Forbidden romance, revenge, an undead soul — all are elements of a great Halloween tale, and all are elements of Oni Press’s latest foray into the unknown. The comics publisher just announced Spirit of the Shadows, their latest bone-chilling series, and FANGORIA is excited to premiere an exclusive preview of the first issue, which hits shelves in January.
Written by Daniel Ziegler and Nick Cagnetti, the latter of whom also illustrates the series in his full-length debut, Spirit of the Shadows draws inspiration from titles like Phantom of the Opera, with special covers drawn by Cagnetti, David Lafuente, Karl Kerschl, and Matt Lesniewski. The series’ synopsis is as follows:
Once, Erik Leroux was a mortal musician, selflessly devoted to his music and his true love, Katrina . . . until his sudden death plunged his soul into the carnival-like torments of the Spirit World beyond our own. Now, reborn as a phantom with fleeting memories of his life among the living, and forever cursed to bear the arcane costume his corpse wore to the grave, Erik will claw his way back from the infernal planes to uncover the mysteries of his own life . . . and avenge the dark sins that transformed him into the SPIRIT OF THE SHADOWS!
“I'm excited to be working with Oni Press again, bringing something completely different to life this time…or rather raise it from the dead,” Cagnetti said. “This series goes to a lot of crazy spooky places and its multiple settings were so fun for Daniel and I to become immersed in when we were creating it all together. It's an intricate web of revelation, revenge, and redemption that weaves back and forth on itself and constantly leaves you gasping at the moral quandaries. I don't know how you're going to feel or who you're going to be rooting for, and that makes it a nonstop rush – can't wait for readers to see this book finally!”
“I’m thrilled to be working with Oni Press and my longtime friend and collaborator Nick Cagnetti to finally let this monstrous story loose,” said Ziegler. “SPIRIT OF THE SHADOWS embodies the kind of horror I love most, but don’t see much of anymore: classic monsters, iconic spooky imagery, forbidden romance, and a hefty dose of the supernatural. Nick and I have spent many years building up a world unlike anything you’ve ever read or seen, and I can’t wait to finally welcome readers into it.”
The 32-page Spirit of the Shadows #1 hits shelves on January 28, 2026, retailing for $4.99 USD. Check out our exclusive preview down below:
