DC Vertigo is heading back to 1950s Hollywood for Hide Nor Hair, a new six-issue comic series that combines creature-feature horror, noir mystery, and a bloody quest for revenge. Written by Adam Smith (Long Walk to Valhalla) and illustrated by Bob Quinn (Kill Your Darlings), the series follows an overlooked special effects artist whose creations are far more than movie props.
Mallory Headley works in the famed Leonard family’s special effects house at Galaxy Pictures, creating the masks behind some of Hollywood’s most recognizable monsters, including the Thing from the Muck, Baba Yaga the witch, and Koschei the vampire. While her creations become stars, the Leonards take the credit, leaving Mallory’s own contributions largely unrecognized. However, the masks hold a secret that could turn Hollywood upside down: they are alive.
When Mallory’s creations are violently stolen from her, she sets out to reclaim them, embarking on a brutal journey through the darker corners of the film industry. What begins as a fight to recover her work becomes a revenge-driven search for the monstrous family she has brought to life, blending the glamour of old Hollywood with supernatural horror and grisly action.
Quinn described the project as an opportunity to push his artistic approach in unfamiliar directions, experimenting with unusual techniques and obscure tools to bring the series to life. The result aims to capture both the unsettling nature of its living monsters and the struggles of an artist trying to find her place in a world that refuses to recognize her.
Smith also highlighted the story’s mix of noir, mystery, and more visceral action, with Quinn’s artwork helping bring the increasingly gruesome elements to the page. Beyond its horror premise, Hide Nor Hair explores the frustrations of creative work, particularly the experience of putting everything into a project while watching others receive the recognition.
The series also marks a new contribution to DC Vertigo’s tradition of strange, unsettling stories with a human core. For Smith, working with Quinn, colorist Lucas Gattoni, and the rest of the creative team has been an opportunity to celebrate the unusual through a medium suited to bringing its characters and creatures to life.
Hide Nor Hair #1 arrives at participating comic book shops and digital retailers on January 6, 2027. The 40-page debut issue is written by Adam Smith, with art and a main cover by Bob Quinn and lettering by Lucas Gattoni. Variant covers by Reiko Murakami, Jasmine Darnell, and Niko Henrichon will also be available.
The first issue costs $3.99, with cardstock variant editions priced at $4.99. The six-issue limited series will be released monthly from January through June 2027, followed by a collected edition scheduled for October.