“Though the tide is high, have no fear.” While many gravitate to spaceship-set horror, I find underwater horror stories to be equally terrifying, especially considering how little of the ocean we’ve actually explored. That’s why I’m really excited that Morning Star co-creators Tim Daniel and David ‘DB’ Andry have reunited for Crush Depth, a brand-new horror/action comic book series from Mad Cave Studios. Releasing in early 2025, Crush Depth features illustrations by Alex Sanchez, colors by Kurt Michael Russell, and letters by Justin Birch, with covers from Alex Sanchez and Ramon Villalobos. Along with first details on the new series, we also have a look at cover art, and preview pages you can read right now!
Synopsis: “Two brothers locked in a sibling rivalry wrestle for command of a massive nuclear submarine, The Absolution, in a near future irrevocably altered by climate change. Chief Science Officer Liana Pearson finds herself not only caught between the Wilder brothers but drowning in her fear of the surface world. When something alien infiltrates The Absolution and upends the balance of power, Liana is left with only two deadly options-—reaching the toxic surface world or steering the sub into the unforgiving abyss and crush depth—Breathe Deep!”
“The DNA of Crush Depth is laced with inspiration from John Carpenter’s The Thing to Jeff Vandermeer’s Annihilation and several other touchstones such as The Abyss, Underwater, and Neville Shute’s novel On The Beach,” said Tim Daniel. “It’s evocative of that time but ultimately will prove to be as cathartic as the moment when we collectively threw open our doors once again and ventured out of our homes to find the world had changed some and maybe we had too.”
“For my entire life, I’ve been equal parts fascinated and terrified by things that live in the water,” said David ‘DB’ Andry. “My grandparents lived in a house 11 feet up on stilts in the Mississippi bayou. Fishing and boating in the brackish water off the dock in their backyard, I’ve seen everything from snapping turtles to green eels and garfish. I’ll watch any deepwater documentary or shows about sea life, but getting in the water is about the scariest thing to me —this fear is what I got to explore in Crush Depth.”
“Since I was a kid, my favorite genre of films has always been horror—Slashers, body horror, found footage, and suspense in particular,” said Alex Sanchez. “If I wasn’t illustrating comics, I probably would be in the movie industry lending my talents in some visual effects department, somewhere. Not surprisingly, for the better part of the last couple of decades, a large portion of my work in the comic book industry has been drawing books with a suspenseful theme. These are the kinds of books that pique my interest. So, when I was presented the opportunity to draw Crush Depth, I jumped at the chance because I knew I would immensely enjoy building the world with Tim and DB.”
“Crush Depth invites readers to dive in headfirst and confront their fears—no matter how deep the plunge.” Crush Depth #1 “drops” on March 19th, 2025 and is now available for pre-order at your local comic book shop, and directly from Mad Cave Studios: www.madcavestudios.com
Cover A by Alex Sanchez
Cover B by Ramon Villalobos
