Seven Wives Creator and Editor Tease a Dark Whodunit for IDW Crime’s Debut (Exclusive)

Crime is coming to IDW. The home of some truly fantastic genre comics — especially those under the chilling IDW Dark horror imprint — IDW Publishing is branching out even further with IDW Crime. The new comics line is set to deliver gripping, complex tales that digs into crime and explores what it takes to turn a saint into a sinner. The new imprint already has a handful of titles lined up for this summer and beyond, but the title that kicks everything off is coming in May with Seven Wives.

Written by Zoe Tunnell and featuring artists V Gagnon and Tesslyn Bergin, Seven Wives takes two detectives to investigate a death at a Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints compound in remote Arizona but soon find a dark mystery, one that unravels the horrors of brainwashing and will give readers a stunning, high stakes whodunit full of twists to the very end. ComicBook spoke with Tunnell as well as editor Riley Farmer about Seven Wives launching this exciting new crime comic imprint — and what to expect from both.

Seven Wives is a Compelling Whodunit With a Victim Who Totally Deserved It

ComicBook: Seven Wives is the launch of IDW’s exciting new imprint, IDW Crime. What has it been like to be part of this first title for the imprint?

Zoe Tunnell: It has been an absolute honor, really. While I’ve been writing comics for years now, Seven Wives is the first actual miniseries I will have on the stands, being entrusted with it being the launch title of the new IDW Crime (especially with the caliber of talent on the other launch books) continues to be astounding and something I’ve tried my best to live up to. No pressure.

I love the overall premise of Seven Wives. What was the inspiration behind this intriguing new book?

It was originally pitched to me as “Knives Out in a cult compound” and while it is a lot darker than that movie, it’s something I never lost sight of. Beyond that, it’s a challenge of keeping up a compelling hunt for a murderer when the victim is, frankly, someone who very much deserved what he got. Matthew Dunn was a vile monster, so exactly what justice should his killer even face? It was a really interesting balance to try and strike, and one I hope readers will enjoy!

What are you most excited about when it comes to Seven Wives — and IDW Crime more broadly?

I am excited to see how readers respond to it. It’s a dark, messy, complex mystery full of characters who have literal or metaphorical blood on their hands trying to uncover a secret that many would prefer stay buried. It isn’t a clear-cut Law & Order episode where things are neatly tied up at the end of the day and things move on. It’s a different flavor of crime tale, and IDW Crime is actively courting such a variety of takes on the genre that is only going to be more exciting as the line continues to grow!

Who would you say Seven Wives would most appeal to (or why you think everyone should read it?)

Crime fans, of course. I mean fans of crime fiction, please don’t steal our book. Beyond that, I think anyone who wants to read a comic with a very woman-heavy cast, absolutely stunning art, and a nuanced, meaty mystery to dig into is going to have a great time. Just be ready to set the book down and go have a cup of tea or something when things get real heavy.

IDW Crime Invites Readers To Be Part of the Story

ComicBook: There are a lot of genres in comics that fans can partake in and often there is a lot of overlap. How would you say that IDW Crime differs from another genre where crime is often a part of the story — horror?

Riley Farmer: Crime, more than other genres, is rooted in investigation — figuring out whodunit, what they did, and why they did it. Horror revels in evil acts, and dramas might have nefarious deeds, but crime invites the reader to dive deeper, to dissect each character and clue until they’re able to make sense of the picture. IDW Crime allows the reader to be part of the story in a way that other genres don’t; we’re presenting you pieces of a gruesome puzzle and asking you to piece it together, to become your very own Hercule Poirot.

We’re asking Zoe Tunnell about what excites them about Seven Wives, but from an editor’s perspective what excites you about this title — and why do you think it’s the perfect one to kick off IDW Crime?

Seven Wives, on the surface, is your classic crime story: a murder being investigated by detectives. But the setting, the compound of a polygamous family, and the victims, the patriarch and religious figure, weaves a really rich tapestry that Zoe slowly and artfully destroys over the course of three issues. She crafted a story that will infuriate readers, in the best way, and everyone at IDW, when we were pitching this, felt the power of such a story; its’ so astounding, and so rooted in hours of research, that it had to be told.

What most excites you about IDW Crime — and what do you think fans are going to most enjoy?

In addition to reading the wonderful stories IDW Crime is publishing this year, I’m most excited for the world to get to know these creators! Writers Zoe, Joey Esposito, and Amy Chase are forming heart-wrenching and lawless scripts with such accuracy that I have begun to question what they do in their free time! And artists V Gagnon, Tesslyn Bergin-Dicoi, Valeria Burzo, and Savanna Mayer are all relative newcomers, but capture each moment’s atrocities and emotions with a powerful candor.

Seven Wives #1 hits comic shops in May. The second title in IDW Crime’s lineup, Killer Influences #1 arrives in July and the third, Fixation #1, hits stores in September.

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