Singularity, a gritty new horror/sci-fi comic anthology, the brainchild of a British creative team, has launched on Kickstarter – and it’s already infecting readers’ imaginations.
The 36-page A4 anthology, the first print release from indie start-up VHS Publications, is packed with “body horror, biotech nightmares, revenge noir, and futuristic weirdness”, echoing the classic chills of EC Comics and Creepshow with a modern, culturally savvy twist.
The first issue of Singularity includes seven eerie short stories, ranging from one-page shockers to slow-burn tales, each story is designed to unsettle and intrigue with grotesque transformations, dystopian tech, and dark twists.
VHS Publications say fans of The Twilight Zone and Black Mirror will feel right at home in Singularity’s pages, which blend pulpy suspense with a speculative sci-fi edge.
In true Image Comics spirit, Singularity is 100 per cent creator-owned with no formulaic tropes or corporate committee oversight.
“Everything in it comes straight from our heads – no AI, no creative committee, just two people doing exactly what we want to read,” say the creators, underscoring their commitment to authentic, human-made art.
The campaign has quickly gained momentum – one-third funded in its first week – indicating strong early support. That’s no doubt helped by a nod from 2000AD creator Pat Mills, who has praised the book’s “great imagery” on social media, lending further credibility to Singularity’s visual impact.
The team has also secured Creative Scotland Forward Funds support and will soon be launching a special interactive game tied to the comic, with original sketch prizes up for grabs.
Backers are hopping on board early, and for good reason, say VHS Publications: Singularity promises the kind of smart, unnerving storytelling that indie comics thrive on.
Inspired by EC Comics, The Twilight Zone, and Creepshow, the comic offers vintage anthology vibes, delivering a retro horror anthology feel – but with a fresh, indie-comics attitude that also appeals to fans of Black Mirror.
Fine art meets cinematic VFX
The book’s visuals are crafted by a duo blending fine art and film-level VFX expertise (illustrator Katy Stone and VFX artist Phil Vaughan), giving each panel a polished, cinematic quality rarely seen in indie comics.
Each issue of Singularity offers seven unsettling short stories – from quick one-page shockers to longer, slow-burn chillers – each crafted to leave readers intrigued and a bit uneasy.
The creators are aiming for a vintage anthology vibe with a fresh, culturally savvy twist. Singularity intends to be unflinchingly original, with no publisher mandates, no cliché twists. Indeed, exactly the comic its creators wanted to read themselves, with no outside influence diluting their vision.
“Everything in it comes straight from our heads – no AI, no creative committee, just two people doing exactly what we want to read,” say the creators, underscoring their devotion to authentic, human-made art.
That ethos resonates throughout the book’s pages in both its dark humour and fearless concepts. From grotesque biological transformations to dystopian high-tech nightmares, each story in Singularity teases the curiosity of readers who crave the strange and subversive. (After all, what’s more curiosity-piquing than wondering what unspeakable idea comes next?)
Meet the Creators
Singularity’s creative team is a unique duo blending fine art, cinematic VFX, and indie publishing grit.
Katy Stone is an illustrator and fine artist (with a background spanning game art, forensic illustration, and even fashion design), whose past clients include MTV and Universal Music.
Phil Vaughan is a comic creator and artist who doubles as a Senior Lecturer in Technical Art & Visual Effects at Abertay University – bringing a filmic flair to the comic page. (He’s currently collaborating with comics legend Pat Mills on another project, Ragtime Soldier, showcasing the pedigree he brings to Singularity).
Together, Stone and Vaughan founded VHS Publications to publish Singularity, fusing their diverse skills to push the envelope of horror comics.
Their partnership delivers both stunning, polished visuals and an evocative storytelling technique. Drawing on Stone’s fine art eye for detail and Vaughan’s cinematic sensibilities, each panel of Singularity is crafted with dramatic lighting, atmospheric depth, and visceral creature designs – lending the book a “movie on paper” quality.
Stone even quips, “Honestly, we should probably be locked up – but instead we’re drawing comics,” hinting at the deliciously deviant ideas driving this series. It’s the kind of professional polish you’d expect from mainstream comics, but with the uninhibited creativity only the indie scene allows.
Satire Amidst the Scares
Adding an extra layer to Singularity’s appeal is a recurring one-page cartoon strip by guest artist Daniel “Dan” Harris. Harris’s strip, debuting in Issue #1 and slated to appear in each subsequent issue, brings a sharp satirical bite and tonal contrast to the anthology’s brooding tales. Think of it as a darkly comic intermission – a bit of MAD Magazine-style or 2000AD-inspired humour nestled among the nightmares. One moment you’re recoiling in fear at a Singularity story’s horrific twist; the next, you’re smirking at a clever cartoon that lampoons the very sci-fi and horror tropes that keep you up at night.
This inventive feature not only gives readers a breather between the heavier stories, but also skewers genre conventions with wit and irony, enhancing the book’s cultural awareness. In an age where horror can sometimes take itself too seriously, Singularity isn’t afraid to wink at the audience even as it sends shivers down their spines. Harris’s contribution exemplifies the anthology’s range: it dynamically mixes dread and laughter in a way that sets Singularity apart from run-of-the-mill horror comics, broadening its appeal across horror, sci-fi, and indie comics fan communities alike.
Another artist featuring is Mark Brown, an illustrator and artist with a wide range of previous experience in art, publishing and games. After graduating from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, Mark moved to London where he started creating content across various platforms such as digital TV, games consoles, mobile phones, newspapers and magazines.
He has worked for The BBC, Channel 4, The Daily Telegraph, Sumo Digital, University of Dundee, University of York, University of London Royal Holloway, The McManus Gallery, Inspired Gaming, Maggie’s Cancer Care, Original Gravity, Firewords Quarterly and more.
Join the Infection
The Singularity Kickstarter campaign is live now, inviting horror and sci-fi aficionados to help bring this passion project to life. Backers have already pledged over one-third of the £3000 goal, putting the project on a strong footing. Statistically, hitting the 30% mark is a key tipping point – about 90% of campaigns that reach 30% of their funding will succeed – but the creators aren’t resting easy. Urgency is in the air: as of today, only a few weeks remain until the campaign deadline (it ends 2nd September 2025), and the team is pushing hard to reach full funding before time runs out. They’re celebrating the 30% milestone briefly, then pressing onward to 50%, 100%, and beyond. It’s a make-or-break moment for this indie venture, and momentum in the coming days will be critical.
To stoke backers’ FOMO (fear of missing out), VHS Publications has lined up some exclusive goodies for early supporters. Digital editions of Singularity start at just £3 (about the cost of a coffee!), while higher-tier rewards include printed copies, special foil-covered editions, and behind-the-scenes art and script extras available only through this Kickstarter. These first-run editions and bonus materials are truly limited-time; once the campaign ends, many of these unique rewards could be gone for good. If you’re an indie comics fan, you won’t want to miss the chance to snag these exclusives and be part of Singularity’s origin story.
By backing Singularity, say the creators, you’ll join a growing community of supporters and become part of an ambitious indie comics movement. Whether you’re drawn by the EC Comics-style scares, the Twilight Zone-worthy twists, or the smart satire lurking in Dan Harris’s cartoon strip, Singularity offers something special – but only if it reaches that funding finish line.
• Check out Singularity here on Kickstarter
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
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: downthetubes News
Studio Ghibli and Art History of Anime/Manga talks by Helen McCarthy lined up at Quay Arts 
2000AD continues to sizzle, new Prog in store now 
Crowdfunding Spotlight: The Amazing Spider-Man Classic Newspaper Comics 
New Forest Painters exhibition includes equestrian art by 2000AD’s Alan Langford