Demons, Cowboys, and the Cost of Redemption
What happens when the Old West collides with the supernatural?
DEAD ACRE: BLACK BADGE Vol. 1 brings the bestselling supernatural fantasy western smash hit to graphic novel format for the very first time. Originally a #1 audiobook and eBook, the story of James Crowley—gunfighter, sinner, and reluctant hand of God—now rides into comics with a creative dream team: Rhett C. Bruno, Jaime Castle, Cullen Bunn, Riley Brown, Fares Maese, and Andworld design.
For fans of The Witcher, The Dresden Files, Jonah Hex, Red Dead Redemption, and The Dark Tower, this is a weird western that delivers dust, demons, and damnation in equal measure.
"The Black Badge series as a whole, and the postmortem journey of James Crowley holds a special place in my heart. Living in Fort Worth, Texas, Crowley is the kind of character whose voice just never stops speaking in my head. He is the unpredictable badass with a heart of gold. For all his life, he was surrounded by men who would tear that heart from his chest if that phrase were literal.
Dead Acre made many of my little boy dreams come true. I’ve been a comic book reader for as long as I can remember. I have vivid memories of trying to emulate Todd McFarlane’s Spider-Man as an 8 year old. I still have that drawing. My initial foray into writing books was through comics. I’d done some amateur color work and helped script a few floppies that went nowhere, and now, I get to work with the absolute best in the industry.
Cullen, Riley, and Fares are a dream team. This book is prettier than a painted pony in a daisy field."
— Jaime Castle
James Crowley’s story begins at the end of his life. Gunned down and bound for hell, he’s spared eternal damnation by the White Throne—so long as he serves as a Black Badge, a supernatural enforcer tasked with hunting demons, witches, and the restless dead. His mission takes him to Dead Acre, a desolate frontier town with no sheriff, a crumbling church, and a darkness seeping from its graveyard.
Between outlaw gangs, desecrated graves, missing townsfolk, and temptations of the flesh and spirit alike, Crowley must walk a razor’s edge. In a place where monsters wear both human and inhuman faces, the line between redemption and ruin is thinner than desert dust.
"If you’ve read the Black Badge series by Rhett and Jaime, you know why any artist would be stoked to draw this story. Once I saw Cullen’s masterful script, I couldn’t wait to dive in. I’ve always loved westerns—from old spaghetti westerns to the modern stuff—and this one has that perfect mix of dusty cowboy grit and straight-up monsters. Crowley’s battles—both out in the world and in himself—gave me so much to play with. I really tried to lean in heavy on big black shapes and horror vibes, then Fares’ colors came in and added a freshness that made everything pop.
Designing Crowley was my first big hurdle. I wanted him to look like someone who’s been through hell (literally), so he had to wear that history, grungy, scarred, and instantly recognizable with the duster, Stetson, and wild hair. The setting itself pushed me too, old towns, weapons, and of course… lots of horses. I tried to make it feel like a true western world but still bring something new, pulling in some manga-style motion and energy along the way. Storytelling and pacing were always front and center for me. Dead Acre: Black Badge has this great balance of wild action scenes, flashbacks, and quiet, heavy conversations. I spent a lot of time figuring out how to move the reader through those moments and make each one land.
Big thanks to the editorial team! They were fantastic, and this project challenged me in all the best ways."
— Riley Brown
What is Dead Acre Black Badge?
With its blend of western grit, gothic horror, and supernatural spectacle, DEAD ACRE: BLACK BADGE Vol. 1 reimagines the frontier as a haunted purgatory, where every showdown could be your last and every choice could cost your soul.
This new graphic novel is written by Cullen Bunn, illustrated by Riley Brown, colored by Fares Maese, lettered by Andworld Design, and based on the original bestselling Black Badge novels by Rhett C. Bruno & Jaime Castle.