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The Wilds

Illustrated by Emily Pearson and Natasha Alterici
Published by Black Mask Studios
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

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About The Book

After a cataclysmic plague sweeps across America, survivors come together to form citystate-like communities for safety. Daisy Walker is a Runner for The Compound, a mix of post-apocalyptic postal service and black market salvaging operation. It is a Runner's job to ferry items and people between settlements, and on occasion scavenge through the ruins of the old world. Daisy is the best there is at what she does. Out beyond the settlement walls are innumerable dangers: feral animals, crumbling structures, and Abominations - those that were touched by the plague and became something other. After a decade of surviving, Daisy isn't phased by any of it - until her lover, another Runner named Heather, goes missing on a job. Desperate to find her, Daisy begins to see that there may be little difference between the world inside the walls and the horrors beyond. From writer Vita Ayala (X-Men: Children Of The Atom, Bitch Planet: Triple Feature, Morbius) and Emily Pearson (Snap Flash Hustle) with a cover by Natasha Alterici (Heathen), comes this bold tale of surviving in bleak times. Collects issues 1-5.

"With a beautiful and horrific twist on the classic zombie at the heart, Ayala and Pearson craft a bold new dystopia that can't be missed." - James Tynion IV (Batman, Something Is Killing The Children, Department Of Truth)

"The Wilds is the kind of book that stays with you long after you read it. The characters, the world, the images, all leave you desperate to read more. It's haunting in the best possible way." -Matthew Rosenberg (4 Kids Walk Into A Bank, Uncanny X-Men)

"Mad Max meets Day Of The Dead, with the beautiful impressionistic style of Tarsem Singh... this is The Wilds. A pitch-perfect callback to the metaphorical heart of apocalypse fiction that began with Night Of The Living Dead, with the action you need waiting beneath the cover." -Steve Orlando (Midnighter, Supergirl, Justice League of America)

“The Wilds is that rare book you open to page one and know immediately you’ve found something special. A dark, creeping garden of story full of wonders and terrors... With the Wilds, Ayala has crafted a gripping, poetic and deeply scary, post apocalyptic world like none other." –Scott Snyder (Batman, Wytches)

About The Author

Vita Ayala is a queer Afro-Latinx writer out of New York City, where they live with their wife and cat sons. Their work includes THE WILDS (Black Mask Studios), SUPERGIRL (DC), XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS (Dynamite), MORBIUS: THE LIVING VAMPIRE (Marvel), LIVEWIRE (Valiant), and SUBMERGED (Vault), among others. They're non-stop, like Hamilton!

About The Illustrators

Emily Pearson is a comic book artist from California. She has previously worked for Black Mask Studios on THE WILDS, SNAP FLASH HUSTLE, as well as the Vault Comic's book BONDING and the Oni Press book THE VAIN.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Black Mask Studios (December 3, 2019)
  • Length: 160 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781628752168

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Raves and Reviews

"Black Creator-Owned Comics That Are Essential Reading: THE WILDS adds a refreshing take on the post-apocalyptic, sci-fi genre, with welcome social commentary and LGBTQ representation... Vita Ayala wants to keep comics fun - and shatter barriers. Ayala has made a name for themself, mixing creator-owned titles with licensed series -- like the upcoming X-Men: Children of the Atom. In an interview with CBR, Ayala discussed being a nonbinary, Afro-Latinx writer, how they found inspiration in comic books and why it's important to keep the medium and its stories fun and engaging -- without shying away from personal, important messages."

– Comic Book Resources

"A horrifyingly beautiful apocalypse...The Wilds' take on infected humans - known as Abominations - is a mesmerizing blend of body horror and reverence for nature."

– io9

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