Exclusive: New Horror Series DAY OF THE DEAD GIRL Celebrates Mexican Heritage With A 'Morbid, Magical Mystery'

Summary Co-atuthors AJ Mendez and Aimee Garcia have announced their new supernatural horror comic series, Day of the Dead Girl, set to hit shelves this fall.

Day of the Dead Girl will delve into Mexican cultural traditions surrounding death, as the members of a coven start to be killed off before their local Day of the Dead celebration.

With their new series, authors Mendez and Garcia aim to bring representation of Mexican heritage into the comic book medium, accompanied by a chilling plot that will keep readers guessing until the end.

Writers AJ Mendez and Aimee Garcia have teamed up for another comic book series – having previously cowritten several projects together, including a GLOW comic adaptation – which will honor Mexican culture through a classic supernatural scary story. The series, Day of the Dead Girl, unites Garcia and Mendez with artist Belén Culebras, and will be released by indie publisher Magma Comix.

Screen Rant is pleased to share the exclusive first look at the cover for Day of the Dead Girl #1. The series will comprise three issues, and is set to take readers on a wild ride through the rich supernatural lore of Mexico.

According to the synopsis released for the series, the protagonist's homecoming is about to become a horror-show, as members of her mother's coven start to be killed off in advance of their town's Day of the Dead celebration.

AJ Mendez previously wrestled for the WWE from 2009 to 2015. Aimee Garcia is an actress known for roles on TV series such as Dexter, Lucifer, and many more. In addition to their comic book work together, they co-wrote the screenplay for the Netflix film Blade of the 47 Ronin. Mendez also wrote a Wonder Woman story for Wonder Woman: Black and Gold.

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AJ Lee And Aimee Garcia Announce New Supernatural Horror Series: DAY OF THE DEAD GIRL

Day Of The Dead Girl #1 – Written By Aimee Garcia & AJ Mendez; Art By Belén Culebras; Available October 9, 2024

AJ Mendez and Aimee Garcia's Day of the Dead Girl is one of the most exciting indie comic releases coming this fall.

According to the chilling opening line of the synopsis for Day of the Dead Girl: "Death is never the end of the story." Co-writers AJ Mendez and Aimee Garcia are set to deliver an engaging, unsettling mystery steeped in Mexican cultural traditions about death. As the rest of the synopsis reads:

Death is never the end of the story. Coroner Sam Castillo will learn this the hard way, when a supernatural serial killer targets her hometown just as she moves back. A skeptical woman of science, Sam butts heads with her spiritual mother Ana, a leader of a witch coven specializing in Brujeria. But when the coven’s Brujas start turning up murdered, Sam and Ana must work together to find the killer and save their town’s Day of the Dead festival from turning into an occult bloodbath. As if sharing a bathroom with her mom wasn’t hard enough.

As Aimee Garcia noted, representation in the comic book medium was an important underlying motivation for the project. Garcia explained:

Growing up, I didn’t see comics that reflected my Mexican heritage, so I’m thrilled to create Day of the Dead Girl with AJ and spotlight our rich Latino culture to readers. Not only will Belén Culebras’ stunning visuals thrust readers into the midst of a joyful Day of the Dead celebration, but this story will cut to the core of what binds us all together … death.

Her co-writer, meanwhile, emphasized the bone-chilling thrills readers should anticipate from the series. As AJ Mendez stated:

We can't wait for you to join us on this beautifully bloody adventure. Writing this supernatural horror story was a twisted dream, and we really hope it gives you nightmares. Read our morbid, magical mystery at your own risk.

Mendez and Garcia's previous comic book collaborations – an official Dungeons & Dragons comic adaptation, and an official tie-in to Netflix's GLOW TV series – allowed them to flex their capabilities as writers when it comes to both action and humor. Now, with Day of the Dead Girl, they will bring those skills to the table, with the added excitement of supernatural elements, and a murder-mystery plot to tie it all together. With all of that in mind, AJ Mendez and Aimee Garcia's Day of the Dead Girl is one of the most exciting indie comic releases coming this fall.

Authors Aimee Garcia & AJ Mendez Have Displayed An Incredible Flair For Comic Book Writing

GLOW Vs. The Babyface – Written By Aimee Garcia & AJ Mendez; Art By Hannah Templer

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As AJ Mendez and Aimee Garcia's first independently-owned comic book title, Day of the Dead Girl appears to be an auspicious beginning to a long time creating memorable works in the medium.

While it is totally different in tone than fans should expect from Day of the Dead Girl, Garcia and Mendez's GLOW vs. the Babyface offers a great primer for fans who can't wait to read the duo's work. In a way, the lightheartedness of the tie-in miniseries will offer a useful contrast to the terrors the authors are expected to unleash in their upcoming series. As AJ Mendez and Aimee Garcia's first independently-owned comic book title, Day of the Dead Girl appears to be an auspicious beginning to a long time creating memorable works in the medium.

One person in particular who is excited is artist Belén Culebras, who realized the authors' work on the page. Culebras stated:

Drawing Day Of the Dead Girl is a dream come true, if you asked me what kind of story would you like to draw – it would be exactly this. I love the theme of witchcraft and ghosts, criminal investigation, Latin culture... It's magical, I couldn't ask for anything better.

While readers will have to wait a bit longer to get a glimpse of Culebras' interior art for Day of the Dead Girl, his excitement for the series should be another indicator to readers that this is going to be a can't-miss series. Having cut their teeth on Dungeons & Dragons and GLOW, AJ Mendez and Aimee Garcia's new creator-owned comic series will take their creative tag-team partnership to the next level.

Day of the Dead Girl #1 will be available October 9, 2024 from Magma Comix.