Gothic Romance Is Back In ‘Deadman: Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love’ by Sarah Vaughn and Lan Medina [Exclusive]

Gothic romance returns to DC Comics this October with the arrival of Deadman: Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love by Sarah Vaughn and Lan Medina. The three-issue series tells the story of a young woman named Berenice who has the ability to see ghosts. She's also caught in a love triangle with her boyfriend and her non-binary best friend, but her conflicted heart may be the least of her problems, as the mansion they occupy is haunted by a very angry revenant. Thankfully another ghost soon arrives to offer his help, and it's none other than Boston Brand, the Deadman.

Fans of romance comics will know Vaughn from Alex + Ada and Ruined, which was serialized in the Fresh Romance anthology. Fans of all kinds of comics may know Medina from Punisher Max, District X, or Fables. And fans of DC will know Deadman as a supernatural superhero who's been bopping around the DC Universe since Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino created him back in 1967.

In the past, Deadman's stories have ranged from superheroics to horror, but I think this is the first time he's really gotten involved in a true Gothic romance plot. It's definitely an interesting direction to take him in, and for DC's line in general. Vaughn is the ideal choice for this sort of thing, and Medina's artwork is gorgeous and evokes the perfect mood.

Deadman: Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love is a three-issue prestige format series, featuring covers by Stephanie Hans. The first issue is out in October. Check out a preview of some unfinsihed interior pages below:

From DC's press release:

A young woman with a conflicted heart and the ability to see ghosts, Berenice lives with her boyfriend, Nathan, in a grand mansion in New England but is growing closer and closer to her best friend, Sam. As she struggles with her heart’s desire, a dark presence settles over the mansion, drawing the attention of the ghostly superhero Deadman. As Berenice and Deadman seek to free the house and its inhabitants of Adelia Whitehall (known as the Darkness) vengeful rage, more disturbing and sinister secrets emerge, leaving Berenice in grave danger.

“I've been reading romance novels and comics since I was kid, and it is a genre I am positively passionate about,” says writer Sarah Vaughn. “I can't tell you how excited I am to be able to tell a modern gothic horror story with classic DC roots.”

“After reading the synopsis of the story, I felt I was coming back to the old days of romance comics, but in an entirely new way,” says artist Lan Medina. “I was thrilled by how the Darkness character mixes with Deadman. This has absolutely taken me on a hell of a ride.”

A gothic romance comic with superhero flair, DEADMAN: DARK MANSION OF FORBIDDEN LOVE comes from the creative minds of writer Sarah Vaughn (Alex + Ada) and artist Lan Medina (Vertigo’s FABLES) with covers by Stephanie Hans. The first issue of the series will arrive in comic shops in October 2016, with subsequent issues being released every other month.