Kill or Be Killed, a Chilling New Title from AWA and Roy Lee’s Vertigo Entertainment

The rules are simple: kill a complete stranger and livestream the murder, or lose everything. Just when you thought it was safe to scroll again, Artists Writers and Artisans, Inc. (AWA) and Roy Lee’s Vertigo Entertainment are back to upend your nightmares. The two have revealed Kill or Be Killed, the second spine-tingling release in their The Future of Fear collection. This pulse-pounding illustrated prose one-shot from acclaimed author Peter Tieryas and visionary artist Mike Choi hits shelves and digital platforms on August 20.

In a world where your “friend” notification could be your death sentence, Kill or Be Killed imagines a tech dystopia where social media and AI collide with lethal consequences. When random people begin receiving mysterious messages that threaten the lives of their loved ones—unless they murder a stranger and livestream it for all to see—they become victims of a mysterious serial murderer known as the Friendship Killer. The perpetrator’s sinister game spreads like wildfire until one victim embarks on a search for the murderer that sets him down a twisted road of advanced surveillance tech, deepfake capabilities, and AI horror.

The 48-page novella blends page-turning prose with razor-sharp social commentary, brought chillingly to life through Mike Choi’s haunting illustrations that immerse readers in a near-future world that feels all too real. Following the buzzworthy debut of Look Out, which hit stores on May 7, Kill or Be Killed continues The Future of Fear anthology, a cross-platform horror initiative spanning comics, illustrated prose, and screen adaptations. Titles from the collection are already in development for film and television through AWA Studios and Vertigo Entertainment.