Horror icons Devon Sawa and the cast of Deathgasm find themselves embroiled in the world of cosplay and slashers as they enter the pages of True Believers. The slasher series from Hex Publishers is set at the real-life Colorado Festival of Horror and features an all-new slasher villain that goes by the moniker Killr™. In an exclusive preview of the miniseries’ second issue, meet the unlucky horror-adjacent celebrities who will seemingly cross paths with the cosplay-based copycat killer.
Co-created and co-written by Stephen Graham Jones and Joshua Viola with art by Ben Matsuya, True Believers made its debut with a Kickstarter campaign for the first issue, which surpassed its goal and sold out of all rewards. The team is now showing off celebrity cameos as they kick off promotion for the second issue’s campaign. Screen Rant has a first look at the art for the appearances by Devon Sawa and the cast of Deathgasm in True Believers #2.
Set a year after the first issue, True Believers #2 will see a new figure adopting the persona of slasher character Killr™. It remains to be seen whether this is another obsessive fan or a new threat, but Hex Publishers promises a “rollercoaster of suspense and humor with a fresh ensemble of characters. With new mysteries, hilarious gags, and an extra dose of blood, issue 2 promises a thrilling ride for both seasoned fans and newcomers alike.” The Kickstarter campaign for the series’ second issue features lettering by Jeremiah Lambert as well as variant covers by a team of artists yet to be announced.
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The Cameos in True Believers Prove Its Horror Bona Fides
Devon Sawa is one of the horror genre’s premier scream kings, and his cameo appearance in True Believers is a perfect fit for the series set at a horror convention. Matthew Therrien’s cover for the second issue pays homage to Sawa’s 1999 cult horror-comedy Idle Hands. In the role Sawa says he’d return to, he stars as both unwitting killer and victim when the main character’s right hand is possessed by a serial killer. Other credits that solidify the actor as a horror icon include leading the first Final Destination film and taking on several roles in the Chucky TV series.
That’s not where the horror community cameos end, as True Believers promises more attendees at the comic’s fictionalized Colorado Festival of Horror. The Idle Hands homage cover lists appearances by heavy metal musician Matthew Kiichi Heafy and the band GWAR. The comic continues the theme with the addition of the cast of Deathgasm, a 2015 horror-comedy out of New Zealand about a metal band that accidentally summons demons. Deathgasm was well received by critics and audiences, and a Kickstarter campaign has been launched to crowdfund a sequel.
True Believers Brings Meta Terror to the Colorado Festival of Horror
The debut issue of True Believers was first previewed at 2023’s Colorado Festival of Horror, where the series is set. The 2024 festival will feature exclusives from the series. Celebrity appearances like the ones teased are a common occurrence for this type of fan-based convention, and their addition enhances the slasher comic’s celebration of the festival and its attendees. With a cosplay-based killer, the miniseries is sure to make readers second-guess the creative costumed fans around them at their next con.
“Nothing better than being at a horror convention, and the Colorado Festival of Horror does it right,” said co-writer Stephen Graham Jones. “Only thing better might be . . . I don’t know. Maybe being there and feeling like you’re walking through the panels of a slasher comic book?”
True Believers looks to be an exciting miniseries for readers who do their own cosplay, attend fan conventions, or just enjoy a good and gory horror story. With the acclaimed team of Jones, Viola, and Matsuya at the helm, the series’ all-new Killr™ is set to make a bloody splash in the slasher scene. Along with cameos from horror favorites like Devon Sawa and the cast of Deathgasm, True Believers is a must-read for anybody with a love of the gruesome and macabre genre.
