Dystopian horror takes a chillingly personal turn in Kill Train, a new series from Mad Cave Studios by writer Olivia Cuartero Briggs. The premise is stark: in a near-future New York City plagued by overpopulation, the government institutes a horrifying measure—a randomized program called Kill Train, where unlucky subway passengers are condemned to die by the end of the line. At the center of this nightmare is Vanessa, a struggling single mother on the edge, who discovers that she is aboard a Kill Train. But Vanessa is done giving up. For once in her life, she’s ready to fight.
In a recent interview with AIPT, Cuartero Briggs revealed how this terrifying concept was born from an unsettling dream.
“I woke up in the apartment I grew up in, and found myself watching New York One News,” she recalled. “The anchor was talking about the Kill Train program, but I was already well aware of it. Still, I decided to take the train that morning anyway. Inevitably, during my ride, the train started skipping stops… Station platforms just whipping by one after the other. And I remember looking at the other passengers as we realized, holy shit, we’re all going to die.”
Though she woke up before the dream reached its gruesome climax, the idea clung to her.
“I knew it was some sort of gruesome horror, and I knew it had a female lead at the helm who would be fighting for her survival. But it wasn’t until I took stock of where I was emotionally at that moment that it became a deeply personal story.”
The emotional anchor of Kill Train lies in Vanessa’s journey—a reflection of Cuartero Briggs’ own struggles with self-worth and survival in the face of relentless challenges. “When I was outlining Kill Train, I found myself in a dark period in my life,” she explained. “Years worth of tiny assaults on my self-esteem, plus some life-changing events I hadn’t fully dealt with. I was angry as hell at probably everything except my children. Writing this story became one of the most cathartic and healing experiences I’ve ever had.”
Cuartero Briggs’ ability to fuse horror with raw emotional depth is already turning heads, but she’s quick to credit her collaborators—Martina Niosi (artist), Simone D’Angelo (colorist), and Becca Carey (letterer)—for bringing her vision to life. “Martina’s talent is undeniable. The emotion and excitement she brought to these panels are why this book works as well as it does. Simone’s mastery of light and shadow elevates the horror, and Becca’s ingenuity lets you hear the Kill Train in every panel.”
The story also grapples with larger societal themes—class disparity, political propaganda, and the cold efficiency of bureaucratic cruelty. “Vanessa is the kind of person big-picture thinkers would overlook and find disposable. But none of us are disposable. None of us should be sacrificed for the so-called greater good.”
Throughout the interview, Cuartero Briggs demonstrated her ability to shift between humor and horror with ease. When asked what a Kill Train theme park ride might look like, she proposed an immersive Halloween maze. Then she imagines a sadistic twist: “You wait in line for two hours, and most riders just get a short ‘subway’ ride to the next stop. Only 25 percent get on the Kill Train. The safety sign would read, ‘For Everyone! Until it’s not…’ and just a shrugging emoji.”
Balancing visceral terror and heart-stopping action with deeply personal stakes, Kill Train is sure to resonate with fans of both dystopian fiction and emotional drama. As Cuartero Briggs summed up, “What I hope readers take away is that you matter. You’re stronger than you think you are. And when life gets you down, it’s okay not to be okay. Most of all, you are not alone. Not even for a second.”
For Olivia Cuartero Briggs, Kill Train may have started as a dream, but with her creative team in place and Vanessa’s journey brought to vivid life, it’s now a nightmare readers won’t soon forget.
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