Independent comics publisher SHIFT is to release A Nest of Shadows, a gripping sci-fi espionage thriller, arriving in TG Jones stores and Forbidden Planet on 22nd July 2026, as part of the publisher’s Shift Presents… line of original graphic storytelling.
Written by Stu Perrins, creator of the thoroughly enjoyable Chrono-Cat series for Markosia Enterprises, illustrated by Saint Yak, known for his work on Go West for Alterna Comics, and lettered by Ron Gravelle, who previously collaborated with Perrins on Chrono-Cat, A Nest of Shadows delivers a tense blend of political intrigue, military science fiction, and superhuman spectacle.
In the adventure, which looks spectacular, a covert U.S. extraction mission deep inside Moscow uncovers the world’s first true superbeing. When Russia’s original super-weapon project catastrophically fails, the world believes the threat has ended. Eight months later, intelligence reveals a second iteration – Absolute Power Mark II – is nearing activation.
Veteran operative Octavius Pankhurst and elite agent Theodora Gunn are dispatched under diplomatic cover to steal the asset before it can be deployed.
What they discover is not a weapon, but a woman: raised in isolation, stripped of her memories, engineered to obey, and gifted with godlike abilities. Upon awakening, she refuses to serve any government and escapes, forever altering the global balance of power.
“A Nest of Shadows is a story about power, control, and what happens when humanity creates something it can no longer contain,” said writer Stu Perrins. “It’s a political thriller wrapped in a superhero narrative, but at its heart it’s about freedom and self-determination.”
Combining the espionage-driven tension of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the political edge of The Boys, and the scale and consequence of Akira, A Nest of Shadows offers a fresh take on the superhero genre, treating superpowers not as wish fulfilment, but as weapons of mass disruption.
• SHIFT Presents… A Nest of Shadows by Stu Perrins, Saint Yak and Ron Gravelle will be available from 22nd July 2026 from TG Jones, Forbidden Planet Amazon and is available to order now from the SHIFT online store
The Creators
Stu Perrins has carved out a reputation for sharp, character‑driven storytelling across the UK indie comics scene. His work blends pulp energy with a wry, human core, often exploring the cracks where ordinary people collide with extraordinary circumstances. With titles spanning sci‑fi, noir, and off‑kilter adventure, Stu brings a clean sense of pace and a knack for dialogue that hits with both humour and weight.
Saint Yak is instantly recognisable: bold inks, jagged energy, and a visual language that feels equal parts punk, folklore, and fever dream. His pages carry a raw physicality – impact, texture, and mood all dialled up – while still delivering clear storytelling beneath the chaos.
Yak’s work has appeared across a range of indie publishers, always pushing style and atmosphere to the edge.
A veteran of both mainstream and independent comics, Ron Gravelle’s lettering is the invisible architecture that holds the chaos together. His clean, confident placement and instinct for rhythm give the story its voice – whether it’s a whispered briefing or a full‑page KLABOOOOOOM. His craft elevates every page he touches
- About the Author
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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.
Categories: British Comics, British Comics - Collections, British Comics - Current British Publishers, Comic Previews, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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