy dose of the supernatural. Heath brought the seed of this idea to me, and I loved it from the jump. It has history, villains, even worse villains, supernatural worlds, and redemption—everything that I could hope for in a book!”

CULLEN BUNN ON WHAT HE ENJOYS MOST IN HAVING A CO-WRITER ON A SERIES VS SOLO:

“It’s definitely nice to have a collaborator to throw ideas back and forth with, and when it comes to scripting, Heath and I are able to back each other up. I write the pages that excite me most. Heath does the same. It’s only when we both want to write the same pages that we have to enter battle-to-the-death mode!”

HEATH AMODIO ON (3) REASONS WHY COMIC READERS SHOULD PICKUP THIS BOOK:

1. Readers get to see 5 of history’s most notorious men and women take on the most infamous murderer in the world.

2. Tons of kick ass action!

3. Sami and Jason have killed it with the art. The book is gorgeous!

HEATH AMODIO ON HOW HIS EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE CREATIVE TEAM AND AFTERSHOCK SO FAR:

“Everyone at AfterShock has been very supportive from day one. The team’s excitement about this project has been palpable, which really helped to drive the writing. Sami made some great calls with the art, experimenting with the panels and layouts really added to the storytelling. He and Jason did an amazing job bringing our vision to life.”

HEATH AMODIO ON HIS APPROACH TO CO-WRITING A COMIC:

“Cullen really focuses my writing. I tend to just start writing and whatever’s uncovered is where I go with the story. Cullen is more structured than I am, and that really helps when going back and forth with a story like this. He’s a great writer so working with him the past couple of years has undoubtedly elevated my own storytelling.”