Christian Ward takes ‘Event Horizon’ deeper into hell with ‘Inferno’

Two centuries after the doomed starship vanished into the abyss, Event Horizon is heading back into the darkness. With Event Horizon: Inferno, writer Christian Ward returns to the cult sci-fi horror universe he helped expand in 2025’s Dark Descent, pushing the story further into unexplored territory. This time, the stakes are even bigger, the violence is even louder, and the mythology surrounding the infamous gravity drive grows even more unsettling.

While the new series continues Ward’s vision for the Event Horizon license, it also introduces artist Rob Carey to the cosmic nightmare. Toether, they’ve crafted a simple but terrifying premise: a private fleet arrives near Neptune to scavenge the wreckage of the long-lost starship. But the ship’s heart, the gravity drive that once opened a door to hell itself, still lurks somewhere beyond reality. Most likely, it’s still in Hell.

Ward describes the new series as “Aliens meets Dante’s Inferno,” and after speaking with him recently about the book, it is clear he intends to take some big swings.

Building a Bigger Event Horizon Universe

When Ward first pitched the previous miniseries, Event Horizon: Dark Descent, he was not just pitching a mere prequel — he was pitching a roadmap.

“I kind of pitched this idea that was much larger than one story,” Ward said. “I was suggesting a larger world and a kind of expansion of the lore.”

The idea immediately resonated with both IDW and Paramount. Even before Dark Descent had finished its run, the seeds of a follow-up were already planted. Sales helped make the decision easier.

“Every issue sold more than the previous issue,” Ward said. “It sold out again and again, which is crazy. Because of that success, and because I had already laid out where the story could go, Inferno got greenlit really quickly.”

For Ward, the opportunity felt similar to something that inspired him as a teenager: the wild and wonderful licensed comics of the 1990s.

“One of the things that really got me excited about comics was the Dark Horse Aliens books,” Ward said. “Those stories took huge swings. I kind of approached Event Horizon with that same mindset. If I could do anything, what would I do?”

The result is a sequel that does not simply revisit the film’s territory but expands the universe far beyond its initial parameters.

A Sequel That Truly Soars

Unlike Dark Descent, which served as a prequel, Inferno takes place more than 200 years after the events of the original film. That massive time jump was wholly intentional.

“I wanted to distance myself from the film a little bit and tell our own story,” Ward said. “I didn’t want it to feel like Dark Descent 2. I wanted it to feel like its own thing.”

The setting shift also allowed Ward and Carey to explore a very different visual world. Carey’s art leans into futuristic tech, armored space marines, and massive mechanical designs.

“Rob does technology and cool robotics incredibly well,” Ward said. “So pushing the story further into the future gives him the flexibility to really go for it.”

The result, according to Ward, is a tone that blends multiple sci-fi traditions. He tells me there are echoes of Aliens; a touch of the video game Doom; and there are even hints of Star Trek-style exploration.

But the core identity of Event Horizon remains intact.

“What keeps it feeling like Event Horizon is making sure it still has those classical archetypes of heaven and hell,” Ward said.

Horror with Something to Say

Ward’s previous Event Horizon story centered on trauma. For Inferno, he has a different thematic focus entirely: “This book is about agency.”

The premise revolves around a billionaire assembling a private fleet to plunder the ship’s remains. That setup naturally evokes modern anxieties about corporate power and unchecked wealth. Ward laughs when the comparison is raised, but he does not deny the influence.

“Horror has to reflect the real world,” Ward said. “Otherwise what’s the point?”

For him, the story is less about simple greed and more about survival. Many characters in Inferno are not chasing glory. They are simply trying to stay alive in a system that limits their choices.

“We all have to make a living,” Ward said. “Sometimes that narrows your agency. So the story asks what happens when the world is on fire, and your options get smaller.”

That thematic shift helps separate Inferno from its predecessor while keeping the emotional core intact.

Characters Surprising Even Their Creator

Ward admits that writing the sequel has been more challenging than the prequel. Part of that difficulty comes from juggling a larger cast, with Ward adding that “there are a lot more moving pieces.”

But Ward fully welcome the unpredictability. As he wrote the script, he often discovered that characters made decisions that he did not initially plan.

For instance, in issue #4, Ward said that “one of my characters did something I didn’t expect. Now the final issue has to deal with the consequences of that.”

For Ward, that kind of surprise is part of good storytelling.

“If I don’t know what the characters are going to do, then hopefully the reader won’t either,” Ward said. “You want something that feels surprising when it happens, but when you look back, it still makes sense.”

The Gravity Drive Mystery

Despite the expanded setting and new characters, the heart of the story still revolves around the same terrifying device introduced in the film: the gravity drive.

In the original movie, the drive opened a gateway to another dimension, unleashing unimaginable horrors. Inferno explores the consequences of that technology in some new and compelling ways.

“The gravity drive is always the core,” Ward said. “But now the story raises a new question. The drive is in hell. The ship is out here. So what’s happening?”

That vert mystery drives the entire series forward. Similarly, the horror itself also evolves. Ward promises a more physical, action-heavy experience than before, with heavily armed soldiers confronting demons in brutal combat.

“This one gets a lot more gung-ho,” Ward said.

Event Horizon‘s Big, Bold Future

While Inferno tells a complete story, Ward hints that the saga may continue if readers respond the way they did to the first series.

“When I laid out the roadmap, Inferno wasn’t the end,” Ward said.

For now, though, the focus is on delivering a sequel that expands the franchise while honoring what made the film so memorable. The goal is not just to revisit the past, but to push the mythology somewhere unexpected.

“All I can do is attack the story with excitement and try to shock and surprise people,” Ward said.

If Event Horizon: Inferno succeeds, the gateway to hell may only be opening wider.

Event Horizon: Inferno #1 arrives in comic shops on April 22. Comic shops have until March 16 to place their pre-orders.

Like what you read? Don’t miss the AIPT Comics Podcast Episode 370 (out March 15!) to listen to an unedited version of this interview!