After interviewing Patrick Horvath about his new one-shot Free For All from Oni Press, it became clear that this darkly satirical, action-packed thriller is more than just a dystopian spectacle — it’s a sharp critique of unchecked greed.
In a future where billionaires are forced to either give away half their wealth or fight to the death to keep it, one man has reigned supreme — until now. At the center of it all is Ted Brooks, a champion of financial self-preservation through violence, and his ex-wife, Luella Dominguez, who has spent years preparing for the ultimate showdown. As brutal battles unfold, Horvath crafts a world that feels eerily plausible, drawing on real-world economic disparities and turning them into a blood-soaked spectacle.
Courtesy of Oni Press.
The Inspiration Behind Free For All
Horvath reveals that the concept for Free For All emerged from reflections on wealth inequality came from a very real place that generated some complicated feelings.
“I had been thinking about the Giving Pledge campaign that Bill Gates and Warren Buffett had started back in 2010 where they were encouraging the rich to donate 50% of their wealth to philanthropic causes,” Horvath said.
He added, “The cynical part of me assumed that they’d only be able to get real traction with it if there were serious consequences, like prison or death. Then the idea of only being able to keep it all if you fought to the death popped into my head, and I immediately started thinking of a Paul Verhoeven-type of satire.”
Courtesy of Oni Press.
Luella vs. Ted: A Fight That’s More Than Physical
While the premise is steeped in dark humor, the heart of the story lies with Luella, whose battle with Ted is more than just physical.
“Luella has a capacity for love, and Ted is essentially a psychopath,” Horvath said. “For Luella, there’s a major sense of betrayal — not just with Ted, but also within herself, that she could fall so blindly into believing their love transcended that capitalist mindset.”
This emotional core allows the story to be more than just a dystopian bloodbath; it’s a commentary on power, love, and self-destruction.
Courtesy of Oni Press.
The Ruthless Mindset of Ted Brooks
Ted, on the other hand, is the epitome of the ruthless billionaire archetype.
“It felt necessary to fully lean into Ted’s amoral worldview since it’s in alignment with what seems to be some of the most successful business people of our times,” Horvath said.
Horvath cites a line from Citizen Kane: “Well, it’s no trick to make a lot of money if all you want is to make a lot of money.”
Horvath added, “Rewarding a pursuit of financial success has been the name of the game for so long, it just felt appropriate to have an extreme example of it in Brooks.”
Balancing Satire with Brutal Reality
The story’s absurd yet believable premise is bolstered by Horvath’s approach to balancing satire and reality.
“A lot of the balance really came from imagining this playing out in my mind like a Paul Verhoeven action film,” Horvath said,
The influence of cult classics like Death Race 2000 can be felt throughout, with the high-stakes fights playing out as entertainment for the masses. However, the deeply personal conflict between Luella and Ted keeps the narrative grounded.
“The death of their relationship, and how Luella carried that with her, needed to be earnest for the rest of the story to work,” Horvath said.
Courtesy of Oni Press.
Crafting High-Impact Fight Sequences
When it comes to the fight sequences, Horvath was inspired by Scott McCloud’s Destroy!!.
“The idea of over-the-top violence that was also designed well enough to be a joy for the reader was a major goal,” Horvath said.
The book’s two main fights serve different purposes: the first sets the stage, establishing the world’s rules and tone, while the second zeroes in on the personal battle between Luella and Ted.
“The dynamics of the fight also needed to shift so that there was an actual sense of jeopardy, as opposed to the quasi-execution tone of the first fight,” Horvath said.
The Challenges of a One-Shot Format
Telling this story in a 56-page one-shot presented both challenges and opportunities.
“The biggest challenge was to do enough world-building so that everything made sense while still getting in the main story of Luella and Ted,” Horvath said.
Yet, he also found value in these core constraints.
“One of the best pieces of advice for anyone starting out in comics is to stay small,” Horvath said. “You need a beginning, middle, and an end, and it doesn’t need to be a sprawling epic as long as you can have your setup and resolution.”
That said, he also doesn’t rule out revisiting this world in the future.
Visual Style and Storytelling
Visually, Horvath’s distinct, expressive style brings Free For All to life in a way that feels truly striking.
“My main goal with this (and everything I do with comics) is to make it all as well-designed as possible so that it’s as easy and interesting for the reader while servicing the story and emotional beats,” Horvath said.
His background in film and storyboarding plays a role in his approach, but he embraces the unique storytelling possibilities of comics.
“There is so much more you can do with sequential art that transcends a lot of the limitations of movies,” Horvath said.
A Free For All Video Game?
As a final, fun thought experiment, Horvath entertained the idea of Free For All as a video game.
“Ted would probably smash ‘em flat like a pancake with his war hammer, and Luella would probably liberate their heads from their bodies with her battle axe,” Horvath said. “That said, I could also see her using that thing to cleave them in two, right down the middle. WHOMP!”
A Sharp Satire of Wealth and Power
With Free For All, Patrick Horvath delivers a thrilling and thought-provoking satire that holds a mirror to the extremes of wealth and power. Blending brutal action with sharp social commentary, the book is both an exhilarating read and a chilling glimpse into a possible future where the fight for money is taken to its most literal, deadly conclusion.
To the victor go the spoils, indeed.
Free For All #1 drops March 26 via Oni Press.
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