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Published by Oni Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
SOMETIMES YOU BREAK THE INTERNET—AND SOMETIMES THE INTERNET BREAKS YOU! AT LAST—THE TRUE STORY OF THE VIRAL HOAX SO INSANE IT COULD ONLY BE TOLD AS A COMIC BOOK!
From the honestly pretty impressive mind of multi-hyphenate writer-comedian-actor-musician Dave Hill (Tasteful Nudes) and breakout artist Artyom Topilin (I Hate This Place) comes the SHOCKINGLY TRUE, TERRIFYINGLY HILARIOUS, AND ONLY MODESTLY EXAGGERATED tale of how one stand-up comedian forged a secret online identity as America’s first true black metal icon . . . and accidentally started an international incident that almost wiped Gary, Indiana, off the map!
Two decades ago, Dave Hill and his first band set out to rock their high school auditorium in a fury of heavy metal hellfire. They failed miserably. Years later, Dave has made a new life for himself as a rising star in the New York comedy scene—a career where getting laughed at on stage is the entire point and not just a tragic consequence. But when Dave’s metal ambitions are reawakened by the über self-serious “satanic” genre of Norwegian black metal, Dave creates a ridiculously hyperbolic alter ego and a band to match that, together, reignite the spark of his forgotten rock ’n’ roll fantasy. But when Dave’s internet-fueled rumors of Witch Taint—a metal band “so extreme that you must remove all sharp objects from the immediate area” when their music is played—spreads all the way to Europe, his story will spiral dangerously out of control as Norway’s most extreme black metal butchers come to reap their revenge . . . and put everything and everyone Dave holds dear in the crosshairs (of their axes, which, truth be told, don’t actually have crosshairs, but hey, it’s a metaphor).
Collects Dark Regards #1–4.
From the honestly pretty impressive mind of multi-hyphenate writer-comedian-actor-musician Dave Hill (Tasteful Nudes) and breakout artist Artyom Topilin (I Hate This Place) comes the SHOCKINGLY TRUE, TERRIFYINGLY HILARIOUS, AND ONLY MODESTLY EXAGGERATED tale of how one stand-up comedian forged a secret online identity as America’s first true black metal icon . . . and accidentally started an international incident that almost wiped Gary, Indiana, off the map!
Two decades ago, Dave Hill and his first band set out to rock their high school auditorium in a fury of heavy metal hellfire. They failed miserably. Years later, Dave has made a new life for himself as a rising star in the New York comedy scene—a career where getting laughed at on stage is the entire point and not just a tragic consequence. But when Dave’s metal ambitions are reawakened by the über self-serious “satanic” genre of Norwegian black metal, Dave creates a ridiculously hyperbolic alter ego and a band to match that, together, reignite the spark of his forgotten rock ’n’ roll fantasy. But when Dave’s internet-fueled rumors of Witch Taint—a metal band “so extreme that you must remove all sharp objects from the immediate area” when their music is played—spreads all the way to Europe, his story will spiral dangerously out of control as Norway’s most extreme black metal butchers come to reap their revenge . . . and put everything and everyone Dave holds dear in the crosshairs (of their axes, which, truth be told, don’t actually have crosshairs, but hey, it’s a metaphor).
Collects Dark Regards #1–4.
About The Illustrator
Artyom Trakhanov is a Siberian comic artist and video game illustrator living in Belgrade. He has worked on Undertow (Image Comics), Turncoat (Boom! Studios), The 7 Deadly Sins (TKO Presents) and First Knife (Image Comics).
Product Details
- Publisher: Oni Press (March 24, 2026)
- Length: 112 pages
- ISBN13: 9798894880242
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Raves and Reviews
"It all feels realistic, grounded, and larger than life at the same time. In other words…it's METAL!"
– Nerd Initiative
“There are so many twisting and turning stories on the Internet—especially the early years of the web—that are the stuff of legend and I think that the ballad of Witch Taint is one of them. It’s fun to hear Dave Hill retell it with a few years' perspective behind him and with a touch of whimsy and wildness overlaid on top of an already over-the-top tale.”
– Freak Sugar
“Artist Artyom Topilin and Hill go for metal from the very first panel on… Dark Regards kicks off a wild ride of a story. Satanism, angry music labels, and bad ideas all converge for a series full of possibilities. Fans of comedies like Heavy Trip and Lords of Chaos will find much to love here… [An] outrageous descent into the darkest parts of metal.”
– Comics Beat
“Oni Press just flipped the switch from ‘mildly unhinged’ to ‘full-blown hemoglobin-soaked chaos,’ and we’re here for every single drip… It’s gross. It’s glorious. It’s metal AF.”
– My Kind of Weird
“Get ready for a wild ride into the absurd… A unique blend of comedy, heavy metal, and a viral hoax that spirals hilariously out of control… A must-read… As bonkers and as entertaining as it sounds… It’s funny, original, and beautifully illustrated. Dave Hill and Artyom Topilin have created something special here, a comic that will appeal to fans of dark comedy, nerds, and anyone who appreciates a well-told, outlandish story.”
– Comic Book Addicts
"A wild one...a lot of fun to read"
– Nerd Initiative
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
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Book Cover Image (jpg): Dark Regards
Trade Paperback 9798894880242
Published by Oni Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
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