IDW has revealed cover art and new details for Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring #1, out July 9th. A sequel to Patrick Horvath’s acclaimed series, Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees returns to the idealistic suburban town of Woodbrook as Samantha, the bloodlusting brown bear, got away with her crimes and is now the town’s one and only serial killer.
“I’m supremely excited to return to the quaint town of Woodbrook to continue the story of our psychopath bear, Samantha Strong,” remarked Horvath. “I continue to be blown away by the response to the first book. In my wildest dreams I never thought it would have caught such a huge wave that spread out to other countries and languages. BENEATH THE TREES WHERE NOBODY SEES continues to be a huge gift to me, and I’m grateful for all of the immense support from IDW, the retailers, critics, and fans.”
So what’s the sequel about?
But times have changed, and Samantha will soon discover there are no secrets in the age of the internet… and those who lost loved ones to her dark temptations are still searching for justice. Plus, Samantha’s sinister origin story is revealed as the sequel revisits what happened after her very first kill.
“Patrick Horvath is going to save comics – hell, he’s already on his way,” stated editor Jake Williams. “BENEATH THE TREES WHERE NOBODY SEES is the sort of shot in the arm that the industry prays for. A reminder of how good the medium can be. And here’s a secret: we always knew we were doing more. Patrick introduced you to his world in part one – now it’s time to plunge deeper into the darkness, expand out to the edges, and ultimately smash it all up. This one is darker, scarier, gorier, and maybe even a little bit cuter. Thank god for Patrick Horvath, we’re lucky he chose to make comics.”
Check out covers below!
For more on this news read the press release below.
LOS ANGELES, CA (April 17, 2025) – After earning two prestigious Eisner nominations and being declared the “best indie comics success story” by Screen Rant, superstar creator Patrick Horvath’s delightfully twisted tale about an anthropomorphic serial killer bear is returning to comic shops for a new story that is guaranteed to shock readers.
BENEATH THE TREES WHERE NOBODY SEES: RITE OF SPRING #1 Cover A art by Patrick Horvath
Undoubtedly one of the most anticipated comics of 2025, BENEATH THE TREES WHERE NOBODY SEES: RITE OF SPRING #1 (of 6) takes place almost a decade after the stunning and blood-spattered events of the first hit series. Return to the seemingly idealistic suburban town of Woodbrook as Samantha, the bloodlusting brown bear, got away with her crimes and is now the town’s one and only serial killer. But times have changed, and Samantha will soon discover there are no secrets in the age of the internet… and those who lost loved ones to her dark temptations are still searching for justice. Plus, Samantha’s sinister origin story is revealed as the sequel revisits what happened after her very first kill.
“I’m supremely excited to return to the quaint town of Woodbrook to continue the story of our psychopath bear, Samantha Strong,” remarked Horvath. “I continue to be blown away by the response to the first book. In my wildest dreams I never thought it would have caught such a huge wave that spread out to other countries and languages. BENEATH THE TREES WHERE NOBODY SEES continues to be a huge gift to me, and I’m grateful for all of the immense support from IDW, the retailers, critics, and fans.”
BENEATH THE TREES WHERE NOBODY SEES: RITE OF SPRING #1 Cover B (Movie Homage Variant) art by Tony Fleecs
“Patrick Horvath is going to save comics – hell, he’s already on his way,” stated editor Jake Williams. “BENEATH THE TREES WHERE NOBODY SEES is the sort of shot in the arm that the industry prays for. A reminder of how good the medium can be. And here’s a secret: we always knew we were doing more. Patrick introduced you to his world in part one – now it’s time to plunge deeper into the darkness, expand out to the edges, and ultimately smash it all up. This one is darker, scarier, gorier, and maybe even a little bit cuter. Thank god for Patrick Horvath, we’re lucky he chose to make comics.”
BENEATH THE TREES WHERE NOBODY SEES: RITE OF SPRING #1 Cover C (Storybook Variant) art by Riley Rossmo
BENEATH THE TREES WHERE NOBODY SEES: RITE OF SPRING #1 (of 6) is on sale July 9, 2025 with a pre-order deadline of June 2, 2025. In addition to primary covers by visionary creator Horvath, the series will feature movie homage variant covers by acclaimed creator Tony Fleecs (Stray Dogs), the return of storybook variants, with incredible artist Riley Rossmo (The Moon is Following Us) on the debut variant and awe-inspiring artist Elizabeth Beals (Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons) on issues #2-6. Plus: a debut issue variant cover by industry icon Skottie Young (I Hate Fairyland).
For a first-look at some of the twisted interior art, visit The Hollywood Reporter. Pre-order now so you don’t miss out on the must-read sequel to one of 2024’s most talked about comic book series. To find a comic shop near you, check out comicshoplocator.com. The collected edition of BENEATH THE TREES WHERE NOBODY SEES, the first full story, is on sale now wherever graphic novels are sold.
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