Horror Comic ‘Darkade’ Looks to Scare Up Some Crowdfunding This October [Exclusive]

“A cursed arcade, sitting deep under the waves of the Atlantic, summons four strangers to play for a chance of winning their fortunes – at the risk of losing their souls…” Well, color me intrigued. If you are, too, you’ll want to check out the upcoming Kickstarter campaign for Darkade, an arcade horror comic written by T.W. Burgess and illustrated by Chris DiBari (you can check out some of DiBari’s work here). The series will look to crowdfund via Kickstarter this October, just in time for the scariest season of the year.

Darkade follows avid gamer, Sam, a debt-ridden young woman whose grief and desperation pull her back to Benningworth’s, an abandoned arcade on Plank Pier, Coney Island. Unfortunately, the arcade is full of cursed games, and several other poor souls have been lulled in for the chance to change their luck… or die trying. It’s nostalgia fueled by the propulsion of modern horror, and as a bona fide gamer myself (and, ergo, someone susceptible to cursed arcades), I can’t wait to see what Burgess and DiBari cook up. Check out the announcement trailer below, which has me pretty excited:

A forgotten turn of the century arcade hall. Once a prohibition gambling den built by gangster Archie Stripes, and now home to a curated assortment of the most haunted arcade games from around the globe. A collection spanning back decades. From early corrupted clockwork games to digital demonic cabs from the 20th century.

Horror fans might know Burgess from Mister Howl, a terrifying found-footage novel released in 2023. In my review, I wrote, “Mister Howl is an easy recommendation from a burgeoning voice in horror storytelling. It’ll rattle, shake, and terrify you, imbuing its emotional heft with earnest, bone-chilling scares.” Burgess’ writing often plays with form and structure, adapting cinematic techniques on the page for terrifying, electric storytelling. Which is to say, if Darkade is anywhere close to Mister Howl, you can count me in. You can check out some exclusive stills from the upcoming comic below:

Darkade is going to start its crowdfunding campaign in October, so if you’re inclined, don’t hesitate to help a pretty remarkable troupe of horror creatives. It’s a pretty solid gamble. In the meantime, give Mister Howl a shot, and let me know if there are any other horror comics I should be checking out. You can connect with me on Twitter @Chadiscollins, and check out Manoghost’s Instagram and Twitter here.

Darkade is being crowdfunded via Kickstarter in October 2025. Sign up for further details for the Manoghosts mailing list www.manoghosts.com

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