Dark Horse Comics New Horror Preview: ’80s Rockers vs Monsters

As disciples of the riff know, it’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ‘n’ roll—a quest made even more difficult when annoyances like high school and monsters get in the way. A new Dark Horse release, The Rock Gods of Jackson, Tennessee, brings this adventure to life, and io9 has a fun preview to share today.

The Rock Gods of Jackson, Tennessee comes from writer Rafer Roberts, artist Mike Norton (who also did the cover), colorist Allen Passalaqua, and letterer Crank! Here’s the set-up for this tale of head-banging and monster-slaying—and the friendships built along the way:

“It’s 1989 and Marty Ward, Jackson Tennessee’s number one juvenile delinquent, never wanted to join the Rock Gods. After all, who wants to play with nerds like Jonny, Lenny, and Doug? But after the high schoolers stumble into the gig of a lifetime—opening for local rock legend Tommi Tungstun—the four outcasts must put aside their differences and play together if they want to achieve their dreams of fame, freedom, and popularity. Standing in these future superstars’ way are: their parents, their teachers, a school full of jerks and bullies, a townful of bad bosses, sanctimonious preachers, corrupt politicians, each other, and a rampaging horde of mutated monsters tearing through Jackson and eating everything in their path.”

Click through for a preview of The Rock Gods of Jackson, Tennessee, hitting shelves July 5! (Make sure you get to the end to see pictures of the comic’s creators in their own high-school glory days.) You can also pre-order a copy here.

As disciples of the riff know, it’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ‘n’ roll—a quest made even more difficult when annoyances like high school and monsters get in the way. A new Dark Horse release, The Rock Gods of Jackson, Tennessee, brings this adventure to life, and io9 has a fun preview to share today.

The Rock Gods of Jackson, Tennessee comes from writer Rafer Roberts, artist Mike Norton (who also did the cover), colorist Allen Passalaqua, and letterer Crank! Here’s the set-up for this tale of head-banging and monster-slaying—and the friendships built along the way:

“It’s 1989 and Marty Ward, Jackson Tennessee’s number one juvenile delinquent, never wanted to join the Rock Gods. After all, who wants to play with nerds like Jonny, Lenny, and Doug? But after the high schoolers stumble into the gig of a lifetime—opening for local rock legend Tommi Tungstun—the four outcasts must put aside their differences and play together if they want to achieve their dreams of fame, freedom, and popularity. Standing in these future superstars’ way are: their parents, their teachers, a school full of jerks and bullies, a townful of bad bosses, sanctimonious preachers, corrupt politicians, each other, and a rampaging horde of mutated monsters tearing through Jackson and eating everything in their path.”

Click through for a preview of The Rock Gods of Jackson, Tennessee, hitting shelves July 5! (Make sure you get to the end to see pictures of the comic’s creators in their own high-school glory days.) You can also pre-order a copy here.