Has Mad Cave Studios Gone Mad with Kill Train?
Mad Cave Studios announced new title Kill Train last month. I missed the original announcement, but the five issue series they’re calling an “adrenaline-pumping dystopian horror” certainly has my attention now. Preview information is below, followed by my take on what we know so far.
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Writer: Olivia Cuartero-Briggs
Penciller: Martina Niosi
Colorist: Simone D’Angelo
Letterer: Becca Carey
Cover artist(s): Skylar Patridge, Alison Sampson (variant)
Release date: January 22, 2025
Cover price: $4.99
“Synopsis: To control the population explosion that nearly crippled the city, New York has instituted Kill Train, a randomized, extermination program where designated subway trains are picked at random, and all the passengers are slaughtered by the end of the line. In this not-so-distant future, we meet Vanessa, a struggling single mom in the midst of a nervous breakdown, who discovers that she, herself, is on a Kill Train. Now, for once in her life and with everything to prove, Vanessa decides she’s not going down without a fight.”
My take:
I’ll start with the attention grabbing premise. Some questions I have going in concern how the trains are picked, the crews involved and the fallout after each train of citizens is killed. Having those answers is just one part, but seeing how they’re revealed across the five issues will be interesting by itself. That comes from someone who just appreciates the art of storytelling.
A story in the realms of horror and thriller taking place on subway trains inherently brings with it interesting storytelling elements. I’m wondering how the creative team will explore the setting with the potential for some claustrophobic terror.
Continuing with the creative team, an aspect that stuck out from the preview pages is Simone D’Angelo’s coloring. His palette looks to provide a juxtaposition with the horror genre that only comics can offer. So I’m all aboard (get it?) and looking forward to seeing more.
For more information on Kill Train, head over to Mad Cave Studios.