Writer: Travis Brown
Artist: Nate Walkington
Jetsetter Comics, July 2026
The debut issue of Mort, entitled “A Body Worth Burying,” wastes no time introducing us to a grim, supernatural world crafted by writer Travis Brown and artist Nate Walkington. Blending urban fantasy, noir mystery, and vampire horror, the first chapter drags readers into a setting where monsters lurk in the shadows, and supernatural conflicts simmer beneath the surface. At the center of it all is Mort, a mortician whose past dealings with the creatures of the night make him uniquely suited to navigate the strange events unfolding around him.
The issue opens with a shocking sequence. A well-meaning Good Samaritan encounters a frightened young woman who appears lost, confused, and possibly the victim of an abduction. Offering her his coat seems like a simple act of kindness, but the charity proves fatal when the girl is revealed as a vampire. When police officers later arrive on the scene, the encounter ends in bloodshed as they are forced to kill her in self-defense. It is an effective opening that establishes both the dangers of this world and the unpredictable nature of its supernatural inhabitants.
From there, the story shifts to the titular character, Mr. Barber, who prefers to go by the name Mort. In true noir tradition, he is approached by a woman in a red dress, shrouded in cigarette smoke. But here, the woman is the sleepy-eyed daughter of a powerful vampire elder with an unusual proposition. Her father, the leader of three vampire clans, has decided that his time has come and intends to die through a ceremonial walk into the sunlight. His final request is that Mort accompany him during the ritual. Yet the daughter has a request of her own: she wants Mort to refuse the offer. By delaying the ceremony, she hopes to gain enough time to convince her father to reconsider his decision.
As the issue unfolds, Mr Brown gradually reveals more about Mort and his place within this world. Encounters with vampires, ghouls, and other creatures of the night are simply part of his everyday life. It has been a trend in fiction in this century to remove vampires from secret existences, and instead treat them as an unusual ethnic group. Skulking around in dreary castles, ambushing victims, seems very twentieth century.
Mort’s elevated reputation among the supernatural community explains why the vampire elder would seek him out for such a personal task. The story also hints at Mort’s background as a vampire hunter, suggesting a complicated history with the creatures he now interacts with professionally.
Meanwhile, another mystery emerges. Someone is conducting an unsanctioned vampire recruitment campaign, creating new vampires without approval. The implications are significant. It becomes apparent that this subplot is likely connected to the elder vampire’s planned death and the power struggle that could follow. Mr Brown does an excellent job building anticipation around these developments, carefully laying the groundwork for future conflicts while keeping the immediate narrative engaging.
What stands out most about the writing is its discipline. First issues often struggle under the weight of worldbuilding, forcing large amounts of exposition onto readers in order to establish setting, rules, and characters. Mort certainly contains plenty of information, but Brown avoids exposition-heavy storytelling. The dialogue serves a purpose, clarity delivering context without an overwhelming narrative.
More importantly, the script never treats the artwork as an afterthought. In some text-heavy comics, the visuals become secondary, as though readers might as well be reading a prose novel. Here, the opposite is true. The dialogue and artwork work in tandem, each enhancing the effectiveness of the other.
Nate Walkington’s artwork is equally deserving of praise. Rather than relying on excessive detail or flashy spectacle, the visuals succeed through restraint and intentionality. Clean, angular line work combines with a muted color palette to create a convincing neo-noir atmosphere, while carefully placed bursts of color draw attention to key moments and emotional beats. The result is a grounded supernatural setting that is believable, and unsettling.
The art prioritizes character performance, mood, and storytelling clarity over visual excess. There are no grand splash pages. Facial expressions, body language, and panel composition do the heavy lifting. The art communicates a dark urban fantasy tone, balancing realism with stylization .
With its intriguing central mystery, compelling lead character, and confident visual presentation, Mort #1 delivers a strong opening chapter. Messrs Brown and Walkington establish a rich supernatural world filled with political intrigue, personal conflict, and lurking danger, and yet avoid many of the common problems of first issues. If subsequent installments can capitalize on the momentum generated here, Mort has the potential to become a highly engaging supernatural noir series worth following.
More information regarding the series can be found on Jetsetter Comics’ website – https://www.jetsettercomics.com/ , including a link to the forthcoming Kickstarter campaign.