Hound

During World War I, a young soldier is assigned to one of the most deadly areas along the western front. However, he finds the greatest threat to his life lies not with the enemy, but with a cult formed by his own men.

Found nestled and protected within a den of wolves, the journal of Private Barrow, a fresh young soldier drafted into Britain's royal army during the height of World War I, meticulously and explicitly recounts the events that lead to his death. However, where most men are sent to the trenches, Barrow was sent to a place known only to him as the “gas quarter” — a patch along the western front known for incessant mustard gas attacks. Our story and the journal both begin with Barrow’s introduction to the unit occupying the quarter — a group referred to by the top brass as “The Hounds,” a nickname earned by the appearance of their long-snouted gas masks. Immediately, Barrow is shaken by the sight of them and is soon pulled into a hell that can only come from the savage horror of war.

Residing in Frederick, Maryland, Sam Romesburg is a relatively new writer excited to make his Mad Cave debut with Hound, co-written with writing partner Sam Freeman. Previously, Sam was the co-creator of the Scout Comics series Children of the Grave, the Sumerian Comics series One of Us is the Killer, and one shot Rock & Roll Hell with co-creator Ben Roberts. Outside of comics, Sam enjoys aggressive music, football, and spending time with his wife Louisa and 3-year-old son Jesse.

Based in Baltimore, Maryland, Sam Freeman is a co-writer of Hound with writing partner Sam Romesburg. Along with Hound, Sam’s work can be seen in Basic Instinct with Sumerian Comics. Beyond comics, Sam is a massive fan of the Coen Brothers, his fiancée Emma, and Al Green’s The Belle Album.

Rodrigo is a self-taught cartoonist. He has been drawing since he can remember. At university, he studied audiovisual communication where he learned about narrative. During that time, he participated in several contests, winning several prizes. Once he finished at university he took a pre-production course in animation and his teacher signed him up for a studio where he dedicated himself to making storyboards, while he worked as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer. Recently, however, he has turned his attention to comics and managed to publish his first work, “Swip Tip Kapety Kaluse”, this was followed by “El misterio de la Calle Viento”, a local project to promote the city of Marbella, and “FONDO” a strange pirates story. This year, he published “Montemar”, an adaptation of a classic Spanish story, filled with adventure, romance, monsters, and ghosts.

Justin Birch is a Ringo Award-nominated letterer born and raised in the hills of West Virginia. Lettering comics since 2015, he is a member of the lettering studio AndWorld Design and has worked with AWA, Boom!, DC, Dark Horse, IDW, Image, Mad Cave Studios, and numerous indy publishers. Justin still lives in West Virginia, only now it’s with his loving wife, daughters, and their dog, Kirby.