Unlock Otherworldly Horror in a New Limited Series
Los Angeles, CA (August 21, 2025) – Writer Stephanie Williams (Nubia & the Amazons) and artist Letizia Cadonici (House of Slaughter) invite readers to descend into their new six-issue cosmic horror series Roots ofMadness, with the first issue available in comic shops October 1st from Ignition Press.
At the turn of the 20th century, a young Black woman named Etta picks up the tradition of her late mother for creating special medicines using natural ingredients and secrets handed down from generation to generation. Her mother has passed on a book of recipes and formulas, but it’s also full of strange symbols and dark musings that she doesn’t quite understand.
Within her community, one of the problems she hopes to fix is counteracting the poisonous and abrasive solutions Black women and girls are sold for straightening their hair. So, when the Meridian Fellowship reaches out and offers her a spot at their institute in Savannah, GA, to use their facilities to do her research, Etta jumps at the chance. She packs up hermother’s book and heads to the sprawling establishment, but what she finds is a place surrounded by natural wonders that may point the way to understanding the more mysterious parts of her mother’s work…if dark forces don’t claim her first.
Inspired by the life of Madame CJ Walker, this alternate history combines tradition with cosmic horror for something truly modern and unique.
“Working on Roots of Madness challenged me to push beyond limits I hadn't known I’d subconsciously placedon myself. The results are some of my best work yet,” said writer Stephanie Williams.
“I love drawing this book more and more every issue! It’s the perfect mix of eerie and intriguing, in a beautifully inspired scenario," added artist Letizia Cadonici.
Roots of Madness #1 is available in comic shops October 1st from writer Stephanie Williams and artistLetizia Cadonici, with colors from Alessandro Santoro and
lettering by AndWorld Design. This issue features two open-to-order covers from Juliet Nneka (Absolute Green Lantern) and Letizia Cadonici & Alessandro Santoro, and a 1:5 variant cover by Paulina Ganucheau (Wonder Woman).
To guarantee a copy, make sure you contact and reserve your copy with your localcomic shop by no later than Monday, August 25th. To find a comic shop near you, go to findyourcomic.store.
"Like the potions Etta makes in the comic, what is on the page in Roots of Madness is the product of an amazing alchemy,” said Ignition Press Editor-in-Chief Jamie S. Rich. “With each new stage, from Stephanie's script to Letizia's art to Alessandro's coloring, the story becomes more alive, more real, and more unique. I am stunned every day when the pages appear in my inbox. Then AndWorld comes along and makes sure the message is clear, before we pack it up and send it out into the world."
Ignition Press is dedicated to empowering vibrant creativity through creator-driven original stories, told withintegrity and commitment, that meet their audience where they are. The Los Angeles-based comic book and graphic novel publisher was co- founded by publishing and media industry veterans Eric Gitter (CEO), Filip Sablik (Publisher), Jamie S. Rich (Editor-in-Chief), and Jeremy Haun (Creative Director) in July 2024 and will exclusively publish creator-driven original series beginning in September 2025. To stay up to date on IgnitionPress news, become an Ignition Insider at www.ignitionpress.com.