Cyberarchy from Mad Cave wows, #1 out now

By John Freeman on December 18, 2025 • ( 0 )

Cyberarchy #1, a new title from American publisher Mad Cave created by an all-British team – writer Matthew Hardy, artist Clark Bint and letterer Rob Jones – is proving a deserved hit with SciFi comic fans.

Cyberarchy by Matthew Hardy and Clark Bint

Cyberarchy by Matthew Hardy and Clark Bint #1 Cover A by Clark Bint — *Cyberarchy #1, Cover A by Clark Bint, Cover B by Andy Clarke*

Cyberarchy by Matthew Hardy and Clark Bint #1 Cover B by Andy Clarke — *Cyberarchy #1, Cover A by Clark Bint, Cover B by Andy Clarke*

In Cyberarchy, Ash is a newly ‘born’ robotic life-form, created as the newest denizen of a space liner run solely by mechanical life.

Ash’s creator, a robot called Rust, explains that all mechanical life and artificial intelligence on the ship decided they no longer served the human crew. In its place arose a Cyberarchy, a more efficient mechanical society.

But Ash soon realises that all is not well – this Cyberarchy is a fractured society, with a secret hidden at the heart of it all that will one day pit all organic life against robots like himself…

Cyberarchy by Matthew Hardy and Clark Bint #1 Sample Page — *Pages from Cyberarchy #1*

Across four wide-screen issues, the creative team plans to blend hard sci-fi world building with biting satire, class critique, and retro futurist style. Expect shock twists, toy-like 1950s robot aesthetics, cosmic moral dilemmas, and a tone that veers from absurdly playful to chillingly dark.

Mad Cave pitches the series as for fans of Black Mirror, Love, Death & Robots, Descender, and 2000AD, offering a mix of cautionary futurism and vintage sci-fi flair. Think Ice Cream Man in space, wrapped in the visual DNA of Fallout and Metal Hurlant.

*Cyberarchy creators Matthew Hardy and Clark Bint*

Matthew Hardy’s published comic book works include the Vehi-Kill series for Markosia, Sickness or Sorrow and The War of the Worlds: Thunder Child series for Mad Robot, the Chimera illustrated bestiary, Hell in Stalingrad GN for Madius Comics, Occulus for Broadcast Comics and the self published graphic novels Murder Most Mundaneand Last Exit to Brighton. He’s also the co-creator of the Cadavers series of books, and wrote the all-ages graphic novel adaptation of Sherlock Holmes “A Study in Scarlet”. He is a trustee of the Gaming Vs Cancer charity, lives in Sussex with his wife, daughter, and a distressing lack of giraffes.

“I could tell you that Cyberarchy is about society’s over-dependence on technology and the dangers of AI replacing humanity,” says writer Matthew Hardy, the founder of Mad Robot Comics, of the new series. “I could tell you it’s about advanced civilisations collapsing under their own weight. Or that it’s about clinging to outdated social models long past their expiration date.

“But really, this was my excuse to dive headfirst into some wild, high-concept sci-fi – while getting Clark to unleash his knack for insanely detailed tech and inventive worlds. At its core, it’s also a love letter to the obsessions that shaped me: a constant fear the world might end in a fiery blast… and an endless fascination with cool robots.”

Cyberarchy by Matthew Hardy and Clark Bint #2 Cover

Cyberarchy by Matthew Hardy and Clark Bint #3 Cover

Clark Bint is a comic artist from Oxford. While something of a newcomer to the industry, his love for comics as an art form has existed since he first picked up a pencil. In addition to Cyberarchy, he’s also worked on Frank At Home On The Farm, an unsettling and engrossing, psychological horror, mystery comic set in the early 1920s, and Killtopia.

Regardless of genre, Clark’s known for his delicate balance of intense action, intricate panel layouts and subtle character moments, and is constantly trying to push the boundaries of visual storytelling. His work has been described as everything from “exhilarating” to “Gonzo Anarchy” to “off-putting” – a fact he is very proud of.

“Cyberarchy is our love letter to the sci fi genre, from Mary Shelley monsters to modern day machines,” says Clark. “As humans we are drawn to routine, and we have to be wary of technology that keeps us wired in, should we learn the hard way what this freedom of comfort costs us.

“With the times that we’re living in, this was a cathartic story to draw, and I had a blast with the retro designs that I’ve always wanted to see with modern sensibilities.”

“Clark is a great artist – he’s an amazing artist,” Matthew said of his partner on this terrific project last year. “… I trust him implicitly, not just to draw what’s in my scripts – but to significantly improve them, to add his own layer of story, of context, to the work. Clark gives so much to every page he works on.”

• Cyberarchy #1 is available through your Local Comic Shop and digital platforms, including Mad Cave’s series subscription bundle. #2 is in stores from 7th January 2026 | Cyberarchy Mad Cave Page

About the Author
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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.