Inside Kyle Starks’ Comic Worlds: Revenge Horror, Slasher Satire & His Vertigo Comeback
Support Kyle Starks here – https://www.kylestarks.com/
Join Daniel from The Next Issue Podcast as he sits down with Eisner-nominated comic creator Kyle Starks for an in-depth interview covering his newest projects, creative process, and the return of DC VERTIGO.
We discuss:
🔥 Devil on My Shoulder #1 (Dark Horse) – a bloody revenge horror story created with artist Piotr Kowalski, pushing Kyle into his most terrifying book yet.
🔪 Where Monsters Lie Vol. 1–3 – slasher villains living in a gated community, their wild new arcs, the Kickstarter, and how these horror archetypes inspired the series.
🦅 End of Life – Kyle’s upcoming Vertigo comic with Steve Pugh, blending John Wick-style action with quirky small-town storytelling.
🤼♂️ WrestleHeist – Kyle’s newest creator-owned series: wrestlers + a massive heist + big action energy.
Kyle also dives into:
• His creative process
• Working with artists like Piotr Kowalski & Steve Pugh
• Growing in the industry
• His love for horror, action, and wrestling
• How Peacemaker Tries Hard came together
• Advice for new comic creators
• The challenges of timing & direct-market visibility
• What he’s reading now (Astro City, Drome)
This is a must-watch for fans of Dark Horse, Skybound, Vertigo, horror comics, slasher films, and wrestling comics.
📚 Support Kyle Starks:
Visit KyleStarks.com for books, Kickstarter info, and more.
👍 Like, Subscribe, and drop a comment letting us know your favorite Kyle Starks comic!
Time Codes:
00:00 – Intro: Daniel welcomes Kyle Starks
01:00 – Who is Kyle Starks? Eisner nominations, Rick & Morty, Peacemaker, I Hate This Place
04:20 – Devil on My Shoulder #1: Origin, tone, inspiration, revenge horror
09:30 – The terrifying realism behind the story
11:15 – Working with Piotr Kowalski & pushing the art to the limit
14:20 – Reader expectations & the future of the series
17:00 – Where Monsters Lie: Concept, slasher archetypes & worldbuilding
21:45 – Volume 2 & expanding the horror universe
25:00 – Designing horror villains & creative collaboration
29:30 – Kickstarter for Where Monsters Lie 3
32:00 – Returning DC Vertigo: End of Life with Steve Pugh
37:10 – Action, humor & character work in the new series
42:00 – Industry challenges, timing & readership
47:40 – Wrestling comics & the creation of WrestleHeist
53:00 – Kyle’s process writing AND drawing comics
57:00 – Advice for aspiring comic creators
59:15 – What Kyle is reading right now
1:02:00 – Closing thoughts & Kyle’s final recommendations
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