Comics
Pick Of The Week: ‘Footprints’ GN
Fellow comic journalist, Joey Esposito, from IGN.com launches his first venture in comic writing with the collected edition of Footprints. Joey Esposito has spent a lot of time reading and writing about comics, and in this ridiculous pulpy tale it shows that all his hard work has not been in vain. “Footprints” centers around mythological monsters like, Bigfoot and the Jersey Devil, among others, who have outed themselves to the public, and formed a team of hard-boiled detectives. The book is abstract, gritty, comical, and it’s an absolutely splendid crime story. Footprints not only re-appropriates the noir genre, but does so with gusto and passion that flies off the pages. With “Footprints”, Esposito and Moore have created an incredible monster-noir tale that will leave you pleading for more.
WRITTEN BY: Joey Esposito
ART BY: Jonathan Moore
PUBLISHER: 215 Ink
PRICE: $11.99
When it comes to absurd ideas, what medium presents them better than comic books. Esposito is well aware of this, and he takes full advantage of it throughout the story. Mythological creatures, Bigfoot, Yeti, The Jersey Devil, and other cryptids have come out of hiding in an attempt to function in the real world (not unlike Ugly Americans). Bigfoot, or Foot as they call him, is a washed up private investigator who, after discovering his brothers mutilated corpse, decides to get the old monster-detective team together to solve the case. Despite the fact that each character fits into a distinct archetypal role, it never feels forced. Each character has a unique voice, and in the end they all play a key function in the grand scheme of things.
The plot is completely outrageous, but Esposito is unabashed in his delivery. Seeing Bigfoot riding on top of the Loch Ness Monster may seem silly out of context, but within the confines of “Footprints”, it works wonders. What solidifies the story is the interwoven subplot that reverts back to the past, revealing dirty little secrets that have a huge impact on the present case. If you read crime fiction, you’ve seen this before, but the creative team does an incredible job of presenting it in a slightly different way. Esposito’s command of the comics medium is evident throughout the story, and somewhat shocking considering this is his first book. His presentation and dramatic pacing keep the reader engaged, even with such a zany story.
Esposito and Moore fill the book with little details that force you to pay close attention to each panel, no matter how small. They don’t simply rely on dialogue to move the plot forward, but like with all good noir stories, it’s the subtext that plays an essential role. Whether it’s a broken picture frame, a small note, or a hand gesture, “Footprints” is filled with great subtleties that showcase how wonderfully ideas can be presented in graphic storytelling . This is invigorating storytelling, and neo-noir at it’s finest.
Another aspect of the book that gives it that punchy, pulpy goodness is the dialogue. Who on earth would have thought to make The Jersey Devil a caricature of Jersey meat heads. He’s over the top in every possible way and it’s hilarious. I rarely laugh when I read comics, but this one had me. The combination of the rough and tough language, the absurdity of the premise, and intertwining narrative, make “Footprints” an extremely original, extremely fun read.
While Esposito’s writing carries the book, it owes a lot to the artwork of Jonathan Moore. I’m a sucker for black and white art, but the way Moore captures the quintessential crime expressionist lighting, the character expressions, and the subtleties in the panels is astonishing. The sketchy lines, dark shading, and cluttered spaces set the mood from page one. While some panels are a bit too jumbled, I felt that it only added to the notion that the audience isn’t supposed to know entirely what’s going on until the end. Whether intentional or not, it worked. Much credit is also due for making Foot and the gang look so cool despite being monsters in clothing trying to solve crimes.
If you thought you knew noir, think again. “Footprints” re-imagines crime fiction in a world where all the cheesy hoaxes you could think of are real. It’s everything you could want from a noir story and more. Joey Esposito has made a name for himself as a comics journalist, it won’t be long before he does it again as a comic writer. “Footprints” is one hell of a good read.
Check out issue #1 for free here!
Comics
‘You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive’ – IDW Dark’s Next Horror Comic Will Make You Question Reality
Five friends. Four houses. One perfect life. Bloody Disgusting is excited to exclusively announce You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive, a brand new horror comic from IDW Dark.
From Eisner-Nominated writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, and rising horror artist Heather Vaughan, You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is described as a “paranoia-laced, socially-conscious, horror mystery that will leave you questioning reality, and reveal that this crafted world is more of a nightmare than the idealistic dream they were expecting.”
Phoebe Joplin has never questioned the world her parents built: a secluded community where she and her friends were raised to be smarter, stronger, and better than anyone else. No distractions. No dangers. No secrets. Until the night of their graduation.
When one of them dies under impossible circumstances, Phee starts to pull at the edges of her perfect life—and what she finds is something far more terrifying than she ever imagined.
Because this place isn’t a sanctuary. It’s a cage. And no one who discovers the truth ever leaves it alive.
Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing (Batman – One Bad Day: Clayface, Star Trek: The Last Starship) co-write the upcoming IDW Dark horror comic, featuring art by Heather Vaughan.
Jackson Lanzing said in a statement to Bloody Disgusting, “You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is in many ways a spiritual successor to our last creator-owned horror, The Principles of Necromancy – a dive into the promise and consequence of playing god with the blood of innocents. But the Hivemind book this reminds me of most is Clayface: One Bad Day. This is a deeply human story with intensely raw emotions – five best friends and their five mysterious parents, tearing one another apart for the promise of some impossible glory that’s waiting just beyond their darkest actions. We’re thrilled to be bringing this story to life with our long-time partner in crime, editor Heather Antos, at IDW Dark – and we’re particularly excited to give our Clayface fans a new, brutal and emotional horror made just for them.”
Adds Collin Kelly, “We’re deconstructing a feeling that seems universal these days; our elders have a death grip on their power, without any intention of giving it up to the generations that come next. YNLTPA is about growing up with the limitless potential of the future… and realizing how much it’s a lie we’ve been fed to keep us under the yoke of the past. Bringing this brutal experience to life is our artist and co-creator, Heather Vaughan, who brings an incredible amount of humanity to our cast. But it’s in our youthful leads that Heather’s art really shines – you are going to fall in love with these young people, even as they go through the worst experience of their lives. What we’ve all crafted together is going to be tragic, painful, but above all else, sincere – with a future so uncertain, there’s only one thing we can trust: you’ll never leave this place alive.”
“Some horror stories are about monsters in the dark. YNLTPA is about realizing the monsters raised you,” previews Senior Group Editor Heather Antos. “Working with Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly on this series has been a dream in the darkest possible way. They’ve built a story that’s layered, brutal, and deeply emotional, and every issue gives artist Heather Vaughan opportunities to push the art into places that feel both haunting and deeply personal. Some horror comics will keep you up at night…this is one that will stick with you for years to come.”
The first issue of You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive goes on sale October 14, 2026! Make sure to pre-order at your local comic shop by September to guarantee a copy.
Exclusively check out the various covers for Issue #1 down below.
IDW Publishing’s horror imprint IDW DARK features comics like A Quiet Place: Storm Warning, Smile: For the Camera, The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, The Twilight Zone, Event Horizon: Dark Descent & Event Horizon: Inferno, and more.
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