Southern Gothic: Chapter Seventeen

A Late Encounter with the Enemy

Jan 17, 2024

∙ Paid

Y’all—

Hoo boy! I don’t know about you, but from where I’m sitting, 2024 came in ready to rumble. Here at the New Futurists, we’re as busy as a church fan in the dog days of summer planning all sorts of devilment for the year ahead.

And today, we’ve got a real treat for you: the penultimate installment of Southern Gothic, Chapter Seventeen: A Late Encounter with the Enemy.

I want to thank everyone who wrote in with kind words about my dedication to Randall Kenan last month. It was particularly lovely to hear from so many other folks who were touched by Randall’s kindness and generosity. And to everyone who asked for a reading recommendation, might I recommend starting with Kenan’s brilliant collection of short stories Let the Dead Bury Their Dead?

Alright, now listen up gentle readers. You’ve got one last chance to get it off your chest. What is “it?” Whatever you want it to be, babe. Next month, we’ll be doing a final installment of our reader correspondence feature, “The Purloined Letters.” If you’ve got a comment, gripe, glowing review, or burning question, this is your chance! Y’all know we love hearing from you. So, get us your messages by February 5th and please remember to include “Southern Gothic” in the subject and “OKAY TO PRINT” if you would like for us to respond to your missive publicly.

This month’s cover features my favorite installment in Southern Gothic co-creator Ezequiel Rubio’s Norman Rockwell-inspired series. If you’re a paid subscriber, hang around after today’s feature for a peak at Ezequiel’s inspiration for this cover, as well as a closer look at my headshot designs for our late 20th century cast members and cover art from our final chapter by Roasif (Rodrigo Marques).

As always, we are grateful for your readership and support! I’m starting to think that the New Futurists readers are the best fans on the internet.

Please remember that Southern Gothic is a horror comic and is not suitable for all readers. Chapter seventeen features depictions of gun violence, supernatural horror, blood, gore, racially sensitive language, substance abuse, harsh language, and physical violence. Reader discretion is advised.