PORTLAND, OR — Mad Cave Studios proudly presents Wild Animals, the first arc in an all-new hard-hitting crime series written by award-winning Ed Brisson (Uncanny X-Men, Old Man Logan, Alpha Flight) and illustrated by comics veteran Andy Kuhn (Firebreather, TMNT, Conan The Barbarian). With colors by Dee Cunniffe, letters by Rob Jones, and a variant Cover B by Robert Hack (Archie vs. Predator), this 5-issue miniseries peels back the layers of vengeance, memory, and moral reckoning.
Neil’s life has been falling apart ever since his father was killed by crooked cops. Fifteen years later, Neil’s mother lays on her deathbed and he’s stuck in a dead-end job, has nowhere to live, and no hope to speak of. Life keeps kicking Neil and he keeps taking it, too frightened to fight back. Until now.
With his world crumbling around him, Neil finds himself backed into a corner, with no choice but to make a stand and right the wrongs that have haunted him for years. Revenge is a dangerous path to walk and the deeper Neil goes, the more he realizes that violence is all consuming.
Perfect for fans of gritty crime thrillers like Criminal and Parker, Brisson and Kuhn deliver a hard-hitting, high-stakes story that pulls no punches.
“Returning to crime comics with Wild Animals feels like slipping into a well-worn coat,” said Brisson. “Writing crime comics is where I started my career and it’s where I feel most alive as a writer. Not only were they supportive, but they were downright excited at the prospect when I pitched it to them—
“In Wild Animals, Neil, a down-on-his-luck 20-something, is being kicked from all sides: he’s been evicted from his apartment, he’s lost his mother, and is constantly harassed due to his appearance. He’s left with nothing — no home, no family, nothing. Haunted by the killing of his cop father at the hands of three crooked cops fifteen years earlier, Neil decides that he’s done being a victim and returns to his hometown with a plan to seek vengeance and finish the job his father started. But, as he confronts the men who destroyed his life, the lines between memory and reality begin to blur. It’s a story of vengeance, the frailty of truth, and the lasting harm of family secrets—
“And Andy Kuhn’s art? It’s the perfect visual counterpoint to the story’s grit – unsettling, raw, and unforgettable.”
Unsettling, raw, and unforgettable, Wild Animals will sink its teeth in and never let go—the perfect read for fans of Criminal, Stray Bullets, Sin City, True Detective, and Fargo.
Wild Animals #1 hits comic shops July 9, 2025.
Wild Animals #1 Preview
