It’s time to do the Time Warp again! FANGORIA is excited to partner with Bit Bot Media to announce the first ever officially licensed Rocky Horror Show graphic novel, serving as a sequel to the cult classic film starring Tim Curry. Bride of Rocky Horror plunges Brad and Janet back into the world of madness they thought they’d escaped, and we’re excited to give you a first look at the book’s cover.
Backed by an upcoming Kickstarter campaign, the 95-page full color graphic novel is written by Magdalene Visaggio, with art by Noemi Vettori, colors by Josh Rodriguez, letters by Jeremiah Lambert, and cover art by Soo Lee. The book’s synopsis is as follows:
In Bride of Rocky Horror, Janet Weiss has embraced a life of decadence and debauchery. But when a mysterious invitation draws her back into the orbit of her ex-fiancé Brad Majors, a new mystery unfolds. Who is the enigmatic Bridget Von Frankenstein? What secrets is Brad hiding? And is it, once again, time for the Time Warp?
“Rocky Horror is one of my favorite stories of all time,” said Visaggio. “It was the safest queer art I had access to when I was young because my parents were both huge fans. So to get the chance to look beyond it and see how it could have played out once that fateful night ended was a dream come true. I tried to make something as personal and idiosyncratic as O'Brien's original, riffing off the themes that stood out to me the same way O'Brien was riffing on his childhood influences. I think me and Noemi have made something really unique.”
This is not technically the first time Brad and Janet have appeared in a Rocky Horror sequel project. Original writer Richard O’Brien also reteamed with director Jim Sharman for the 1981 film Shock Treatment, featuring the young couple trapped in a reality TV hellscape. While O’Brien and fellow Rocky stars Patricia Quinn and Nell Campbell returned for the new project, Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick were replaced by Jessica Harper and Cliff DeYoung, and the film was considered a critical and commercial failure.
“As an artist, and even more so as a Rocky Horror Show fan, it meant a lot to me to pay tribute to our beloved characters, striving to stay as true as possible to their original appearance and personalities,” said Vettori. “I hope I succeeded in representing what Rocky Horror embodies: chaos, passion, and rebellion. Working on Bride of Rocky Horror wasn’t just about illustration, it was about channeling all the energy of an eccentric and mesmerizing musical onto paper!”
The book’s Kickstarter page will offer a plethora of exclusive collectibles and officially licensed merch for those who back the project, including The Rocky Horror Show Video Game and its soundtrack, interconnecting prints by cover artist Lee, plush figures of Frank-N-Furter and Rocky, and more.
Fans can sign up for notifications about when Bride of Rocky Horror’s Kickstarter goes live on their prelaunch page. Check out the book’s cover down below:
