Heartpiercer is an epic new dark fantasy by Bram Stoker nominated writer Rich Douek (Breath of Shadows, Drive Like Hell) and illustrated by Gavin Smith (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) filled with monsters, creatures, dragons and so much more!

The world building in Heartpiercer is truly exceptional. From the very first page, we are transported to a dark and gritty realm filled with mythical creatures and a quest for power. The attention to detail in both the writing and artwork creates a vivid and immersive experience that has us hooked from the beginning. You can almost feel the oppressive atmosphere of this world seeping through the pages.

While not surprising for fans of Gavin Smith’s illustrations, the artwork in this series is wonderful. Smith’s illustrations bring this dark fantasy world to life with gritty detail. The creatures and monsters that populate this world are both terrifying and mesmerizing, making every page a visual feast for the eyes. Nicholas Burgdorf’s use of color and shading adds to the overall mood of the story, enhancing the sense of danger.

While we’re not typically fans of fantasy stories, Heartpiercer had us hooked from start to finish. The combination of Rich Douek’s storytelling and Gavin Smith’s artwork creates a perfect balance. Douek allows Smith’s artwork to breathe with limited speech bubbles and wonderful narration. Heartpiercer has all the elements of a great fantasy adventure – action, intrigue, mystery, and heart – making it a great fit in the genre.

Heartpiercer is a fantastic debut issue that sets up an exciting new dark fantasy series. With its rich world building and great artwork, this debut issue did a wonderful job setting us up for future issues. This fantasy story is something took us by surprise and are here for the series.

Heartpiercer #1 hits local comic book shops on May 15, 2024 from Dark Horse.