Family secrets are one thing—but discovering your parents are immortal warriors with a centuries-old archenemy is a whole different level of baggage. That’s the setup behind Just Brutal, a wild, hyper-kinetic family comedy-fantasy launching this February from Ignition Press. The series pairs writer Dennis Hopeless (Heart Eyes, Spider-Woman) with artist Brahm Revel (Guerillas, TMNT: Jennika) for a chaotic blend of sorcery, sibling dynamics, and ancient grudges.
When Jordan and Winter Savage’s recently divorced parents unexpectedly reunite, it’s not for therapy—it’s because their long-dead nemesis has clawed his way back into the world of the living. What follows is a “Mitchells vs. the Machines meets Red Sonja” mash-up of barbarian mayhem and emotional turmoil as the family hits the road to stop an apocalypse no one saw coming.
For Hopeless, the series has been a long time coming.
“Just Brutal has been a passion project of mine for almost fifteen years,” he said. “Several different incarnations almost happened, but I’m so grateful this is the version people get to read. I think we do our best work when we let ‘write what you know’ punch us in the face. That couldn’t be more true of Just Brutal. It’s a book about big scary things I needed to live through to understand. Parenthood. Divorce. Immortal barbarian warriors and their kids fighting a cackling fleshless sorcerer…while unpacking generational trauma and whether it’s better to protect your kids from or prepare them for an unkind world.
“And then there’s the absolute joy of working with Brahm. His art has so much life and character while also bringing that 80s and 90s action cartoon bombast this book needed. The imagination fuel fantasy magic Brahm brings to this book can’t be overstated. Each page is a bowl of Farklar the Fleshless cereal and a shoebox full of Mordork action figures. So damned much fun.”
Revel is just as energized by the collaboration.
“Working on Just Brutal has been a dream job for me,” he shared. “The past few books that I’ve worked on have all taken place in the real world, and now that I’m finally getting to play in a fantasy sandbox, I’m having so much fun. Plus, Dennis’s scripts are crafted so well. Each month, I’m on the edge of my seat reading what’s gonna happen next. The character stuff is top-notch, and every page is packed with crazy imagery and interesting formal challenges. This is gonna be a good one!”
The story centers on siblings Jordan and Winter, who have been dealing with their parents’ messy split. What they don’t know is that Mom and Dad are actually legendary, blood-soaked warriors who spent millennia in hiding after defeating the monstrous sorcerer Farklar the Fleshless. But now Farklar is back—and his Mordork army is heading straight for Des Moines. The Savages cram into the family minivan for a road-trip-to-Armageddon, and whether they survive may depend on whether their parents can stop fighting each other long enough to fight evil.
Ignition Press Editor-in-Chief Jamie S. Rich praised the book’s energy and attitude:
“Some books just have swagger, and you can see that from the very first page of Just Brutal,” he said. “Dennis and Brahm have a story they want to tell, and an overflow of style with which to do it. The characters are perfectly realized both in dialogue and in the artful ink strokes, making for a pure comic book experience.”
Just Brutal #1 arrives in comic shops on February 11, featuring art and lettering by Revel and colors by Marissa Louise (Mr. Terrific). The debut issue includes two open-to-order covers by Revel and Jorge Corona (Transformers), plus a 1:10 incentive variant by Noel Kelly (Batman and Catwoman).
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