DF Interview: Peter J. Tomasi confronts the battle of nature vs. nurture in ‘Blood Tree’



By Byron Brewer

Two obsessed NYPD detectives hunt for a vicious butcher called the Angel Killer, a sociopath who preys on the innocent family members of known murderers in order to "purify" the rest of society.

From comics super team Peter J. Tomasi (Batman and Robin, Superman, Black Adam: The Dark Age, Super-Sons, Detective Comics) and Maxim Šimić (Escape from New York, Conan) comes Blood Tree, a story that confronts the battle of nature versus nurture, considers how present and future generations are tainted by past generations, and asks the age-old question: Who must pay for the sins of the fathers – and perhaps even the sins of the mothers?
I caught up to scribe Tomasi and here’s what he had to say about the new book.


Byron Brewer: Peter, at least one version of Blood Tree has been running weekly through the online newsletter, Zestworld. Will the Image comic be an opportunity for readers to see those issues in print? And if so, will there be new material coming from artist Maxim Šimić and yourself?



Peter J. Tomasi: Yes, exactly. Blood Tree came out initially through Zestworld.com in only a digital version. They were great to work with. The Image comic will be the first time it's out in print, an actual floppy. Being as old school as I am, it doesn't feel real until I can hold it in my hands, tangible so to speak. Also, for me, writing all day and staring at my Macbook screen, reading for pleasure is something I like to do without a screen. Books, comics, newspapers, magazines. I catch crap from my wife all the time with all the stacks around. There is no new material included in the monthly floppies, but there will be a bunch of stuff for the trade paperback.



Byron: The inspiration for Blood Tree, as I have heard it, not only demonstrates you are an author with patience, but it is one of the funniest tales I have ever heard. Would you please share the inspiration that, if memory serves, begins with you walking in Central Park?



Peter J. Tomasi: Well, I was walking in Central Park one day having just watched a re-release of Lawrence of Arabia on the big screen, and a white feather fluttered down in front of me. I looked closer and discovered it was spotted with blood. So, as my mind took off on its usual free association roller-coaster, I imagined that unseen in the heavens above some angels were duking it out and one of them crashed down into the park. Heading home on the 'A' train, I took out my handy dandy pocket notebook that I always have on my person, and jotted it down. Over the years I kept embellishing upon that singular premise and formed a story I kinda geared on.



Byron: Talk a little about the canvas here, the world/mood/atmosphere Maxim and you are weaving.



Peter J. Tomasi: For me, my creator-owned books, up till now, have all been non-superhero stories except The Mighty (plug plug: check out the recently released Image trade paper back), and I've been focused in staying in the 'real' world, so to speak, instead of continuing to delve into worlds/cityscapes filled with capes and cowls that I've been doing for 30 years. I love super-heroes but I felt to keep any of my future superhero work fresh, I needed to step away for a bit. Anyway, the main objective was to give this story a very straight ahead point of view. We purposefully steered away from getting too operatic in a way, by which I mean lots of big splash pages and crazy angles or distorted shots. We wanted to go with a humanistic eye level, no bombastic superhero tropes. This is a story about several characters going down a severe road that breaks away from their mundane daily life and job expectations and forcing them towards a self-realization that they might not want to look at. Seven, Dexter, and Silence of the Lambs are films/TV that Maxim and I spoke about in regards to the tonal vibe we were shooting for.



Byron: Introduce us to protagonists Dario and Maria. Who are they, what is their relationship and chemistry, and what type of personal challenges await them in the series?



Peter J. Tomasi: Well, I went with the tried and true template of Dario Azzaro as our grizzled NYC detective who's seen it all -- or at least has thought so until the strange killings begin. And of course the younger detective, Maria Diaz, who's got her own world view that deviates from the beliefs of her veteran partner. It's always fun to take a template and shake it up in an unusual way while also peeling away some layers and seeing how this particular case affects their mental and physical stability, and of course their family life. They've got some insane obstacles to face and I hope readers are emotionally invested in their journey because I feel there's some real unexpected twists heading their way.



Byron: What other characters loom large as this series progresses? Can you spotlight a few?



Peter J. Tomasi: I don't wanna give anything away this early, but what I can say is that every character has a specific arc, even the smallest ones who you might not expect.

Byron: Talk more about the collaboration between artist Maxim Šimić and yourself. What does his awesome art bring to this gritty gathering?


Peter J. Tomasi: Working with Maxim has been great. He's got this organic, raw vibe to his art that really works well with Blood Tree and he's a talented storyteller who puts ya right into the heart of the story. Also, the work on the book from colorist John Kalisz and letterer Rob Leigh has been great, not to mention the beautiful covers by Christian Alamy and the cool variant cover to issue #1 by Gary Frank. And then of course there's Brian Cunningham, who's helping juggle all the plates!



Byron: Peter, what other coming projects of yours, inside or outside comics, can you tell readers about?



Peter J. Tomasi: My next creator-owned book from Image will be out either in late 2023 or early 2024 called Snipe and Slug with my storytelling partner the uber-talented Brad Walker. The first three issues are complete and colored and they look unbelievable. Also putting together some other creator-owned books, but all hush-hush for the moment. Not sure if anyone caught my first Marvel work, but I wrote the Old Man Logan: Wastelanders series for Sirius that I was proud of, and there's some TV stuff percolating that's better left unsaid until it firms up some more. There's also a DC series in the works that will be out in late 2023, but again, too early to tell ya much about. And I'm also excited about some DC Omnibuses that are on the horizon.



Dynamic Forces would like to thank Peter J. Tomasi for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions. Blood Tree #1 from Image Comics is slated to be on sale February 1st!



For more news and up-to-date announcements, join us here at Dynamic Forces, www.dynamicforces.com/htmlfiles/, “LIKE” us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/dynamicforcesinc, and follow us on Twitter, www.twitter.com/dynamicforces.

Skybound Entertainment and Image Comics, in partnership with Universal Products & Experiences, today announced Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man a new four-issue limited comic book series from Eisner Award-winning, bestselling writer James Tynion IV (Something Is Killing the Children, Exquisite Corpses) and acclaimed artist DANI (The Low, Low Woods, Coffin Bound). Unraveling the horrific origins of the iconic monster in an all-new story, this haunting take on The Invisible Man will arrive in comic book shops beginning in August 2025.

The horror dream team of James Tynion IV and DANI, alongside colorist Brad Simpson (The Amazing Spider-Man), reveal their vision for one of the most intriguing monsters in cinematic history! This new series is sure to entice longtime fans of the movie and new fans alike to dive into this new horror classic, with nods to the events of the seminal Universal Pictures film.

“Going back to the first conversation I had with Skybound about the Universal Monsters line, there were two characters I knew I wanted to work on from the start. We started with Dracula, but in my heart my favorite Universal Monster film has always been THE INVISIBLE MAN,” said James Tynion IV. “It’s a thrill to peel back the bandages and approach Griffin’s story from a whole new angle, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be on this ride with DANI.”

"Working on The Invisible Man comic book series with such a great creative team is a dream come true,” said DANI. “I can’t wait to show the world the unshowable!”

Jack Griffin has always been invisible to the people around him—at least in his own mind. But when an experimental breakthrough presents a path to make his dreams of invisibility a reality, no one—not even the woman he loves—will stand in his way.

Witness Griffin’s legendary descent into madness as his humanity fades away and the monster inside is revealed, leaving only...THE INVISIBLE MAN!

“James Tynion IV is one of the best horror writers this industry has ever seen, and THE INVISIBLE MAN is the character DANI was born to draw,” said Alex Antone, Editorial Director at Skybound. “These two powerhouses have created something truly special with this book... and just like the Invisible Man, comic fans won’t see it coming!”

This collaboration between Skybound and Universal Products & Experiences is the latest milestone in a near decade long relationship that encompasses film, video games, and now comic book publishing. Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man is the fifth Universal Monsters series launch, following James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds’ Dracula (which netted Simmonds a BEST PAINTER/MULTIMEDIA ARTIST (INTERIOR ART) Eisner Award nomination); Ram V, Dan Watters, and Matthew Roberts’ Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives!; Michael Walsh’s Frankenstein; and Faith Erin Hicks’ The Mummy.

The Invisible Man will be followed by additional new limited series pairing the biggest names in comics with pop culture’s most iconic monsters.

Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1 (of 4) (Lunar Codes Coming Soon SRP: $4.99) will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on Wednesday, August 27, 2025.

The full list of covers is below:

Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1 Cover A by DANI & Brad Simpson

Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1 Cover B by Joshua Middleton

Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1 Cover C (1:10 "Pulp” Variant) by David Aja

Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1 Cover D (1:25 “Classic Horror” B&W) by Joshua Middleton

Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1 Cover E (1:50 Incentive) by Rosemary Valero-O'Connell

Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1 Cover F (1:75 Incentive) (Pencil Sketch Cover) by Alex Ross

Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1 Cover G (1:100 Incentive) (Foil) by Christian Ward

Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1 Cover H Blank Sketch Cover

YOU CAN'T ESCAPE THIS GAME, EVEN IN YOUR DREAMS! Oni Press is proud to announce the upcoming release of CEMETERY KIDS RUN RABID #1, a synapse-shredding new level for the boundary-breaking science-horror hybrid that began with CEMETERY KIDS DON'T DIE from acclaimed writer Zac Thompson (Into the Unbeing – Parts 1 & 2) and electrifying artist Daniel Irizarri (EC’s Cruel Universe)! Return to the world of Thompson and Irizarri’s Thompson and Irizarri’s sold-out, cyberpunk horror hit with AN ALL-NEW JUMPING-ON POINT will launch new readers and returning fans alike even deeper into a pixelated landscape haunted by an all-too-real evil…

One year ago, four friends barely escaped the unrelenting terror of the video game called Nightmare Cemetery. After spending endless hours locked into the innovative Dreamwave—the first gaming console played entirely while you sleep—in order to save one of their own from the game’s all-too-real consequences, they survived . . . barely. But after their harrowing rescue, they’ve decided they’ve had enough of Nightmare Cemetery and its enigmatic final boss, the King of Sleep. That is, until the newest DLC, The Blighted Sprawl, suddenly appears online with a promise to reveal the truth of what actually lurks at the heart of Nightmare Cemetery’s digital darkness . . . and why its effects are now bleeding out into the real world in an array of bizarre and disturbing new ways.

“Zac and Daniel have brilliantly amplified the terror and heartbreak of these Cemetery Kids.” said Sierra Hahn, editor in chief. “It makes for a thrilling ride back into Nightmare Cemetery where they’ll confront real-world horrors leaving you to wonder if they ever left the game all . . .”

“Returning to the strange and violent world of Cemetery Kids with the singular Daniel Irizarri is a thrilling privilege,” said writer Zac Thompson. “So we’re not here to waste your time. Run Rabid takes everything you loved about the first volume and amplifies it ten-fold for a character-driven horror story played on nightmare difficulty. It’s a meaner, scarier book that reckons with false victories and dead futures. And it’s all soaked in the gore and viscera of the disgusting monsters that live inside your head. So come, experience your nightmares with us. And try not to worry about waking up.”

“Continuing Cemetery Kids has let us really hone in on what makes this world unique and terrifying,” said artist Daniel Irizarri. “Zac's writing is my favorite so far, tapping further into our anxieties about the invasive intelligences of future psycho-technologies, creating a genuine sense of dread that our characters are truly in over their heads and the nightmare is consuming them bit by bit. The dual-reality nature also evolves as the kids feel more alone than ever finding new, terrible ways of coping with a dying future society by day, while in nightmares, exploring our abandoned liminal spaces twisted and rotted by time and trauma. Their RPG avatars may have gotten upgrades, but nothing can prepare them for THE BLIGHTED SPRAWL.”

The dream may be over... but the nightmare is just beginning when Zac Thompson and Daniel Irizarri unlock a new dimension of fear this August in CEMETERY KIDS RUN RABID #1 – featuring stunning covers by Irizarri, Martin Simmonds (The Department of Truth), and Gegê Schall (Better Angels)!

Kaleidoscope Film Distribution (KFD) has acquired world sales rights on the post-apocalyptic werewolf horror Dead Howling.

Production will begin in Australia this July with Ryan Kwanten (True Blood, Dead Silence), Temuera Morrison (The Mandalorian, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom), and Tom Burlinson (The Man From Snowy River, Flesh+Blood) attached to star.

Kaleidoscope Film Distribution (KFD) will handle world sales on the title and present the film at this week’s Cannes Market.

Directed by John Soto, the film follows the story of Carter, a lone werewolf fighting for survival in a world overrun by zombies. Taking vengeance for his murdered family, he spends his days hunting down the living dead for sport, until he finds new purpose after saving the lives of two humans seeking a rumoured sanctuary for survivors. However, despite Carter now joining them on their journey as a powerful ally, the group faces new and unimaginable danger when they discover that their undead enemy is beginning to evolve. (via Deadline)

The return of American Dad! to Fox might have come as something of a surprise development, but as the network’s executives tell it, the deal did not involve a lot of complicated negotiations.

“It’s kind of simple — we got a chance to have another show with Seth [MacFarlane], and we took it,” Fox Television Network president Michael Thorn told reporters in discussing the network’s schedule for 2025-26. “He’s a great partner for us, and it extends our reach to our very passionate animation audience. It complements our lineup in a terrific way.”

American Dad!, created by MacFarlane, Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman, premiered on Fox in 2005 and ran for nine seasons before moving to TBS for 10 more beginning in 2014. The show was the last scripted series remaining on TBS when its order ended in March, around the same time reports of a possible return to Fox surfaced.

“It was opportunistic” for the network, said Fox Entertainment CEO Rob Wade. “Its run was over on TBS, so we were delighted” to bring the show back to its original home.

American Dad!, along with MacFarlane’s other Fox show, Family Guy, is set to return in 2026. (via The Hollywood Reporter)

The highly anticipated DC Studios film, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, has hit a significant milestone, with co-CEO James Gunn confirming that principal photography has officially wrapped.

Gunn has shared the exciting news on Threads in response to a fan query, simply stating, “Yes it has,” when asked if filming had concluded. This development means the project, starring Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, now transitions into the crucial post-production phase.

With a theatrical release date set for June 2026, the creative team has a substantial period of over a year to meticulously craft the visual effects, sound design, and final edit, ensuring the film meets the high expectations for this new iteration of the iconic Kryptonian heroine. (via ComicBook.com)

Jeremy Renner is one of the amazing cast of actors in the upcoming Rian Johnson film Wake Up Dead Man, the third Benoit Blanc film that stars Daniel Craig. And while Johnson has shown a tendency to hire MCU actors such as Chris Evans, Dave Bautista, Kathryn Hahn, Jessica Henwick, Ed Norton, Ethan Hawke and Josh Brolin… the hiring of Renner has a slight twist to it. In the previous films, there were occasions when real world people are said to exist in the fictional world like Angela Lansbury, Natasha Lyonne, Serena Williams and even Jeremy Renner who in that world has a line of his own hot sauces. The question then becomes is Renner playing Renner or someone else? Collider asked the Hawkeye actor who was as evasive as he would be for a Marvel Studios project.  "I can't say anything. I can't. I don't know how he's using it or not using — I don't know. He's such an interesting guy, Rian. He's such a great, smart dude. Way too nice for that, too. And it's a guy — nothing ruffles his feathers. That was the exciting part of being able to do it, right? It was the main reason to do that. And obviously work with Rian. And what a great blessing, dude. Really excited to — I want to see… I'm just excited to see. It's because I have no idea. It's like a Marvel movie, really, because I don't know what the heck I did." It will be interesting to see who his character is… and also to see if Johnson keeps up his habit of having the killer played by a former MCU hero or if he will subvert expectations which he loves to do. 

With it being Mother’s Day, here’s a nice story about someone celebrating their mother. Walton Goggins brought his mom, Janet Long, onto the Saturday Night Live stage during his opening monologue in honor of Mother's Day. He shared heartfelt memories of his upbringing, recalling how his mother took him to honky-tonks when she couldn't afford a babysitter and taught him how to clog and two-step. The two even danced together on stage, kicking things up a notch with some lively country moves. Definitely beats the card and flowers I got my mom today. 

Fox has announced that the hit game show series The Floor has been renewed for a fourth and fifth seasons. The show, hosted by Rob Lowe, brings out 100 contestants and gives them each a square on the floor and they get to choose their own expert category. Then contestants square off against each other trying to show who knows more about those categories in a 45 second video duel. The winner taking the losers square and growing their area until the season ends with one person owning the whole floor. While the first two seasons were pretty straightforward, season three brought in a few interesting contestants including an Olympic athlete, a 19-time Jeopardy winner, a married couple and actor Brian O’Halloran star of the Clerks franchise. The series debuted in January 2024, had a second season in September 2024 and launched the third season after the Superbowl this last February. This renewal means we are likely to get another season this fall and the fifth in the spring of 2026. 

The late Tony Todd has one more performance for us to enjoy. The legendary actor made a powerful return as William Bludworth in Final Destination: Bloodlines, marking his final on-screen appearance before his passing in November 2024. According to co-director Adam Stein, his role in the film was deeply personal—he reportedly delivered an unscripted monologue about life and death, blending his own reflections with Bludworth’s cryptic wisdom. The film explores Bludworth’s mysterious past, finally answering long-standing fan theories about his connection to Death’s design. Todd’s presence in Bloodlines is described as poignant, offering a heartfelt farewell to both the franchise and his fans. 

There’s been a lot of speculation recently about Matt Reeves’ involvement in The Batman: Part II. Some reports suggest that he may have stepped down as director but will remain involved as a scriptwriter. However, other sources indicate that he is still attached to direct the film. The source of the speculation is a posting that shows when the film is slated to go into production and Reeves’ name is not listed as the director. But the counter to the rumor is that a previous posting for the film before it was delayed also didn’t have a director listed. James Gunn, co-head of DC Studios and who often debunks speculation quickly, has yet to comment on this report. The movie is currently aiming for a March 2026 shoot, with a revised release date of October 1, 2027.