Hey team,

We’re kicking off 2026 with the reveal of KILLER INFLUENCES, a new comic book written by me with art by Valeria Burzo, colors by Iñaki Azpiazua, letters by Alex Ray, edits by Dave Wielgosz, and published by IDW in July as part of their newly announced IDW Crime imprint!

IDW has debuted two covers so far — one by Valeria and Iñaki and the other by David Baldeón & KJ Díaz.

Keen-eyed readers of this newsletter may recall this project under the codename PROJECT SLICE-N-DICE appearing in “Other Shit” in the latter half of 2025. I started working on it in October and turned in the final script in January.

Here’s how IDW puts it:

Melvin’s a serial killer who craves infamy. His problem? He’s so efficient and methodical that he doesn’t have a brand and no one has connected his crimes — except for Kylie, an aspiring true crime influencer who reaches out to him, hoping his story can help her become a star. The unlikely duo will make a pact to accomplish their dreams... and destroy their lives in the process.

Natural Born Killers

I read a lot of non-fiction of the crime variety. I love a true crime documentary, enjoy a good investigative podcast. But there’s a line most true crime fans contend with and I think it’s different for everybody — when does true crime stop being informative and start being exploitative? Is there such a thing as non-exploitative true crime in the first place?

There’s a lot of nuance in the middle, I think, but I would say on one end of the spectrum is THE EXECUTIONER’S SONG and on the other is Ryan Murphy’s body of work, know what I mean? One is a complex portrayal of a broken system and a terrible crime while the other asks, “What if Ed Gein was kind of hot though?”

The opportunity to write this book came up just as I was finishing the excellent MURDERLAND by Caroline Fraser and the less excellent UNMASKED by Paul Holes and Robin Gaby Fisher. Not quite the polar opposites of Mailer/Murphy, but someplace in the middle.

In the former, Fraser attempts to connect dots on a chronological timeline between the most infamous serial killers of the post-World War II era in the Pacific Northwest and, specifically, their proximity and exposure to the pollutants from lead smelters in the region.

In the latter, Holes writes a memoir that reflects on his career as a cold case investigator, including his role investigating the Golden State Killer, a monster who was the subject of a Very Good and well-known book called I’LL BE GONE IN THE DARK by Michelle McNamara. I think it’s fair to say McNamara’s book brought Holes’ role in catching GSK to light.

These books are true crime stories but also memoirs, and reading MURDERLAND and UNMASKED side by side was stark. Fraser uses her childhood in Tacoma as a thread she pulls to understand the plague of serial killing during the 1970s and 80s and paints dimensional portraits of the victims, while Holes primarily centers the narrative on himself.

Since McNamara’s book came out, Holes has gone on to get his own book deal, appear on “My Favorite Murder” and other murder shows and even launched some investigative podcasts himself. A 21st century new media alternative to becoming a for-hire professional trial expert or something, I guess. I find it a very bleak symptom of late stage capitalism for someone with these type of skills to monetize them for content.

It was this career trajectory, from investigator to influencer, that was already percolating when Dave hit me up about writing KILLER INFLUENCES. A dark manifestation, perhaps, but a welcome one.

Serial killers are obviously narcissistic, but I am intrigued thinking about the lengths a so-called normie might be willing to go to capitalize on the bloodlust of listeners in service of their own self-interest. They may have the skills to investigate and solve cold cases (or at least create content out of them) — but to go so far as to center themselves in an investigation comes from the same well of narcissism as our serial killers.

My intention with this book was to give the reader the experience of watching a friend drive headfirst into a brick wall while you sit in the passenger seat and yell at them to hit the brakes. Resigned to the fact that all you can do is watch the beautiful bloody train wreck that we know isn’t going to end well for anyone — all in the name of “content.”

That’s KILLER INFLUENCES in a nutshell — I hope it asks the reader to be complicit in the crimes for the sake of their own amusement and investigate who is ultimately benefiting from their macabre obsession.

But, you know, fun!

See you in hell,

-Joey
[email protected]
PO Box 1093, Bath, ME 04530
Buy my comics

MMPR: ZORD QUEST — Signed copies are now available in my web store!

SHITKICKERS — I’m pleased to say that Zoop has fulfilled these orders and backers should have them in hand! If you don’t, please let know. If you missed out on SHITKICKERS, we’re planning to crowdfund the entire graphic novel later this year, so stay tuned. In the meantime, SHITKICKERS #1 is available to read for free on GlobalComix.

THE PEDESTRIAN VERTICAL SCROLL EDITION A new vertical scroll version of THE PEDESTRIAN is exclusive to GlobalComix and offers a new way to read! Check it out.

SOUP DAD MERCH!!! 

THE PEDESTRIAN THREADLESS SHOP is still available for all your PEDESTRIAN needs. And as always, if you haven’t snagged a copy of THE PEDESTRIAN yet, it’s available in my web store, online, and on GlobalComix. 

ABSOLUM developed by Guard Crush Games and Supamonks, published by Dotemu

I don’t play as many video games as I would like these days, so I’m often sucked in by games with addicting (and relatively short) gameplay loops — and ABSOLUM delivers in spades. It’s side-scrolling brawler action — like classic TMNT or STREETS OF RAGE games — but with the roguelike systems of a game like HADES that slowly increases your stats with satisfying results. I’ve been playing solo and online co-op with a friend — I can’t recommend it enough, especially for just $25.

A HAUNTING ON THE HILL by Elizabeth Hand

Shirley Jackson’s THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE is a stone-cold classic, of course, and this authorized sequel by Elizabeth Hand is really working for me. I’m still reading it, but Hand’s knack for compelling and deeply flawed characters (see her excellent series starring punk rock photographer-turned-sleuth Cass Neary) is on full display while dropping them in the middle of the most infamous haunted house in literature.

LASER JOAN AND THE RAYGUNS by Adam P. Knave, D.J. Kirkbride, Robert Wilson IV, Jordan Boyd, Frank Cvetkovic

Adam and DJ are some of my oldest pals in comics and I’m so pumped that they are dipping their toes into the crowdfunding waters to reprint their classic Dark Horse Presents story as a standalone one-shot! This is GI JOE meets JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS, a must-read for anybody who enjoys fun. They’ve got great rewards, including their past comic book work like THE ONCE & FUTURE QUEEN and ERRAND BOYS, so snatch it up while you can. Back it here.

PROJECT ROLLERCOASTER (WFH) — We’re moving fast on this one. I think by next month I’ll be able to share what we’ve been working on. I’m very excited!

PROJECT PUKE — This one’s up for review at a publisher this week. Keep your fingies and toesies crossed.

PROJECT ENSHITTIFICATION — This is a new creator-owned project I’m throwing on the WIP board. It’s ambitious and violent and is my current funnel for coping with all of the real-world horrors we’re enduring.

THE PEDESTRIAN  — Sean and I are working diligently behind the scenes. More to say soon.

MADAM — Backers of the MADAM Kickstarter were alerted to this update, but there was a slight delay at the printer that put fulfillment slightly behind schedule, but I’ve got the tracking number and I should have a weekend of packing orders ahead of me. Here’s a photo of our stack of books straight from the source:

Thanks for hanging out. If you have any suggestions or questions, please feel free to drop me a line at [email protected].