Published Jun 24, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT
Shaun Corley has been with ScreenRant for over 5 years, and is currently the Coordinator for PR and Outreach for the Comics Team.
Steve Niles, the creator of 30 Days of Night, is returning with a new gothic horror series titled Heartbreak Manor. One of the best horror comic writers working today, Steve Niles inaugurated not only the 30 Days franchise, but helped reestablish the genre in the comics field. This has led to a new wave of horror comics that continues to this day.
Niles already had industry credits to his name when he created 30 Days of Night. Niles originally intended for it to be a film, but after it was rejected by every major studio, he reworked it into a comic book. Published by the then-nascent IDW, 30 Days of Night became a word of mouth success story, slowly building in sales and growth of the fan base. In 2007, matters came full circle when 30 Days of Night was adapted into a successful film. The franchise has expanded, and new entries, sometimes by creators other than Niles, continue to appear.
Published by the then-nascent IDW, 30 Days of Night became a word of mouth success story, slowly building in sales and growth of the fan base.
Niles’ other writing credits are many, stretching across both the creator-owned and superhero, work-for-hire models. He created the character Simon Dark for DC Comics, and has written a handful of Batman books as well. Now, Niles is joining forces with artist Damien Worm to take fans to a distant time, to a world where ghosts seem to lurk around every corner, in the new Heartbreak Manor. ScreenRant is honored to bring fans an exclusive preview.
The Zoop crowdfunding campaign for Niles and Worm’s *Heartbreak Manor *launches today. The publisher provided a plot synopsis for the graphic novel, shared here:
Sally Madison’s wealthy new parents appear eager to provide her with everything she could ever desire, when she first moves in. Sally’s grateful for being rescued from the orphanage, but she’s having a hard time being able to trust her adoptive family. It doesn’t help that her new home is a mysterious mansion, full of secrets and rooms that are strictly off limits. As she tries to navigate the peculiar place and her new life, Sally takes it upon herself to find out why so many doors are locked and why her new parents disappear at night… And as Christmas approaches, she realizes she must uncover the deadly secret of Heartbreak Manor before it’s too late.
The 100-page hardcover will be available for preorder through the site, and Niles and Worm are offering some amazing rewards for those who back it, including prints by Worm, copies of the soundtrack, as well as the chance to actually get drawn into the comic.
Niles and Worm also shared with ScreenRant a look at Heartbreak Manor’s cover, as well as interior pages, all shared here. The pages are an excellent showcase for Worm’s art, and introduce readers to the book’s protagonist, Sally. As seen in the preview, she lives a happy, modest life with her parents. Then one day, they die in a carriage accident. The preview ends with Sally hearing the news of her parent’s demise, kicking off a dark and terrifying new chapter in her life.
Niles and Worm are going all out with Heartbreak Manor. In addition to the graphic novel, there will be a soundtrack as well. Composed and performed by singer Monica Richards (of Faith and the Muse) and darkwave pioneer Anthony Roumanis, the 30-minute soundtrack will be the perfect compliment to Heartbreak Manor.
The creative team behind Heartbreak Manor, from Niles and Worm to Richards and Roumanis, are excited to bring the book to audiences. Niles believed Worm was the right artist for the job early on. Niles knows how to pick his collaborators: bringing Ben Templesmith onboard for 30 Days of Night helped launch the artist to new heights. This will be his and Worm’s sixth time working together. Likewise, Worm is enthused about Heartbreak Manor as well, saying:
Working with Steve is always a joy, because his scripts get straight to the point on every page and panel, and then he gives you total freedom to bring them to life in your own way.
Finally, Richards, who is helping spearhead the soundtrack, will be lettering and editing Heartbreak Manor.
When 30 Days of Night arrived in comic shops in the early 2000s, it was a breath of fresh air. Horror comics had been relegated to the fringes of the field once again, but Niles helped make it cool for a new generation. Today, horror comics are everywhere, and fans can thank Steve Niles for some of this resurgence. Now, he is looking to catch lightning in a bottle once again with the new gothic horror graphic novel Heartbreak Manor.
Heartbreak Manor is available for preorder on Zoop!