The Boondocks and American Gods writer Rodney Barnes is officially heading back to the world of comics as he teams with Spawn artist Jason Shawn Alexander for a new horror/vampire series, Killadelphia.

The comic follows a small-town beat cop who comes home to bury his murdered father—the revered Philadelphia detective James Sangster Sr. Upon his return, he begins to unravel a mystery that leads him down a path of horrors that will shake his beliefs to their core. The city that was once the symbol of liberty and freedom has fallen prey to corruption, poverty, unemployment, brutality… and vampires.

“I wanted to tell a story about people who have fallen through the cracks of society. Those who dream the American dream but do so from the back of the line. That is until now,” said Barnes. “Can they who have been shown little mercy themselves be merciful? We shall soon see. I can’t say enough about Jason Shawn Alexander’s art, which beautifully captures the mood and tone of an American city under siege. And I’m excited for all to experience the horrors which lurk in the alleys and low places of a town we call Killadelphia.”

Killadelphia #1 Cover A by Jason Shawn Alexander

Alexander added his own sentiments towards the comic in an official statement:

“Killadelphia has a human element that I don’t often get to see in the horror genre, and rarely get a chance to portray. The story, at times, has me at the edge of my seat and at others, leaves me with a lump in my throat. One gets the feeling you’re reading about real people with real lives in an extraordinarily frightening situation. Luis NCT and my part, at this point, is to bring the art to the level of Rodney Barnes’ emotive words. I think the audience, and myself, have an amazing ride ahead of us.”

Series editor Greg Tumbarello touched on the tone and aesthetic of the comic.

“Killadelphia is an enthralling horror story that claws into the most terrifying elements of humanity and a society in chaos, while being balanced against an incredibly personal story of a son searching to break beyond his father’s shadow by solving his murder,” said Tumbarello. “Not only do Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander perfectly complement each other, but the entire creative team has seamlessly come together to make some of the most exciting comics you’ll ever read. This is a series you cannot miss.”

The comic has received significant praise from those within the entertainment industry, including horror-master Jordan Peele, and Runaways creator Brian K. Vaughan:

“It’s the best graphic novel I’ve ever read. Five times more graphic and eight times more novel.” —Chris Rock “Killadelphia is the stunning and fresh horror fable I’ve been craving. This one feels like a classic.” —Jordan Peele “Jason Shawn Alexander is one of my favorite artists working today, and writer Rodney Barnes is the perfect collaborator for this atmospheric horror story with a terrifyingly real sense of place.” —Brian K. Vaughan “Sparely written, beautifully rendered and topical, Killadelphia is a genuinely frightening horror graphic. Can’t wait to read the next issue!” —Steven Barnes & Tananarive Due

The series will officially hit stores on Wednesday, November 27. It can be pre-ordered with your local comic shop or purchased across many digital platforms, including the official Image Comics iOS app, Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, comiXology, and Google Play.