Jetsetter Comics’ MORT is the kind of project that feels immediately at home in a smoke-filled room or a damp alleyway. Writer and creator Travis Brown has teamed up with artist Nate Walkington to tell the story of Samuel “Mort” Barber. By day, Mort is your standard mortician in a city that remains unnamed but feels undeniably dangerous. By night, he’s a detective hunting the things that go bump in the night.
The world-building here pulls from some heavy hitters. You can feel the influence of Raymond Chandler’s hardboiled prose mixed with the monster-filled landscapes of Hellboy and Blade. It’s a supernatural noir that manages to keep its feet on the ground even when vampire street gangs and cemetery-dwelling ghouls show up. The first issue is already finished (fully drawn, colored, and lettered), which is a huge plus for anyone looking to back the upcoming Kickstarter campaign.
The Case of the Woman in Red
The story hits the ground running with a particularly grisly murder. Mort is working late at the funeral home when a mysterious woman in red walks into his office. She’s got a job for him, and it isn’t about embalming. From there, the book shifts into high gear with snappy one-liners and some genuinely bloody action. It’s a fast-paced debut that sets the stakes high for the rest of the series.
Nate Walkington’s art style provides the perfect backdrop for this kind of story. It captures the grime of the city and the eeriness of the mortuary without losing the human element of Mort’s character. He’s joined by letterer Marina Leon, who is coming off a win at the 2025 Mad Cave Talent Search. Her work keeps the dialogue flowing naturally, which is vital for a book that relies on quick, noir-style banter. Henrique Kennedy also lends his talents to two variant covers that really sell the book’s dark atmosphere.
Building a New Horror Franchise
The team is currently prepping their landing page and building an audience ahead of the Kickstarter’s official launch. The main goal of the campaign is to cover printing costs and get the book into as many hands as possible. They aren’t sitting around waiting, though. Issue #2 is already in the art stage, showing a level of commitment that’s great to see in the indie space.
Get an early look at what’s coming in MORT #1 with this preview:
If you’re a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer but want something with a bit more grit and a detective’s edge, this is a project to keep on your radar.
- Title: MORT #1
- Release Date: Kickstarter Pre-launch (Coming Soon)
- Creatives: Travis Brown (Writer), Henrique Kennedy (Artist), Marina Leon (Letterer)
- Key Characters: Samuel “Mort” Barber, The Mysterious Woman in Red
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Explore the world of MORT at www.jetsettercomics.com
