Cruel Kingdom 2 Brings More Dark Fantasy Tales from EC Comics and Oni Press
The sequel is a six-issue limited series featuring stories by multiple creators, including Matt Bors and Ryan Kelly. The first issue, 'Fire in the Sky,' is previewed exclusively. It releases on September 2.
The sequel continues Oni Press's revival of the classic EC Comics anthology format, following earlier collaborations like Epitaphs From the Abyss, Shellshock, and Blood Type. Cruel Kingdom 2 assembles a broad roster of comics talent, including John Arcudi of B.P.R.D. fame, novelist Sarah Gailey, and David Lapham of Stray Bullets, alongside the featured "Fire in the Sky" story by Matt Bors and Ryan Kelly. The series leans into grim fantasy territory, with official promotional copy emphasizing witch hunts, executioners, and the deliberate absence of happy endings. Issue #1 arrives September 2, with preorders available through local comic shops.
This sequel may reinforce the ongoing commercial viability of anthology comics, a format that has struggled in modern direct-market retail. By pairing established EC brand recognition with a rotating cast of indie and mainstream creators, the series could attract both nostalgic readers and newer audiences seeking short-form dark fantasy. Its success may also signal whether collaborative publisher partnerships remain a sustainable model for genre comics, potentially influencing how other publishers approach limited-run anthology projects in the future.