Comics
Interview: Joseph Mallozzi On ‘Dark Matter’
Joseph Mallozzi is most widely known for his work on all three Stargate series (SG-1, Atlantis, and Universe). Since Stargate was put on an “indefinite hiatus,” Mallozzi has turned to comics with his highly anticipated debut of Dark Matter. Issue #1 opens on a blank note – all of the main characters wake up with no memories of who they are or why they are on a giant spacecraft! That question alone is enough to keep you interested, but there are definitely more inquiries raised as the issue continues. Mallozzi gives us the scoop on Dark Matter, and what he’s got planned for the future! Read on for the skinny…
JM: No planned references to tie in the two as they’re completely different entities. Of course, that’s not to say I’ll be able to resist a future in-joke or two. In terms of similarities between Stargate and Dark Matter, I think there are definite parallels in tone (specifically an undercurrent of humor that will be present throughout) and certain thematic touchstones like exploration, discovery, and camaraderie.
KtMc: I’ve heard in a previous interview that Dark Matter was originally written for television, and that you still have tentative plans to adapt it for the small screen. Did making Dark Matter a comic cause any major plot changes?
JM: Not at all. It was actually quite easy to transfer the story to the comic book page. The plot and general narrative remained unchanged. Only the dialogue was tightened up in order to fit the 22-page structure.
KtMc: In the first issue of Dark Matter, the six core characters awaken from stasis on a large, elaborate ship. Does the series take place predominately on this ship? Are we going to see other ships, or even planets? I mean, ships have to land sometime, right?
JM: Yes, more ships, more planets, more people and, eventually, more life forms. Dark Matter is essentially a ship-based adventure series but, as you said, ships have to land sometime – or orbit a space station or planet to resupply and investigate. Plenty of rival vessels, space ports, and mysterious worlds to come!
JM: As the series progresses, dangerous situations will be encountered, revelations revealed, and alliances will form within the crew – friendships will be made and rivalries will grow. Not everyone will get along but all will realize they’ll need to depend on each other in order to survive.
KtMc: Garry Brown did a fantastic job on the art! Did you have an idea of what you wanted the art of the comic to look like? Can you explain a little of the artistic process?
JM: I had a very general sense of what I wanted the book to look like and sent my editor at Dark Horse, Patrick Thorpe, some artwork from other comic books that I thought could serve as a good starting point. A couple of weeks later, he pitched artist Garry Brown. I was familiar with Garry’s work and thought he’d be perfect for Dark Matter. And, it turns out, he is. Coupled with Ryan Hill’s colors, I think that Garry’s work delivers a whole other layer to the story.
After writing the first issue, Garry got back to me with some character and ship designs. Patrick and I discussed them, suggested a few changes and, once we were all on board, we moved on to costume and prop designs and, eventually, the first issue. I was sent layouts, pencils, inks, colors and, finally, placements via Patrick, and offered my input on each stage of the book’s visual development. To be fair, however, they weren’t copious notes. I trusted Garry to do his thing and he delivered in a big way.
JM: Without a doubt, my favorite part of the process was seeing the story come alive through the evolution of those visuals – from layouts to pencils to inks to colors. It was amazing. I felt like I did when I watched my very first Stargate episode being produced. Very cool.
KtMc: Are there going to be any cool creatures?
JM: Eventually, yes. For now, however, there are more immediate areas of concern for our crew aboard the ship.
KtMc: Did you ever get a tangible copy of the finished Issue #1? (regarding a previous interview)
JM: Not yet. I’m still waiting. Don’t tell me what happens though. I don’t want you to spoil it for me.
We’d like to sincerely thank Mr. Mallozzi from taking the time to answer our questions. Watch out for more from him in comics and television (wink, wink) in the future. Also, be sure to check out more from Mallozzi in the second issue of Dark Matter, which drops February 8th! To find out even more about Dark Matter, check out darkhorse.com
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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.