Oni Press is bleeding for its art – literally – with the debut of Dark Regards #1.
This new comic series arrives with one of the most talked-about variants imaginable: a highly limited 1:50 ‘Human Blood Variant.’ Illustrated by the book’s writer, Dave Hill, the ink used for this specific cover contains the actual blood of Hill, editor Karl Bollers, and Oni President & Publisher Hunter Gorinson, setting a uniquely intense tone for the series launch.
Dark Regards #1 is on sale by May 14th.
. The series, penned by Hill himself and illustrated by artist Artyom Topilin (“I Hate This Place”), delves into how an elaborate online joke spiralled into a near disaster.
Dave Hill, known for his multi-faceted career as a writer, comedian, actor, and musician (“Tasteful Nudes“), revisited his long-dormant heavy metal ambitions years after a failed high school band attempt. Inspired by the intense seriousness of Norwegian black metal, Hill created “Witch Taint,” an entirely fictional band fronted by a ridiculously over-the-top online persona. The project was intended as satire.
According to the publisher’s description, the comic tells the “shockingly true, terrifyingly hilarious, and only modestly exaggerated” story of how Hill’s creation gained unexpected notoriety. Fueled by Hill, online rumours depicted Witch Taint as a band “so extreme that you must remove all sharp objects from the immediate area” when their music played. These claims eventually spread to Europe, attracting the attention—and ire—of genuine figures within the Norwegian black metal community.
The series promises to detail the ensuing chaos as Hill’s satirical project led to threats of real-world retaliation from musicians who failed to see the humour, nearly escalating into an “international incident” with bizarre consequences potentially reaching Gary, Indiana.
Question: As the comic is based on a hoax, do you believe Oni’s human blood claims?
Dark Regrets covers
We’ve already seen the human blood variant cover, but, phew, there are others!
Dark Regrets A
Artyom Topilin
Dark Regrets B
Andrew Krahnke
Flyer Variant
Scott Suguichi
Album Cover Variant
Scott Suguichi
