DF Interview: Mark Sable takes readers ‘Where Starships Go To Die’



By Byron Brewer

Point Nemo: the farthest oceanic point on Earth from any landmass. A spacecraft graveyard where rockets and satellites can be safely ditched on the ocean floor. In a near future ravaged by climate change, an African astronaut teams with an Indian shipping magnate to mount a dangerous salvage mission to recover the wreck of humanity's first interstellar starship. But what they find is beyond their worst nightmares.

Mark Sable (Miskatonic, War on Terror: Godkillers) and Alberto Locatelli (The Believers, Cinque) bring you Where Starships Go To Die, a sci-fi horror tale that will make you rethink the space race. Speaking of which, I put on my running shorts, hopped into the space race, and chatted up this new genre mashup book with my friend, scribe Mark Sable.


Byron Brewer: Mark, from the solicit it sounds like we have some space horror here with an Aliens vibe… except – very cool – it takes place in the oceans of Earth! Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea meets Aliens? Tell readers about the inspiration for this book.



Mark Sable: The initial idea for Where Starships Go To Die was in the discovery of the existence of a real world location called “Point Nemo” (the original title for the book). It’s a spot in the South Pacific that’s the farthest oceanic point from land on Earth. More importantly, it’s a spacecraft graveyard. Nations have been intentionally ditching rockets, satellites and space stations there for decades. Its remote location means that if they miscalculate it’s still very unlikely the wreckage will hit a populated area.

My mind started reeling at the possibility of what might be found down there… and what’s on them.
We created an alternate history of over a century worth of secret space programs and doomed missions. And, I think, a unique threat that we’ve rarely seen in sci-fi.
From a fictional point of view, Ridley Scott’s Alien, John Carpenter’s The Thing and James Cameron’s The Abyss were all influences. I like the idea of mixing sci-fi and horror, and of a small, isolated crew dealing with survival against the unknown.


Byron: Without going into plot or characters, can you lay out our canvas a bit? Talk about the world you and Alberto Locatelli are preparing for readers for this adventure.



Mark Sable: Where Starships Go To Die takes place in 2075. It’s a world that’s been further ravaged by climate change and war.

When the story begins, it seems there’s some hope, though – we’re about to receive the first message from the Deadalus, humankind’s first interstellar starship. It should be reaching Barnard’s Star, a star with a possibly inhabitable exoplanet theoretically reachable by a sub-light ship.
But the Deadalus is sent hurtling back to Earth at seemingly impossible speeds, coming to rest at Point Nemo. The race for the wreckage is on.


Byron: Introduce us please to your main protagonists, an African astronaut and an Indian shipping magnate. What can you tell us (non-spoilers) about their character, their collaboration and their mission?



Mark Sable: A decade before Where Starships Go To Die begins, Captain Samkeli “Sam” Dlameni is set to become the first African in space as the commander of the Daedalus. But his native South Africa is drawn into a war with corporations trying to take over debtor nations. Not only does he miss his chance at making history, he becomes an avowed pacifist due to his wartime service.

When the Daedalus crashes, he’s reluctantly recruited by Kiara Kiathra, a woman who has made her fortune from the world’s largest shipbreaking yard in India. Commander of the salvage vessel known as the Nautilus, she’s determined to recover the Daedalus’ experimental fusion reactor, which she hopes can be used to share free energy with the poor of the global south, who have been the greatest victims of climate change.
She persuades Sam to take up the mission because she presents him with convincing evidence that the Daedalus is somehow still intact, giving him a chance to finally realize his dream of piloting it. But where he’s cautious and peaceful, she’s a ruthless risk taker who believes she’s descended from Jules Verne’s Captain Nemo. They are very clearly headed for a collision course.


Byron: What other important characters can you spotlight here for us?



Mark Sable: One of the things I’m most proud of is this book’s diverse global cast. Rounding out the crew are:

Dr. Varella, an Argentinian naval surgeon. She’s there to study the corpses on the Daedalus to see the effects of deep space on the human body, with the hopes of using that knowledge to make us more resilient to the worsening conditions here on Earth. A noble goal, but having your ship’s doctor be so cold and clinical is a recipe for conflict when things start to go bad.
Eka, an Indonesian warrior in charge of the Nautilus’ security, has got a dark past. A supposedly reformed pirate, the methods he chooses to defend the crew puts him into immediate opposition with Sam’s pacifism.
Finally, there’s Danilo, a Filipino oceanographer is maybe the most critical character to the crew’s survival. He pilots the Nautilus’ DSRV – Deep Sea Recovery Vehicle. The Daedalus is located at the very bottom of the ocean, and they simply cannot reach it without him. He’s maybe my favorite character because he’s filled with a childlike sense of wonder…but when he’s tested, Danilo shows a surprising amount of courage.


Byron: There is something or someone aboard the wreck of humanity’s first interstellar starship. Any non - “read the book” clues?



Mark Sable: Oh man, that’s a tough question! I’d direct readers to one of my other sources of inspiration, a podcast called Josh Clark’s The End of the World. It poses the question of why we haven’t found life on other planets. One of the possible answers is something so terrifying it makes me thing we’re better off alone in the universe.



Byron: Could you give readers a summation, an extended overview of this series?



Mark Sable: Initially, Sam, Kiara and the rest of the crew is faced with the challenge of locating and raising a wreck from the most remote spot on Earth. But soon, they find themselves competing with the warring U.S. and Chinese navies, discovering other wrecks from doomed missions constituting secret space programs from history’s worst regimes, and finally, confronting something not of this world that is hunting them one by one. All the while, trying to survive in the most hostile environment on this planet. Each issue ups the stakes considerably.



Byron: Talk about your collaboration on this mag with artist Alberto Locatelli.



Mark Sable: Alberto was a revelation. His storytelling and characterization are incredible, filled with a tremendous amount of energy and emotion.

Because this is a project with sci-fi and horror elements, I wanted to ground this series with as much reality as possible. I threw a ton of reference at him, and he not only nailed all of it, he imbued it – and the book as a whole – with tremendous heart.
He might be the real star of this book, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see everyone clamoring to work with him.


Byron: Mark, are there any other projects in which you are involved you can tell readers about?



Mark Sable: I’m currently working on two more projects for AfterShock, which has been a great home for me since doing Godkillers and Miskatonic with them over the past couple of years. Only one has been announced, a collaboration with artist Andrea Olimpieri, and all we can say about it is that it’s hard sci-fi.

I’m doing another sci-fi book with Jeremy Haun (who did the covers for Where Starships Go To Die and my other AfterShock books) at Comixology Originals and Dark Horse, which published The Dark and Dracula: Son of the Dragon last year. I wish I could say more, but if you’ve seen Jeremy’s work, you’ll love it.
And I’m completing work on Chaotic Neutral, a combination fantasy comic/fantasy role-playing adventure that artist/co-creator Chris Anderson and I did a successful Kickstarter for in the fall. The comic has been long done, and I’m currently playtesting the module with my weekly D&D group. At some point, we hope to make it available to those who missed the Kickstarter via Backerkit – follow me on social media for updates on that front.
There’s more in the works, but that’s all I’m allowed to mention for now. I’m really grateful to my readers and publishers for keeping me so busy and giving me the opportunity to tell stories with such great collaborators.


Dynamic Forces would like to thank Mark Sable for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions. Where Starships Go To Die #1 from AfterShock Comics is slated to be on sale June 8th!



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.

Briarcliff Entertainment has acquired domestic rights to Valiant One, a military action thriller starring Chase Stokes (Outer Banks) and Lana Condor (To All the Boys franchise), slating it for release in theaters nationwide on January 24, 2025. Check out a first-look still above. Marking the feature directorial debut of producer Steve Barnett, the film watches as a routine mission goes awry when a U.S. army helicopter crashes deep within North Korean territory. Now, a team of non-combat tech specialists, led by Captain Edward Brockman (Stokes), must navigate the hostile terrain and fend off North Korean forces as they desperately race to escort a civilian tech specialist across the treacherous Demilitarized Zone. A Monarch Media production written by Barnett and Eric Tipton, with counsel from former members of the U.S. Military, CIA and Department of Defense, Valiant One also stars Desmin Borges (Only Murders in the Building) and Callan Mulvey (The Grey Man). The film is produced by Bernie Goldmann and Alan Powell, and executive produced by Vicky Patel. Stokes served as co-executive producer. (via Deadline)

Marking the milestone 50th issue of Benjamin Percy’s run and hitting stands during Wolverine’s 50th anniversary year, next month’s WOLVERINE #50 will be one of the character’s most pivotal issues ever! In anticipation of this landmark issue, fans can check out never-before-seen artwork from each story now. Packed with bonus material, the giant-size issue presents the explosive final chapter of Percy, Victor LaValle, Geoff Shaw, and Cory Smith’s 10-part epic “Sabretooth War” storyline plus a story co-starring Jubilee from legendary Wolverine scribe Larry Hama and a special sneak peek at Wolverine’s upcoming adventures in the From the Ashes era! Having masterfully guided Logan over the last few years, Benjamin Percy will also bid farewell to the character in WOLVERINE #50. After closing out Wolverine’s Krakoan age adventures in the main story, Percy will team up with artist Javi Fernández in a special send-off that explores Wolverine’s incredible legacy. On closing out his run, Percy shared, “Fifty issues of Wolverine is a hell of a lot to be thankful for. But the math gets hairier when I do some accounting. I've actually been writing Logan -- in the audio drama, in X-Force and Wolverine and all the crossovers and spin-off events -- for seven years, twenty episodes, and a hundred thirty-ish issues. That’s a whole lot of SNIKT. That’s a big part of my life and career, and I feel nothing but gratitude for the experience. I can’t believe I’ve been lucky enough to serve as the custodian of a character who is so important to me. Thanks, bubs, for joining the mayhem.” The Sabretooth War concludes in the way it began - a violent, bloody battle - but WHO will be left standing? Preorder WOLVERINE #50 at your local comic shop today!

Jeffery Self (Search Party, The Horror of Dolores Roach) and Gabrielle Ryan (Power Book IV: Force, Bonding) have boarded Christopher Landon’s coming fast-paced thriller Drop from Blumhouse, Platinum Dunes and Universal Pictures. The duo join the previously announced cast including Meghann Fahy and Brandon Sklenar. The film’s logline is being kept under wraps at this time. Drop is written by Jillian Jacobs & Chris Roach. Michael Bay, Jason Blum, Brad Fuller and Cameron Fuller are producers. Ron Lynch and Sam Lerner are EPs. Drop is a Platinum Dunes and Blumhouse production for Universal. (via Deadline)

Today Skybound Comet and Image Comics revealed all-new interior pages from Sea Serpent’s Heir Book Three: Queen of Mercy, the third and final installment of the high seas fantasy trilogy about growing up and changing your fate from acclaimed creators Mairghread Scott (Netflix’s Dragon Age: Absolution, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy) and Pablo Tunica (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Sea Serpent’s Heir Book Three concludes the fantasy Young Adult trilogy from Skybound Comet, the original graphic novel imprint aimed at Young Adult (Ages 12+) and Middle Grade (Ages 8-12) audiences, but sure to captivate readers of all ages. In the final chapter of the Sea Serpent’s Heir Trilogy, the hunter becomes the hunted after Aella’s aunt Kiana steals the power of Xir for themselves! Can Aella stop the person who taught her everything she knows about magic from destroying the world?

Sea Serpent’s Heir Book One: Pirate’s Daughter (Lunar Code 0623IM958, ISBN 978-1-5343-2129-8 I SRP: $14.99) and Sea Serpent’s Heir Book Two: Black Wave ( Lunar Code 0723IM381, ISBN 978-1-5343-9993-8 I SRP: $14.99) are available everywhere books are sold now.

The Skybound Comet slate also includes the upcoming release of Ava's Demon Book Two: Aftermath (Lunar Code 0324IM187, ISBN: 978-1-5343-9852-8 SRP: $17.99), the next chapter of the groundbreaking YA graphic novel by acclaimed author Michelle Fus, available for the first time in the book market in May 2024 along with the July release of Super Dinosaur Compendium One (ISBN: 978-1-5343-2775-7 I MSRP: $34.99) from Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead) and artist Jason Howard (Batman, The Flash). Clementine Book Two (Lunar Code 0923IM926, ISBN: 978-1-5343-2519-7 SRP: $14.99) by acclaimed writer/artist Tillie Walden (Spinning, On a Sunbeam) is available everywhere books are sold now.

Sea Serpent’s Heir Book Three: Queen of Mercy (ISBN: 978-1-5343-3209-6 SRP $14.99) will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday September 4, 2024, and at booksellers, along with digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, comiXology, and Google Play Tuesday, September 17, 2024.

The New York Times bestselling, multiple award winning writer Chip Zdarsky (Newburn, Batman), fan-favorite artist Rachael Stott (Fantastic Four, Dr. Who) and stellar colorist Eren Angiolini (Justice League: Last Ride) bring fans of the Eisner Award winning series Public Domain its comic-book-within-the-comic-book in the upcoming new title, The Domain. This five-issue miniseries is the in-universe comic book at the center of the Public Domain series and will launch this July from Image Comics. In the pages of Public Domain, Syd Dallas and the team at Dallas Comics reimagine their classic character The Domain for a new audience, and… this is that comic! “When I realized that my characters from Public Domain would be creating a new superhero comic, I just knew I had to actually make that comic! It was an opportunity to create a fun, classic superhero comic while also enhancing the narrative of Public Domain and those characters’ journeys," said Zdarsky. "But to do it right I needed a great art team who could pull off a kinetic, explosive superhero style, and Rachael Stott and Eren Angiolini are the perfect fit for this story. The only problem has been that fact that they’re too good and have, in fact, made Public Domain look bad by comparison. I did this to myself!" Stott added: "Every single time I get to work with Chip Zdarsky I feel like the luckiest artist in comics—we've worked in his sexy Sex Criminals universe on the Sexual Gary Annual, and then an equally sexy Spider-Man one shot, but now we get to create a world and characters together for Domain. Every (sexy) page has been a joy and delight to draw. And sexy. Then add Eren Angiolini into that equation and you have a dream project. They are one of the most talented colourists working today, and I'm so lucky to get to collaborate with them again. I love being a part of this team, and we've made a really cool, beautiful book together and I'm so proud excited for people to read it. Chip, did I say sexy enough? How many times did you say it would take to get the book on Oprah's book club?" In the upcoming The Domain, three best friends discover a crashed UFO and uncover technology that imbues them with incredible abilities. But there’s a catch: only one of them can use the powers at a time! Can their friendship survive the power’s temptation? The Domain promises a classic superhero story for those coming in fresh, and a fun meta story for readers of Public Domain. "Do you know what is better than working with Chip Zdarsky on Justice League and better than working with Rachael Stott on Doctor Who? Working with BOTH Chip AND Rachael on a fun, cosmic adventure filled with badass characters and handsome aliens," said Angiolini. "I had a wonderful time colouring this series and I couldn't be prouder of the result! Also, they let me go wild with illustrating the TTRPG variant covers! Pretty cool, right?!”

The Domain #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, July 10:

Cover A by Stott - Lunar Code 0524IM229

Cover B by Angiolini - Lunar Code 0524IM230

The Domain will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.

Public Domain, Vol. 1 trade paperback (ISBN: 9781534324572) is available now at local comic book shops and independent bookstores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Indigo, and Waterstones.

Public Domain #6 (Lunar Code 0524IM245) will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, July 3.

Famke Janssen isn't expecting another X-Men rebirth. The Boy Kills World star played the telepathic mutant Jean Grey / Phoenix in five X-Men movies between 2000 and 2014, including cameos in The Wolverine and X-Men: Days of Future Past. Sophie Turner took over the role as young Jean in two prequels, 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse and 2019's X-Men: Dark Phoenix, the latter marking the final film in the Fox franchise following Disney's purchase of 21st Century Fox. But — like a phoenix — the X-Verse has slowly risen from the ashes in the MCU. Hugh Jackman will soon return as Logan in Marvel Studios' Deadpool & Wolverine. With the just-released trailer revealing multiversal cameos of actors and characters from past X-Men movies, could Janssen's Jean Grey make her first appearance in more than a decade? "I don't know. I mean, I didn't expect to come back after dying as Jean Grey," Janssen told ComicBook ahead of her new movie, the bloody action-thriller Boy Kills World. "I came back as the Phoenix [in 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand], and I came back in flashback scenes in The Wolverine, and then in Days of Future Past." Jean's post-X2 returns "were all surprises that I never anticipated," Janssen added. As for yet another unanticipated return in July's Deadpool & Wolverine, she said: "I don't know. I doubt it, but you never know."

The trailer for Zoe Kravitz's directorial debut thriller Blink Twice has hit the internet. Written by Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum, the film stars (Channing Tatum), Naomi Ackie, Alia Shawkat, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Haley Joel Osment, Christian Slater, Kyle MacLachlan and Geena Davis. Producers are Bruce Cohen, Tiffany Persons, Garret Levitz and Kravitz. Tech billionaire Slater King (Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Ackie) at his fundraising gala, and sparks fly. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. It’s paradise. Wild nights blend into sun-soaked days and everyone’s having a great time. No one wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality. There is something wrong with this place. She’ll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive. (via Deadline)

Trailer: https://youtu.be/aMcmfonGWY4

BOOM! Studios, together with leading toy and game company Hasbro, today announced the FINAL issue in the eight-year comic book saga… MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS: DARKEST HOUR #1. It all ends here! With the Morphin Grid in peril, the people of Earth are left without the Power Rangers to protect them. The ultimate battle against Dark Specter will play out with unexpected consequences, while an unlikely group of rogues, villains, and Rangers make strange company… But even if they win… can they rebuild everything they’ve lost? Fan favorite Rangers writer Melissa Flores (Spider-Gwen: Smash), acclaimed artist Simona Di Gianfelice (Firefly: Return to the Earth That Was), and acclaimed colorist Raúl Angulo, weave together a story that fans have been waiting nearly a decade for… delivering an unforgettable finale that everything has been building to! “After nearly two years, the Darkest Hour comes to a close. This event has been one of the biggest tasks of my career, but I've enjoyed every single, heart-wrenching minute. Although I put our poor Rangers through the ringer, I hope the ending is as satisfying for the reader as it was for me to write it!" said series scribe Melissa Flores. “I’m really excited to tell this incredible adventure together with Melissa. So far she has kept us in suspense and now she's ready to surprise us again! Get ready to dive into this final chapter of Darkest Hour! GO GO!" said veteran Power Rangers artist Simona Di Gianfelice. This epic, oversized issue will feature a main cover by the iconic Taurin Clarke, alongside a new Dark Grid variant by Björn Barends, Helmet variant by Goñi Montes, and a top secret Spoiler variant by Santa Fung, among many others.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 A Main: TK

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 B Variant: TK

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 C Dark Grid Variant: TK

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 D Helmet Variant: TK

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 E Spoiler Variant: TK

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 F Foil Variant: TK

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 G 1:5 INCV: TK

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 H 1:10 INCV: TK

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 I 1:25 INCV: TK

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 J FOC Reveal Variant: TK

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 K Unlockable Variant: TK

MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS: DARKEST HOUR #1 will be available in comic shops July 31, 2024. It is available for pre-order at your local comic shop. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including Kindle, iBooks, and Google Play. Ahead of this milestone issue, fans can pick up the final issue of the main series, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #122, a week earlier on July 24, 2024. Additionally, fans can look forward to many exciting POWER RANGERS announcements from BOOM! Studios in the coming months, including exciting plans for San Diego Comic-Con. MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS: DARKEST HOUR is the newest release from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to critically acclaimed original series, including BRZRKR by Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt, and Ron Garney; Something is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera; Grim by Stephanie Phillips and Flaviano; Stuff of Nightmares by R.L. Stine and A.L. Kaplan; Damn Them All by Simon Spurrier and Charlie Adlard; Once Upon a Time at the End of the World by Jason Aaron, Alexandre Tefenkgi, Leila del Duca, and Nick Dragotta; Know Your Station by Sarah Gailey and Liana Kangas; A Vicious Circle by Mattson Tomlin and Lee Bermejo; The Neighbors by Jude Ellison S. Doyle and Letizia Cadonici; Ghostlore by Cullen Bunn and Leomacs; Sirens of the City by Joanne Starer and Khary Randolph; Coda by Simon Spurrier and Matías Bergara; Rare Flavours by Ram V and Filipe Andrade; Underheist by David and Maria Lapham; and Animal Pound by Tom King and Peter Gross. The imprint also publishes popular licensed properties, including Dune: House Corrino from Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, and Simone Ragazzon; and The Expanse: Dragon Tooth by Andy Diggle and Rubine.

Jennifer Lopez is the savior of the future in the Brad Peyton-directed sci-fi Netflix film, Atlas–and a full trailer has dropped for the film. Written by Leo Sardarian and Aron Eli Coleite, Lopez stars alongside Sterling K. Brown, Simu Liu, Gregory James Cohan, Abraham Popoola, Lana Parrilla, and Mark Strong. The film follows Atlas Shepherd (Lopez), a brilliant but misanthropic data analyst with a deep distrust of artificial intelligence, joins a mission to capture a renegade robot with whom she shares a mysterious past. But when plans go awry, her only hope of saving the future of humanity from AI is to trust it. Atlas debuts on Netflix May 24. (via Deadline)

Trailer: https://youtu.be/Jokpt_LJpbw